The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-04-08
aheGntelligetre
A Quarrel In an English Grave
yard over the Burial Of nn Un'
baptized Infant.

baptized Infant.
From the Sheffield Independentl
A painful scene took place on Tuesday
at DJre, in connection with the inter-
mept Of an infant, and the following mar
Tstiye Of the occurrence is from the pen
Of our reporter, who was present: Among
the inhabitants Of the village Is one vii.
liam Sanderson, farm laborer, whose
infant son was baptized in the Dore
Primitive Methodist Chapel about year
ago. On Friday the boy died from con.
WILSON'S, and the father, having obtained
certificate OF burial, made the necessary
arrangements for the funeral. But when
he had completed them the Rev. S. 7. F.
Alfred, the vicar, informed him that he
could not inter the boy, inasmuch as
he had not baptized him. The rev.
erend gentleman, however gave MN
permission to place the Douy IN
the graveyard; so he determi"ea ~ 70
bury the body yesterday, ana COM
municated with the Rev. ". Whitoy, gu
perintendent Of the Sheffield Primitive
Methodis, First Circuit, in the hope that
he WonId read the service for the dead In
their own chapel. The interment wa:
STaj ior 8 o'clock. and it was intended
tbS,,s ,bo vicar had refused TO inter the
cornse. il should be placed in the grave
by friends, the Rev. W. Whitby reading
The Primitive Methodist service mean.
while from the turnpike road adjoining
the churchyard. The dissenting minister
arrived in the village al 3 o'clock to oiiici.
alto at the inlerment, but the grave was
not finished until nearly an hour after.
ward. The corpse in the meantime had
been carried 10 the Primitive Methodist
Chapel, in which tho Rev. W. Whitby
read a portion Of the burial service used
in our cemeteries. At last tho grave
wa. ready, and the little procession
started for the churchyard, the tiny
coffin being carried by four boys.
In front walked the Rev. W. Whit.
by, but on reaching tho gates OF the
churchyard not only he, but all the
moarners we're surpriscd to SEQ the Rev.
E B. Chslmer coming up the pathway,
reading the service as Is the custom Of
the clergy at burials. Next came very
painful scene. II had been so distinctly
understood BY tho bereaved that clergy.
man would not Officiate at the interment,
that there was Just cause for the surpriEe
OF the Rev. W. Whitby, who protested
most emphatically against the reading Of
the Church Of England service, especial.
ly as he had already gone through a por.
ton OF their own burial service 10 the
chapel. The protest led to very TN.
seemly controversy, which was carried
on in the midst Of sobbing children and
the gratuitous opinions OF young man,
the sexton, the latter being particularly
anxious to state that there ought TO be
an inquest. Both the Clergyman and the
dissenting minister tried 10 appear calm
as they spoke to each other, but they
found It scarcely possible, ashley con
ersed in this wise:
The Rev. W. Whitby-Stop, sir, II you
please. We do not want any service
read. We have had service OF yonr
church.
The Rev. E. B. Chalmer-Yo can not
bury here, then.
The Rev. W. Whitby-I say yes-It
has been done.
The Kew. +. Is. Chalmer-B1t voh can
not have the body inferred here unless
the service isread.
The Rev. W. Whitby-It shall be bur-
led like dog, then, without your service.
The parents OF the dead boy stood by in
the greatest grief, and the mother, panied
beyond compare by the dispute, had to be
supported by her husband, and was on the
eve OF fainting. 1t was decided to appeal
to the parents as to what should be done.
The Rev. W. Whitby suggested that the
body should be taken to the general
cemetery ut Sheffield, but the mother
would not hear OF this, and finally elected,
amid many tears, that her boy should be
inferred in the churchyard. The Rev. W.
Whilby then made formal protect
against the conduct Of the Rev. E. b.
Chalmer, and retired. The corpse was
now carried into the church, and the
clergyman read the burial service, max
ing no comment whatever upon the pro.
ceedings outside. A number OF persons
waited around the grave until the body
was brought out Of the church, but they
soon dispersed, inasmuch as there wa
nothing further to see, the Rev. E. B.
Chalmer concluding the service in the
ordinary way. It is, we understand, the
intention OF the local Primitive Metho'
dist body to forward the case to the Bi.h-
OPP of LichGeld, in order to get his opin.
ion upon the conduct Of the clergy con.
carnaj