, 1877-02-03

women have in most civilized states gained
admit'ance to the highest educational
institutions,-while they have earned the
right to use the surgeons knife, AMI the
accountants pen, and in one country es-
p~eciaIly, have not been far from being
conceded the right Of the ballot,-while
as telegraphists, clerks, sales women
ETC., 10 fact, in q variety Of occupations
too numerous to mention, they have man
fully fought their way and performed
their parts with a zeal aud success, which
might put to the blush not o few of US
lords of creation-thpre has not yet, as
far as I am aware, teen accorded to them
the privilege of dispensing the rites of the
church, and least OF all the Roman CathO-
lie Church.
But here in Santa Cruz, what the ladies
have not been gjueA, they appear to have
lust simply t0hen. This thought has,
Mr.. Editor, been suggested by n c%ircunl-
stance which occurred a few days since
in this town.-A lady. an Old member Of
the Roman Catholic Church, died in the
absence of the priest Of the parish, on a
visit to ST. Thomas, anl contemporary
with the absence of the priest from
the parish in Christi3nStrd 0'so. Ia
such u case, as far as | an ocqlaint-
ed with the regulations OF th3 church,
the performing Of the burial service
devo!vcs upon the clerk, o. iudividu-
al who acts rs such. That individual,
who 70. a number Of years has been accus-
toned TO oliciate at bufials beth in own
and country, aud this naturally with the
sanction aad approval Of the presiding
incumbent, was not absent from his post,
and had been furthermore requested to
meet at the residence Of the deceased at a
fixed time, by q gentleman "a prominent
member Of the church. who had to do
with the funeral, for the purpose of per-
forming the burial service. But when he
arrived there-not TOO late mind you-the
whole thing was already q fau accompH, q
thing Of the past, the ceremony having
already been performed by another, o lady
of the same persnasion-who had taken
upon herself the functions Of the priest.
Under her direction the funeral procession,
headed by the a~ccolytes bearing the sa-
cred emblems aud vessels, was taken in
the church, and there, and ut the grave
the whole ceremony was led by her.
Now, this, Mr.. Editor, is a thing unpre-
cedented at least in our town, aud has
caused no little sensation in the communi-
ty. Could you help mt TO discover some
reason for III The gentleman who under
ordinary circumstances is accustomed to
consign to the earth the mortal remains Of
humber members Of the church, was ut
his post can it be that spiritual pride, if
I may use the term in such a sense. a
pride ridiculous enough in itself, was the
nctuating motive? That a member of the
Church could stand SO high, that even in
death where all distinctions ease, it was
uniting for an unc0nsecrated male mem.
Der to o~fficiate, aud yet quite suitable for
q female fellow sinner to take upon herself
so unwomarly a part, to say nothing of
the direct diSobedience TO the laws OF the
church? Or,-O. blush for it. We who
call yourselves members Of q common
Christian brotherhood, partakers of a
nineteenth century Civilization, was il be-
cause in The veins OF the mate, there runs
the blood Of hat race Of whom it has been
sAid,-" they suffer Tor no colour Of crime
save the crime of colour'-and that in
those of these two females-the living and
the dead-there does rot?
West End, Yours truly