Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-04-07


IsTEks OF AND EDGEFIELD.
We deem it our duty as Ch ristian
ministers to utter word of sober
counsel to the people whom we serve
on subject the delicate nature of
which, we trust, we fully appreciate,
viz, extravagant expenditures in con-
nection with the burial of our dead.
Our motive for speaking is twofold.
First, from our position we are more
fully cognizant of the existing evil
than others are likely to become. Sec
ondly, we have been appealed to by a
number of the wisest and most pru-
dent men among us to give our iRflu-
ence to the correction of abuses in this
direction. Customs prevail which entail
expenses upon families in moderate cir
cumsta nces which harass themforyears,
and lead, in many cases, to lntolerable
burdens. The facts are so well-knOwn
that we do not feel it incumbent upon
US to enter into detailed statement
of them. The circumstances Of fu-
neral occasions are such that the
nearest relatives are deprived of all
power to judge with calmness. or con
troll expenditures with prudence. OF
ten they satisfy themselves with giving
the matter into the hands of others,
with the single request that such
burial is to be given as custom de-
mands. 1t needs, therefore. that Gus
tom be wisely regulated. After a
thoughtful considerable of the reforms
need and practicable, we advise, in
the section of burial-cases and para
phernalia, simplicity and utility be the
criteria-suggestin that display on
such occasion belongs to paganism
rather thar to Christianity. The re-
form of most immediate value which
we would suggest is, that the duty of
attendance on the part of the public
at funerals should be universally con
sidered as ended when the religious
service is concluded at the church or
the residence of deceased that the
progress to the cemetery and the inter
ment should be private; that the family
provide no carriages except for their
own use. Wealthy Christian men will
readily practice this self-denial when
we assure them that the keen and
pressing wants of widow and orphaus
all about us plead for this alienation,
Public sentimentcontrols in these del
icate matters, and they give form and
force to this sentiment.
Allow US to bring to your attention
one other desirabl change. 1t often
occurs that the fond desire of friends
TO obtain the latest possible sight of
their dead prevents the permanent
fastening of the coffin-lid until after
the close of the religious service, when
a space is given for those who may
wish to approach the corpse for last
look. For two reasons we recommend
the abolition of this practice. First:
Medical science opens to us number
less dangers as attendant upon the
presence of exposed dead bodies in
crowded rooms Secondly: Our own
hearts indicate to us that the prefer
able time for this last look is before
the assembling of the people which
wait upon the funeral-service. We
would affectionately suggest, there
fore, that in all cases the coffin be her
metically closed before the service,
and that the body be not detained for
what often becomes not only trying,
but dangerous tax upon the already
overstrained nerves of sorrowing fam
lilies. d. q. KELLEY, Chm,
S. A. KELLEY,
a. j. BAIRD,
VIM. GRAHAM,
r. A. HoYT,
NJ. II. LANE, Sec.