The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-10-06
THE BURIAL QUESTION IN EyoL,yn

titude. II all Churchmen cvinccd the con,i,
ntory temper Of the Dean NJ westminstor
crisls might probably be avcr.ed for at lone,
generation. Such is far from being the c,so
and striking proof Is the vehcmcnco win
which proposition is resisted to place Church'
men and Disorders on n footing oi EQUALITY in
their final resting place-thc parish grnyevarls
A question which might have boon settled h,
prompt and reasonable concessions. has grow,
into m issue OF large import. in which bo,h
parties declare that vital interests arc ut s,ako
The Non-con' ormists mndc such progress
however. In the session Of Parliament which
has just closed. TINT early success seems 10 Ia
insured. and 1t is not unlikely that within
twclvcmonth the services for the dead may ha
conducted in Anglican churchyards by anyD,.
scntlng minister.
On the face Of IL. this burial question seem,
to he simple enough. and on that nccount IN.
record Of its long md bitter discussion culm.
mating in tho remarkable division whicho..
Cured during tho late session is tho more sur
prising and suggestive. Certainly the las,
abiding place Of the peaceful dead is n strnne.
bnttlc ground for political parties and contend.
INK eects in the England OF the nineteenth
century. The Archbishop Of Canterbury has
contested ns much. and protested TINT ii would
HfNtI up l'T l4llEluuN ~ NID.HT moro lE0tnl
than the Austrian and Russian empires. Never.
thelcss the most king feature %! this burial
controversy IL tho fact that practically no ad.
vance was made during the term OF tho Glad.
stone Ministry which d.scstahishcd The Irish
Church. ami that it is only since Liberalism was
nta discount and Tory Government was in
ONCE. that the question has lcnpcd forward to
the verge ot solution. When the Non.con.
.t,
ago the vote IN favor Of the bill WIS actually
larger by one than In the year 1870. when the
Liberal majority was ninety. while the Con.
seryHtlve normal majority Of between
eighty and ninety dwindled on this
division TO fourteen. Such state of
things plainly attcstcd general dis.
position throughout tho country to take large
and generous view II the situation. and should
have brought home TO Churchmcn the mpera.
tive ncccss ,y Tor policy u Cancellation. But
although few clerical and lay members adyo.
cntcd concessions tho majority OF ccclcsinstis
insisted on regarding rs Il species Of sncrilcg
the intrusion Of Dissenting ministers into con.
secrated ground. By dint OF petitions and pres.
sure Of all kinds, the pnr,ispns OF intolerance
succeeded at the next session in defeating tAs
opening oi churchyards 20 Non-contormisis by
n majority u thlr,y-threc. though an incrcasei
number Of Conservatives now voted for the bill
1t lie noteworthy. too. that the Prime Minister
while obliged to satisfy his clerical supporters
by opposing the motion. treated their objection,
with cynical Indifference declaring that tho dif.
iculty was sanitary. not scctarian." and that
" these mis- 'rahic ecclesiastical disputes were
about graycyarls which were full. and which
ought long ago - have been closed" Nniu.
rally the impression produced b. the debate %
the public mind was TINT q system assGiled with
viGor. ami defended with 80 llitlo heart must
soon collapse. md that the time Tor dealing
with II In spirit Of compromise was passed
We pointed out some time ago how. in n,
session ~ 1871 the Tory Government fulfilled
its pledge " treating the burial question in
non-scctarian way bill was introduced 10
the House Of Lords which profcsscd to no o.y
sanitary and yet recognized the existence ofus
religious difficulty hy lcealizinC silent buras
and providing for now and unconsc-ra,ei
cemeteries. But the Disscntcrs did no; wan
now grnycynrls they demanded admit,aucec
the old. Accordingly. after violent struggle
in which the growing strength Of the Non cot
formist position WIS conclus!vcly provca. he
bin WIS amended VIII what il known rs Lir.
Harrowby's clause. which empowered tho re-
tivcs OF deceased person 10 have such services
Mt the grave ~ thcy should deem right al
proper. This was n victory Int the agiiatoi
on the part OF the established clergy became s.
widespread and de;crmincd--not less tina
$4,000 OF them having signcd n counter
pctition-that the Government. unwilling u
incur their anger felt Obliged to withdraw
It's bill. Such was tho position Of the burial
question ny TO the beginning ofthc session Whs
has jus, closed. There nm be lt,l" doultNat
hal the attention of Parliament not been en-.
crossed by tho Eastern roini locations. the oil
introduced into he House II Commons byia'
wcll-knUwn Diesoutrr. O~lorue Morsan. would
hive boon cnrried by majority equal 10 ihl
when hnd ratified the iInrrowhy amendment 10
the other House. AS It WAS. the narrow MAJOR
ity Of fifteen hy which his motion was r,lecit
was sufficiently significant. 1t showed that It.
ter clericalism had done i,s utmost. the suppo;
crs OF generous policy had fully regaincd he
position which they occupied before the clrr
opposition began. hint Conservative supper; So
increasing with every division. aud that ,ar-'
number Of Liberals could be got together (
give religious equality vote than for nnylr
lltical or party purpose. one result ot the ia
mnnstra;ion was an anxious but tardy d.spos.
ton on the part 81 many Church men tocomrfr
mise. evidenced by the submission 81 crude aii
f'''A' h'44Ts NllA'ii Shllsu'i lotNl AA+
proved ahostivc.
There is ground TO hclieve that TIE Con.
s"rvative Government will itself undertake 70
settle the question AZ lts next srssion. By throw.
ing open. once for all. the rhurrhyard- n Non.
conformists No doubt thrrc Is n sense IS
Lord Braconslleld has snd. in which tho d.S.
Guilty about burinls ought Ia he trontcd rs sanl.
tary and not scctarian Il may hc tho business
o! the State To enforce such methods 81 inter
mrnt ms will secure hcalth. ord en- drooncy and
regard for public feeling but with tho r.,.
Gious wants and preferences Of the RELATIVES =
the dead II should have no concern Il q
probable that the management o. public
gravryards will bc committed to the hands. no.
Of ecclesiastical. but 81 civic uuo'IoHari.s.
whose aim vii! hc the public good WITH r'i-
erence 10 religious distinctions ludrsn'ha
regime cemetery may be- cou-erraicd wno'T
or in part as Churchmru shall 3c,ig" bui c'n'
secrntion will not mnke ono ward OF earth dhi
from another. 40 far ms concerns the rgIt p'
Dissentcr to be inferred by his own minister
and with his customary Services.
Where the Original Hook Of Mormon Z.
trua. n, h, ilo.i c"~'lp.r.
Elders Orson Prn't and j. T. Smith. two hieh
tft ftt.