New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-03
SJvgLE FTVERfLS.

veor no Hishop Corriran is.mcd some nstruc-
tons 10 The priests ia his Diocese, which were III
tended 10 discourage ostentatiOns AMI expensive
display at funerals. The orders were explicit ON one
p,int and forbade absolutely more than
twelve carriages to follow u dead body to us
last resiing-place. II seems that this order
has been disobcycd until it has come to be
considered dead letter. On last sunday afternoon
however. Father Hcnucsscy took bold stand III
Jersey Civ and shut the Cathedral doors afan't
funeral while forty carriages were IN line. and re-
fused to open them and proceed with the services
until the extra carriage. had been dismissed. Father
lIcnucsscy's action was altogether wholesome ana
commentaries. This oppressive extravagance
at funerals has been the theme of much discussion
among clcrgymen and intelligent laymon # o. er
denominations. Witnina year or so several eccle-
sastica bodies nave recorded their protests against
the costly ceremonial which modern fashion cmj oins
Thcmo,t elaborate dcliycrance which has come toour
notice from Presbyterian Association AZ PMS
burg Penn. This protest went over the Whoe
ground, aud in addition to condemnation oi costly
caskes and funeral trains. argued strongly ana SEN
sihlv against the preaching of funeral sermons
and against holding these solemnltles on sunday
when this could possibly he avoided IL IS PLAN
thar when funeral ceremonies take place on sunday
in a church at the time OF regular service the csiaD
lishcd preparations for worship are IN q hltl'ui''
broken up; and it is equally plain that when little
can Ice said of the dead which will alleviate the
sorrow of the living. the officiating clergyman
would feel relieved if custom did not compel him to
pronounce an Grafton over the coffin. Bat after
AL the crying evil is the against which Father
Hennessey levclled his severe iebuke.
The enormous charges of undcrtakcrs. whose III
fcrest il il t. encourage this costly fashion, ana
whose bills, from the particularly delicate
circumstances Of the case, are certain 10 b"
paid with as little noise and protest a'
possible. are especially burdensomc TO the
poor. Death levels all distinctions. The poor
man is eager to testify that his grief is as sincere
as that of his wcll-to-do ncighbor, and mis- burden
is peculiarly Cypress We because If Is often added
to the expenses incurred ny long illness and often
too. when the honorcd dead was the brcadwlnner
for the household, il is tax paid for
the loss of the only one who was able To furnish
the means to meet IT. The duty plainly rests upon
people of means to set the example of unOstenta-
nous burial ceremonies. and thus relieve their
poorer ucgihor, from the temptation To mdulg' ~
this burdcnsome rivalry, for to this the matter
comes at last.
No doubt some formal respect is due 70 the dead.
but there is little danger that any protest
against extravagant display viii lead to
undue carelc.snrss or neglect in this par
tlcular Some allowance too, must be made
Tor tic sclshncss and vanity Of grief; and set it
may as well be said thar elaborate burial cases,
long professions costly floral designs" and the
resi- are not ~ clearly tender and touching tributes
L. the dead ~ they manifestations OF essential
vulgarify on the part of the living