New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-02-11

TIM Roman Catholic priest IN Jersey
City who refused the other day q open
his church for . funeral because there
were more carriages in the procession
than seemed to be proper, however
harsh the proceeding may hive seemed
to the persons Immediately concerned,
took q step in the right direction. In
explaining his conduct afterward he
said that expensive obsequies had como
to be great abuse; that persons who
could i'll afford to do 50 paid large sums
Of money in vain show upon the death
Of their friends or relatives; that he had
known Of cases in which an extrava-
giant outlay for this purpose had left the
survivors without sufficient food in the
house, or money to buy it; and that Che
clergymen of his diocese had believed
it to be necessary to interfere with the
practice 80 far as to specify tho number
of carriages to be hired for funeral,
and to close their doors against the
services when that number should be
Tie abuse referred to is familiar
one, and they who indulge in it and
suffer from it are usually persons who
can least afford it. The strong hold
which weakness for parade Of this sort
has on some minds was grotesquely
illustrated in the case to which we re-
fer. After the carriages in excess Of
the specified number had been sent
away the church was opened and the
services took place. Then as the pro-
cession went its way to the burial place,
the rejected vehicles fell into line, and
the priest was outwitted by the mourn
ers. A reform in this matter-and
there is no doubt that some improve
ment has been made in twenty years
may properly begin among those who
are least injuriously affected by the
abuse. If the rich or wel-to-do set an
example of moderation, the poor-who
are sometimes the proudest and most
sensitive class-may be more easily in
huenced in that wise direction. The
following advertisement, which we take
from q late number of the London
Times, shows that the subject long ago
attracted attention in England:
"Reformed Funerals-The Funeral Com
pany was established for funeral economy and
t S and II q as S:.s 9 :sxss New Bdeee
"ALEx1s B0N0. General Manager"
So that at least thirty-six years ago q
systematic movement toward "funeral
economy and REFORM began. Precisely
what its methods are does not appear
from tho Observation-Disclosures it
looks to curtailment of the incidents
Of mortuary show and parade, or only to
cheapening of them. That somebody
derives profit from the scheme is EVIL
dent from rival advertisement which
follows hard after the one just quoted:
"Reformed Funerals-Beware Of initiative
ace. he's y Rdsa
Square, 3. C.; 81 Cambridge Place. Norfork
Square, W.; and 10 Bomore Road, West Ken
sinEton.-Halford Luuton Mills.
The enterprising tradesmen push
their way, so to speak, to the very por-
tails of the tomb, and scuffle for custom,
as it were upon the crumbling brink OF
commercial human nature; and, what
ever may be said of the taste of
the thing, it is scarcely more 3D.
jectionable in this respect than are
the extravaganza exhibitions which "fu.
neral economy and reform" are intend.
ed to check. The matter is not merely
one of money. The obtrusive and effu-
sive public setting which is sometimes
given to private woe, and private Joy
as well, is of doubtful consistency with
real refinement.
The example of the New Jersey priest
might we'll be initiated by clergymen
everywhere, in spirit at least, and so
far as to discourage funeral ostentation.
The people themselves, however, should
be the active reformers; and the an
nouncement "no flowers,'' which is
now often seen in obituary ADVERTISE
ments, may well serve as precedent
for tasteful moderation in other partic-
ulars IN Y. EvehiaQ Post.