The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-02-11
FUNERAL REFORMS.
Rev. G. Il. Galloway, in New Orleans
Christian Advocated

This subject is commanding consid
Grafton and discussion. Though deli
cate, il is important. In some places
ministers of the several denomination.
have counselod together and advised
by resolution, wherein reform should
be instituted. Some thoughts on the
general subject may not be without
value in this latitude, hence the fol.
lowing:
has no duty to discharge more difficult
and delicate than conducting funeral
services. II, according to prevailing
custom, an address or sermon is to be
delivered, he is in danger of saying
either too much or too 1itt1e-too much
for truth and too little for the gratifica-
tion of the bereaved. Should he indulge
in extravagant eulogy, unless the de-
ceased was conspicuous for piety, he
lowers tho standard of religion and
makes his warnings of no effect. Much
harm has been done just here. 1t has
at times even provoked the ridicuie of
the i'religious, and given plausibility
to the UniveIsalst's taunt that uno
preach, they are all coed universities
at funerals.'' On the other hand,
families have been alienated from Il
church because the pastor did not glor-
lfy and .canonize their dead. This
double danger indicates our duty.
Only on extraordinary occasions
should any address be delivered. If
the deceased has been a useful, we'll
known and tried Christian, or an ex-
emplary and faithful office-bearer in
the church, a public tribute to such
worth and character may - demand
ed. And even then our aim should be
| more to commend the bereaved to the
gospel for consolation than to indulge
in fulsome eulogy of the departed.
Happily in this respect we are i'm
proving: Years ago ministers were
expected to preach an elaborate funeral
! sermon at the burial of every infant,
| saint and sinner. And if his pre- sence
| could not be secured on the day of in
| terment a memorial service was ap-
pointed weeks or months afterwarc.
During the first yeor of this writer's
| ministry he was requested by his
brother to ssprcach the funerap' Of his
mother. Said 1: s;Brother, how long
| has your mother been dead ?" He re-
piled "About ten years but her
funeral hes never been preached. Aud
I've got good many kinfolks, cousins
and uncles aud aunts, who'vc died f;
l want you to preach their funerals,
| WV 'A"SA W SAAS SsOCA DTOtlCt' OlS-
gust FOR neWiang1ed notions and preach
ers, his request was kindly but posi-
lively refused. We have outgrown
these days, but further reform is vet
needed.
=. funeral eNpcrscs.-This matter
has become both alarming and ini-
quitous. in many cites it costs a man
more to die than to live. Families
have been financially embarrassed, if
not bankrupted, by expensive fune-
rails. The floral display alone at one
such occasions in New York COM
PEELED an outlay of ten thousand dollars.
Among the aristocratic large num-
Der OF empty carriages arc employed
to lengthen the proce ssion while pass
ing through the principle streets. The
poorer, III their endeavors to initiate,
become ruiuorsly involved. This is
not only folly, but a siufal waste of the
Lords money. The vast sums thus
| annually squandcreu for the graf
! ihcation of Il ridiculous vanity would
support and educate the orphans of our
land. Why these magnificent caskets,
with costly mountinss? They do not
make any more peace in the sleep Of
our dead. A long line of carriages.
filled often with those who want a free
| ride to the ccmctary, is but an empty
paScnt, which cannot add one flower
to the chaplet of the departed, or as
suage one pang of grief in the bosom
| Of the bereavcd. All this is not SO
much tribute to the memory of the
dead as to the pride of the living.
From the Jews we might learn an i'm
portant lesson. Ar their buriaIs arc
conducted with the utmost modCsty
and inexpensive, transformations sim.
plicity. Rich and poor arc buried
with equal honor and display. The
Rothschifds, or other jewish bankers
or merchant princes, arc carried to the
grave as quietly and inexpcnsvcly rs
the huinblest pcddlcr. But another
wrong in funeral expenses is chargea-
bic to those engaged in the business, to
undcrtakers, hackmen, etc. The per
cent. charged for service, materials,
etc, if report be true, is absolutely
shameful. In most of our towns and
cities carriage engaged for a funeral
costs 50 but for any other occasion can
be employed for ono dollar an hour
a writer in a prominent religious
newspaper has investigated this sub
ject thoroughly, and makes the follow
| ing statement "a caskct for which
forty-fivc dollars is ordinarily charged
costs the dealer eight dollars. Those
| III e.