The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-02-01
Our Funeral Customs.
ny REV. c. X. oANrIELD.

country minister is called TO perform is
the funeral service. He is called, fire.
quently, on very short notice, to go a
long way and preach formal sermon
to the largest congregation that he
ever has for there are many who at
tend funerals whose shadow never
darkens the church door at any other
time. 1t may be that the deceased is
one of this same kind. While alive he
could not be persuaded to attend
church for any consideration Except at
funerals,) but when dead his friends do
for his body what he would not do for
his soul--take it to church. AS Colo
mel Kline once remarked, ut does seem
like taking mean advantage of a man
after he is dead to take him by force
where he couldn't be persuaded to go
while he was alive" And then the
friends expect more or less of eulogy
to be pronounced even though the de-
ceased be comparatively unknown to
the preacher.
Often the last preparation for the fu-
neral is to "notify" the minister How
short this notice is on the average
would be matter of surprise to many.
Commonly it is only day before the
funeral. Sometimes the same day.
Once man galloped ahead of the fu-
neral procession to ask me TO preach
the sermon, and as a means of hasten.
ing my preparations he pointed to the
procession approaching on the hillside
| met the procession at the church.
door. This is an extreme case yet we
insist, If sermon must be preached,
that as much time be given to its pre-
paration as to that of the coffin and
shroud.
But why have the funeral sermon at
all ? 1t is not the custom in towns and
cities except in case of noted persons !;
but 1t is customary in this country to
have funerals for infants in churches,
with full service and the feast follow
ing the burial. "What ! not have
public funeral?" said a man with whom
talked "why, you have a chance to
preach the gospel to many who never
come to church on other occasions"
Yes but what good does it do them
Did you ever hear of conversion
being made by funeral sermon Did
you ever hear of any scoffer being 81
fenced, any infidel turned to the truth
on such an occasion? But abolishing
the funeral sermon does not do away
with the services of the minister One
of the tenderest offices of the pastor is
10 administer the comforts of religion
to those called to mourn. Indeed, when
the heart is ploughed by sorrow the
seeds of truth often take deepest root.
But there is no better, more sacred
place for this than the home. Espe-
cially should the final leave-taking of the
friends from their dead never be in pre-
sence of a congregation. The last
parting should be too sacred to parade
before the eyes of those, often unsym-
pathetic and critical, who come from
mere curiosity.
Another very Objectionable feature
OF our country funeral customs is the
Sunday funeral. Very many people
regard the Sabbeth as the most appro-
pirate day to bury their dead So they
hurry their preparations if the time is
short, and lengthen them if the time is
long, so that they may have the funer-
al on Sunday. / have known those
who died on Saturday, as we'll as those
who died on Wednesday, to be buried
on Sunday. As consequence the
minister must frequently leave his reg
ular appointment, and several other
congregations in the neighborhood are
nearly broken up; for everybody, of
course, must go to the funeral Three
times within three months it has been
my lot to preach to mere handful of
faithful ones because the majority part
OF the congregation were away attend
ing funerals.
Next to Sunday camp-meetings, Sun
day funei ais are the most fruitful cause
OF depicting the country congregation.
Is it not time that this bleeding pro-
cess should be stopped ? 1t is rarely
ever necessary to bury the dead on
Sunday, and most clergymen are op-
posed to it, yet the custom thrives. Is
it not time that Gods servants should
cry out against the perniclous prac-
tice Gods people should refuse to let
any thing, except in case OF absolute
necessity, stand between them and the
regular ordinances of the Lords house
on the Lords day. Let ministers preach
and write against it, and let Christian
people set the right example and bad
custom must yield.
But worst of all, is the feast follow
ing the funeral in some parts of our
country. Especially is this the case in
many parts of Pennsylvania What
ever the origin of the custom, it is bad
The friends who come from distance
must have something to eat, but why
cannot the neighbors take them to their
homes for entertainment ? Where this
custom prevails several of the neigh
bors must 60 to the house of the de-
ceased and help to prepare the sump-
tuous repast. They ought to help
in any necessary funeral arrange
ments, but instead of this feast being
a necessity it is becoming a nuisance.
Friends and neighbors far and near are
publicly invited to return to the house
for refreshments, and most elaborate
preparations are made / have often
been disgusted with the din of cooking
utensils and the odor of savory dishes
while religious services were being
held in the house. The preparations
begun the day previous are completed
during the funeral, and when the be-
reayed return from their new-made
grave it is to be ushered into lively
company, and seated at table loaded
with every obtainable luxury. Some
times the undertaken, with white apron,
assisted by several walters, acts as mas
ter of ceremonies. How the hilarious
talking and jesting must CRATE upon
the ears of the mourners Yet they
submit because it is the custom. Few
have the courage to break away from
the prevailing fashion. Those who
can i'll afford the expense must be sub
ject to il. | have known it to cost a
man half summers work for the
funeral expenses of one of his family,
and the feast was an important i,em in
the bill
This lpada IN tho consideration of