Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-01-24
REFORM IN FUNERALS,
rouFooLERrIN CALIFORNIA TO POINT
a MoRiL Avn IDORN a TALE.
rr,m the Mi..onrl ncrnhlle.n

Prom the Missouri Republican,
\ funeral sermon, for which n fec of slo,-
900 was paid To- the orator, tho Rev, DR. new
man Of New York, floral decorations costing
100000, with many other incidents ana
cuuipmcnts probably amounting 10 ~ much
more, were the extraordinary features OF the
obsenuics of Leland stanford, jr,, In San
Francisco not long ago. The utter absurdity
oft extravaganza aud waste OF money has
its parallel In the sentiments expressed by
tho sensational divine on the occasion In re-
turn for the greatest, fee ever paid for n burst
of funeral %oratury. rho following Is an OK
tract from the sermon
"Althouyh so Young he was tail and grace
fnl ~ some Apollo BolVidcrc, with classic
features some masters would have chosen 10
ChisCl In marble or cast In bronze; win eyes
soft aud gentle nS an angels, vet dreamy as
the visions ora seer with broad, white fore
head, home of u radiant soul. lie reminds
us OF the beautiful Joseph, "a godly person
aud well favored" Think of him asa rapt
listener to the mature conversations OF such
men ~ Sir Joseph Hooker, Sir VIM. Jenncr'
Baron Rothschild, Dr. Schliemnnn, and Gen
cral III tosuola, etc. asking or answorltg
questions II was the reproduction oil thirst
among the doctors at the are oftwclye. Our
youth should read his biography, when VIII
Ice more fascinating than romance aud more
edifying tiinn the creations uf the imaginh-
ton"
There is splcmnity in death, aud there Is
pathos in the taking away of the young aud
gifted, but both became almost grotcsquo
when connected with the ostenttiouS and
vulgar display of wealth ana tho 'pruiaiie
habblings' OF a hired orator. who travesteS
grief 10y Offering NJ its shrine a ipoiish ana
fulsomc culogy for the qualification OF family
pride.
Il IL such occurrences a. this that Illus
tratcs m0re tOrciblv than anything else the
tOlliCs and dangers Incident to the enormous
..-H V-- Ill - E-fa .TEa - "a R la-
come a feature of our national progress.
FollicS, because such vanity asd wastoiuI-
ness are entirely contrary Ia the true spirit oil
American society, aud exhibits corruption OF
social simplicity and dignity that must
exercise a pcrnicious influence and dangers,
because such acts inilamo the rescntmonts of
tho poor against the rich, and bring the
owners . t.@reat wealth and the manner IN
which NoN cSpcnd their money into popular
cOnt,sS ~.
Tt#costlv burial Of the dead aud the cree
ton over their remains of magnificent monu-
montS, which, great rs may he Their cost,
Will hardly last two generations, form q
characteristic Of modern times that II alike
obnoxious to common sense aud the spirit OF
Christianity. \ reform in this matter has
long been q subject of discussion IN England,
and should also bc instituted among our
selves,
But if change and economy lc desirable in
nprl decorations, ]trappings of woe
and monuments, both ara still more neCoS-
in the matter of funeral addresses.
Nothing can boz more dismal than listening
To u clergyman oitcn hired for the occasion,
experimenting the regular burial service
by = long tribute to the virtues Of the de-
parted. II such things are cudurahlo ut all,
surely the sacred precincts Of tile church or
the home Of the deceased, where the be
relatives have their grief augmented
an infinite variety Of oratorical flour
i not the place for them. The
marvel l. that the clergy, who are genor-
ally geI slumcn OF education and taste,
be prevailed upon so ofen Ia lend them
selves to u performance, not 40 much in
tended To suntho with tlattery "thc duh
cold ear Of death, - ~ to ~titillate the vanity of
the living. True, genuine grief does not find
d expression in elaborate symbols and III tn"
periods uf u professional orator. The
people who bring about such features at the
of theit friends or relatives really
sympathy and refuse cond olcncc.
The Ordinary words and good offices of
friendship are tame compared with the mock
Of tho formal occasion. and the be
ones, having listened TO an Grafton,
there Is nothing TO he done but TO leave them
TO its c0nsoling harmony. To music, How
and solemn and simple c~eremonials,
there can be no objection, and they
enough without calling in other acccssor-
cs. As i'm death we are equal, u would
seem to be wise not 10 separate too widely the
burial OF the rich from that of the representa-
lives of the other classes of society. Those
who can afford IL may, with all reasonable
ness, invest the sud occasion with grace and
but thiS can be done without great
expenditures md unnecessary ponp and
circumstance. \ reform In the costliuess
md character of funerals that would restore
simplicity and dignity would prevent the
annual waste of u large SUN Of money, aud
It the same time would be IA declaration aud
testimony against the extravaganza and oS-
which are among the most serious
evils OF modern times.