The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-08
SUNDAY FUNERALS.
The Paper Read Before the Evangelical Min
listers Association by Rev. Mr.. Neighbors.
The following paper is published st the re,
quest of the Ministerial Association:


The following paper is published st the re-
quest of the Ministerial Association:
The topic assigned the subject of this paper and
for subsequent discussions by this association is
which has the double merit of being both practical
and important. Your essayist however anticipates
that there already exists such unarimty of sentiment
among the ministers of the city regarding Sunday
funerals to preclude very much discussion and as
to make him, as he hopes In some measure at least,
the spokesman of this body What he has TO say falls
most naturally into the form of a reply to the two
following questions, viz:
L Are Sunday funerals undesirable, and, if so.
III. What can be done most effectively and legiti-
mately to discourage themg
AS to the question of their undesrabity, it may be
said, first of ALL that there IS rule. necessity
whatever for funeral service the Sunday Neces-
sty could rarely be pleaded in view of the skill of
our undertakers in preserving body from decom-
positions and in the years gone by the occasions
would be when, for such reason that sug-
gested it would be necessary to bury body on the
Sabbath day. In order to such necessity death must
occur at certain time previous and under peculiar
conditions but among the multitude of deaths which
occur very small proportion, indeed, would be SUCH
IN regard to time and circumstances as to make the
funeral service necessarily fall upon the Sabbath
But in the absence of any necessity there ought to
be certainly taken into account and cheerfuly taken
into account the fact that to the clergyman and 9TH
ers g. those who assist in the music of the service
the Sunday is very fully taken up with the ordinary
duties of the church and Sunday Notwithstanding
afternoon and evening being occupied with it's own
special service and but little leisure afforded in the
interim for rest The Sunday funeral must either
take the place of of these services be crowded
in between them and, together with the journey to
Crown Hill and back, units the minister at eastfor
the church service which follows it. OF course,
case OF necessity would be above any law and above
consideration of convenience but in the absence
of necessity surely the convenience of those whose
Offices 1equested ought in view of the special du
ties of the Sunday to be respected.
We ara informed, also, that the Sunday has become
on account of the general wish to have the funeral
H.
the week One of the prominent firms of this city
told the writer in response to inquiries that if
the death occurred as late in the week as Thursday
and sometimes if on Wednesday, but certainly if
on Thursday. the burial was as a rule deferred till
Sunday Thus three days funerals, and sometimes
four, are crowded into day, with the result that
large force of is busily engaged and deprived of
their Sundays, not once or twice, or occasionally but
throughout the year.
The motives which seem commonly to determine
these postponements until Sunday are, first the de-
sire to make the funeral occasion to extent an
occasion of display and public affair; and then, Sec
and the fact that for that for that purpose the Sunday
most suitable because then the shops and and
places of employment generally closed, and the
people have leisure; for business brooks with no
buryng ones dead Mammon has time to attend
funerals But there is business to hinder
the people coming together to the funeral 1t be on
Sunday.
There les therefore at the root of this matter the
execrabe taste-or complete lack of taste which de-
sires the funeral occasion to be much of public
the circumstances and social position of the
family will enable them TO make it. How very much
better every way that the funeral should be quiet in
formal and altogether private, limited to the family
and the immediate friends The expensive casket
(the word coffin" is we'll nigh obsolete now, the pro-
fusion OF floral designs and even the corpse ITSELF the
number of carriages in attendance, and sometimes
even the final leave taking of the kindred put
exhibition a crowd. That this is not exaggerated
statement is proved by the fact that to give
what is regarded suitable burial has become so
expensive affair to make death in ones family
very serious matter in more senses than that IN
which alone it ought to be so regarded.
Sunday funerals not necessities, except very
rarely: neither they conveniences either to the
taker and his and only so to the family in view of
the opportunity which the Sunday affords to crafty
what is in every way execrably bad taste in max
ing the occasion of less ostentatious dis
play.
Our indictment then, against these Sunday funerals
contains four specific counts" viz:
l. They are, rule, entirely uncaled for.
2. They serious tax upon the officiating
minister in view of his other public duties on the
Sabbath.
g. They result in altogether deprving large force
of men of the privileges of the Sabbath
d. They are the qualification of a false taste which
seeks to make the funeral occasion one of as much
publicity and display as is possible.
The other question as to how may efectually and
legtimately discourage them, remains to be consd-
cred 1t is, of course, not matter which we as
body of ministers, can make the subject of any
press legislation in regard to which pledge
ourselves to a common and invarable rule of action.
Neither is it possible for any of individually to
refuse to attend funeral Sunday when
asked to do So And just little the undertaken
refuse his services upon that day But it would seem
to be quite within province to endeavor to edu-
cate the people that they will have better concep
ton of funeral propretes, better and simpler tastes,
which will not demand opportunity for publicity
and ostentaton. but rather will shun them If Sun
day be named the day for the funeral the minister
when he is asked to conduct the service might easily
suggest the better way of selecting
other day, and give his reasons there
for; and whether he succeed in effecting
change of date not he will at any rate have done
something in the direction of education. 1 glad
also to know that of undertakers-the gen.
tleman previously alluded to-is doing all he ndi-
viduay do to discourage the present evil tendency.
And probably there are others who using their in
huence similarly.
Then, again, it would seem to be helpful thing
for the pastor to address few words at some suit
able time to his Sabbath congregation the matter,
sort of prelude possibly, to his sermon. He
would thus let them know that while he did not
fuse to attend a funeral on Sunday, he much pre-
ferred not to do Many of his congregation would
undoubtedly sympathize in his view and would be
enlisted on his side in generally discouraging the
practice.