New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-07
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, TUESDAY, AUGUST T. 1888

u.,on;,.o o,,or tho omen grave, to the solemn
ossurance-"I am the Resurrection anu Vno
Life,'-should they take leave OF the empty
she'll rs though they believed nothing else but
that their friend was there, and there forever
Not only is this pagan theory OF death SYM
bolized in the funeral customs, but the modern
cemetery is n pagan institution. What other
manning can be given to the erection OF costly
monuments TO the dead monuments in many
instances so costly that we must go to ancient
Fgvnt TO find parallels for their extravaganza?
The ostensible reason for these lavish ex-
penditures is of course, reverence for the deau'
Int il is apparent that in a multitude OF cases
this is only a cover for that pride OF ostenta-
tion which influences so many people IN all
worldly matters The erection of monuments
70 those who have done service to their coun-
fry. who have achieved eminence in literature
or art. is iustifable because such memorials
serve as examples and indictments to the Nv
ing. breed patriotism and foster noble aspira-
tions. But the ambition which finds objects IN
great and imposing funerals, great ana lmpoS-
ing mortuary structures, has no root IN re-
ligion and no explanation in any rational or
accepted scientific or philosophic scheme OF
existence here or hereafter. The Christian
affects to believe that death liberates the spir-
Il: that the body is, as Longfellow has it
"but a worn-out fetter that the soul has broken
and cast away; and that this freed spirit has
entered into a rest in which is perfect happi-
ness and perfect peace
Yet the prevailing funeral customs can only
be explained nationally OIL the hypothesis that
Christians do not really believe what they pro-
sess; that in fact they regard death as an
eternal separation; that they also look upon
IT, not as the gate of Heaven, but rather as The
dark and gloomy entrance to that dismal place
of Shades which the ancients imagined to be
beyond the tomb. 1t is curious too, how peo-
pie who would be ashamed to behave 50 to
their living friends abandon themselves to
hopeless grief over their dead. Christianity
teaches that death is merely the antechamber
to Heaven. Now Heaven is the highest con-
ception of happiness. If living friend is
called away to some place where he is sure Of
enjoying great pleasure those he leaves, though
they feel his absence, would think themselves
very selfish to deplore it. In the case Of
Christians death the cause for rejoicing is
infinitely greater than it could be concerning
any earthly pleasure; and yet it is made an
occasion of mourning and lamentation and the
profuse display Of all the insignia of gloom and
despair These barbarous funeral customs bear
most heavily on the poor, moreover. The lv-
ing are commonly deprived Of necessaries that
there may be the customary barbarous waste
upon the dead. No doubt vanity which is
not less barbarous than what it induces has
much to do with these extravagant expend-
itures, but as Mr.. Snyder says, the poor only
initiate the rich in these matters and it is idle
to expect more rational customs among them
while the example of wealth and intellect en-
courages and serves to justify the cult of pagan
obsequies. Reform here is slower than in most
things. Perhaps if the clergy everywhere
would make it an issue it would make more