Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-12-19
FOR CHEAPER FUNERALS
Clergyman Who Points Out thu ".
sity for Reform.

The Rev. w. W Gist Of Mario, :.
in an article in the Hesferu Aarq1ss- - -
'Reforms in Funerals. saws: VI
The time has certainly coma ~
there should be a radical reform 15a
conducting funerals. Nearly ar.. -
one admits the fact, but only a fay
have the courage to break away fro o@
conventionalities of the day. VI
In most places there should be a =.
form in the matter of funeral expensos
These are often burden, TO- -
quently the undertaken is exorb;tas,
in his charges. The blame caunot i
ways be laid at his door. howora a.
Sometimes friends almost foruet tbs;.
duty to the living in their desire n A.
homage to the dead They have nnos
themselves a burden that they are t ri,
able to bear A laboring man Went ~
purchase a Casket for his dead bor
The undertaken showed him one cos.
ing $50. The man was not satisfa5
and selected one that cost 800, thongb
he had no means to pay for it except :,
he earned it by days labor.
In an eastern city an undertaken mr..
sented a bill of $447. 20 against the a.
tate of a servant girl. PAYMENT wa,
refused and suit was instituted. Tbs
court decided that such bill might h.
proper against wealthy man, but MT
against one in moderate circumstances
The claimant pleaded that he furnished
only what was ordered. The conrt
held that it was his duty to acauaipt
himself with the financial condition of
the one he was serving. This evil has
become so great that in some cities
Funeral Reform associations have been
organized for the purpose of reducing
expenses. The members Of the asso.
citation pledge themselves not to pur.
chase a casket costing more than S25
There should be far less display even
of flowers, though they are most ap-
propriate for such occasions.
No one should feel that custom re-
quires the wearing of mourning. Ia
many instances the reclothing of
whole family in black involves a labor
and an expense out of all proportion
to what the family can well afford.
And then, if we are christians WHY
should we clothe ourselves in BLACK, AZ
though Christ had not risen from the
dead and glorified the grave?
No custom should prevail that in any
manner endangers the lives of Others.
This fact is recognized when one dies
from contagious disease and public
funerals are prohibited The dead are
not dishonored by this custom. Per.
haps more deaths occur from exposure
at funerals than from burying those
who have died from contagious dis.
eases. What is the general custom9
The relatives and near friends feel that
they must 90 to the cemetery in order
to pay proper respect to the loved ones.
Many times they are old, feeble. and
frail IN health. The weather is stormy
or so cold that no one can be out Of
doors with comfort and yet the friends
in most places must endure the expos.
ure because it was the custom. Years
ago il was the custom in many rural
communities for the friends to wait
until they saw the grave filled up. For
tunately this custom has passed away,
and the dead are just as truly honored
as before. When the weather is damp
or disagreeable the male members only
of the family should 90 to the cemetery,
and only such of those as are well and
rugged.
Again custom should not require the
pail bearers, undertaken, minister or
any one else to uncover his head at the
grave when the weather is such to make
it unsafe. Sometimes the pail bearers
are all men from 60 to 20 years old.
Some OF them are frail The weather
is exceedingly cold, and vet they stand
with uncovered heads at the grave dur
ing the closing exercises, so as to en-
danger their lives.
Sunday funerals should be discour-
aged. There are certain times when
it may be more convenient to bury on
that day than any other, but these are
rare. The friends must decide that
question themselves, though it. proper
to consult the convenience OF the min
lister. have to drive nearly twenty.
five miles on the Sabbath and preach
three times, including the funeral dis
course. No one should object to this
when it is necessary. In most cases it
is not necessary.
BY all means let us be true to the
dead. Let us not in trying to be true
10 the dead be untrue to the living,
simplicity ia the fullest sense ought to
oh 90, e,.,,g,.-f -.y.,,...,,