San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-14
A REPLY,


Society.
To the Editor of the LIGHT:
My attention has been called to the re-
port Of the proceedings of the Secular So
ciety, as published in your paper Of Mon
day afternoon. l read there that resolu-
tions were offered In ''solemn protest
against The insolent officiousness prac-
ticed by clergymen, at the deathbed Of
men, who, when they are physically and
mentally sound, treat their teachings and
doctrines with scOrn and cOntem IT." L
read also that IL was the sense of the
meeting that "all liberals must hereafter
be protected from such interference and
insolence in their dying moments" And
/ understand further that, according to
service over Mr.. J. j. Pickett, "a shame
less outrage has been perpetrated upon
the remains" of the deceased.
As am the minister who attended Mr..
Pickett during his last illness and as l
had the privilege OF officiating at his fun
Q al 1t was quite natural that my friends
should suppose that the above remarks
therefore few words to the subject.
In the first place 1 may say that 1t is
perhaps unfortunate that my principles
do not permit me to answer the resolu-
tions and remarks in similar language.
But as am so sure of my cause rs not
to feel the need of such terms l will run
the risk of not being understood and will
speak as clearly as possible In the Ian
guage of courtesy and consideration.
The Secular Society Is mistaken. did
not intrude myself upon Mr.. Puck
EFT or upon his friends. | went to seq
him about week before his death be-
cause was asked to go. l went again
because he was glad to see me, and
because he and his friends asked me to
return. did not know he belonged to
the Secular Society until after his dea h:
am quite free to say, however, that had
Known that fact should have gone just
the same. | am sorry did not go often
er. saw him twice for about thirty or
forty minutes each time. and II 1t is true,
as / am told, that my two visits were the
occasion Of great change In feeling and
opinion am glad.
This is free country. II while there
Is life there is hope, it is also true that
while there Is life there is liberty. In my
opinion If Mr.. Pickett wished TO change
his faith he had the right to do so.
1t seems strange that Il Liberal society
should care to have It's sick members
protected" for fear they will not die In
the faiths which they have lived. Is
IL implied that they reed to be so pro
tected?" Mr. Pickett was not the first
man to find that the creed of unbelief is
not very good creed to die in.
But more than this. We are coming TO
queer times, Mr.. Editor, when for minis
ter to 60 TO the bedside of man to whom
he is called is to make himself subject to
language such as have quoted above: |
need hardly say that am undismayed.
am quite sure that i shall go to
every bedside TO which l am called.
Should any of Mr.. Pucketts friends care
to discard the most unbelievable OF I'M
beliefs l am ready to confer
with them personally at any time. Should
they feel at the last as they lie face to
face with death in all its naked reality
that petty quibbling is poor argument
and that human souls were meant for
God and for Gods religion, | shall be
glad to see them. They may be quite
will 20 where he is wanted and they may
be quite sure that they have right to
his services il they wish them. After
they are dead it willv cry likely be charged
that they were mentally unsound but
they will then, trust be too far beyond
the question of petty controversy to care
yery much about hard and bitter words,
and they may be equally sure that the
minister is hurt still less.
am, Sir, sincerely yours,
San Antonio, ST. Marks Rectory,
March, 1891.
NOrE-I wish to state that Mr.. Muir
phys ate dance upon Mr.: D.. j. PICKETT
during mis- last illness was in no sense an
Intrusion / do not consider myself a
a member of any Christian body so had
no ''suprrstitious'' (2) end to serve, but
with the consent of the sick man himself
I went and personally requested the
presence of q Christian minister. Mr..
Murphy came. because he was asked to
cnme. and he buried the deceased, because
Mr.. Pu .kett himself, his siSter-i law (Jhe
only relative in attendance) and the
friends. who nursed him expressed a pre-
ference for Christian burial. Signed,
HAMILTON RAYNER-
SAN ANTONIO, March, 1891.