Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-28
Some That Are Necessary Pointed
Out by DR.. Da Costa.
An ASSOCIATION ALREADY FORMED
To Advocate Cheaper and Less
OBSERVATIONS Funerals.
TALK WITH THE SECRETARY.
of The Evening Star.

eating the public up to the idea Of cheaper
and less ostentatious funerals. This organi-
zation has been in existence some years, and
has been steadily growing in its scope and
strength each year. The present head is
Bishop Potter Of the Episcopal Church, and
the secretary and active agent is Rev. DIR.
Da Costa, whose preachings and teachings
have attracted so much attention in the
metropolis.
In little pamphlet issued by the associa-
| ton, the constitution shows the objects to
be three-fold. thus: First to encourage bu-
rails in perishable collins in the simple
earth; second to simplify and cheaper fun
eral ceremonials; third, to secure large and
ample tracts Of suitable ground for burial
purposes. The constitution also sets forth
the methods. by means of which it is ex-
pected to secure these objects, as follows:
1. The exercise Of economy and simplicity
in everything appertaining to the funeral
2. The use Of plain hearses. 3. The disuse
of Grape, scarfs, feathers. velvet trappings
and the like. 4. The avoiding of all unchris-
tan and heather emblems and the use Of
any floral decorations beyond a few cut
flowers. 8. The discouraging of all eating
and drinking In connection with funerals
9. The discouraging Of any but immediate
members of the family from accompanying
the body to the grave but nothing in these
rules and methods shall be considered as
dfscouraging the attendance of persons at
the grave in connection with the holding Of
| religious services. Z. The dispelling of the
idea that all the club money or society
money must be spent on the funeral. g.
The early interment of the body in soil suffi-
cient and suitable for it's resolution to its
terfals for the coffin as will rapidly decay
after burial 10. The substitution of burial
plots for family vaults. IL. The encourage
| ment on sanitary grounds Of the removal,
| In crowded districts. Of the body to a mort
| uary. instead of retaining 1t in the rooms
| occupied by the living. IL. The imp-essing
| upon officers of public charity and correc-
ton the claim Of the poorest to proper and
| reverent burial.
Some Change Needed.
In an appeal to those interested in this
matter the association sets forth: TT is felt
| that some change is needed from the pre-
vailing methods of burying the dead The
expense of interment has become intolera-
BILE. and the way in which it is carried out
vulgar and offensive to the last degree
Everybody complains about it. Will you
not then give your countenance and support
| to the effort now inaugurated, after careful
elaboration, to make it possible to procure
interment at a reasonable cost-varytng
from ten dollars to two hundred? Such an
EFFORT, to be successful, must be sustained
by the moral sense of the community, and,
at the outset, will require more or less aid.
Public meetings will have to be held; tracts
explaining the objects Of the association
pubished. The plan now submitted by the
| association can no longer be regarded as an
experiment 1t has been carried out most
successfully in England. 1t is conceded that
the inclosing OF the remains of the departed
| in two or three expensive caskets-apart
| from the expense involved-is a great mis-
| take. injurious to the public health and con-
trary to the laws of nature. The earth it.
self has been demonstrated to be the true
C-ematOrV q xxodf 70 A..
access to the body. as it can IL the coffin be
OF the character proposed, will speedily Sc
cure decomposition and that without any,
thing painful or offensive in its nature"
DR.. Da Costa, the secretary of the as
ISOLATION, Is stern fighter on any line that
he may adopt He is prosecuting this re-
Term by means Of exhaustless supplies of
literature. and keeps up a constant fire
from his pulpit besides encouraging other
clerical members OF the association who
are quite numerous, to do the same In
recent Interview in New York. which
The Star correspondent secured with him.
he said:
Reckless Extravaganza.
This matter is brought home to the clergy
most painfully at times. Preaching, as 1
do. In district populated by a good many
poor people. / see weekly the evidences OF
their distorted ideas on the subject OF burial
expenses. 1t was not long ago that / had
call from a man whom 1 knew to be
earning not more than SO a week, whose
two-year-old child had just died He said
that he wanted to pay about $50 for car
riages. SO for the coffin and $40 for
flowers. making an expenditure Of $50 in
all l well knew that he could scarcely
afford to spend 80 cents. and SO told him.
He became insulted, and refusing to listen
to arguments and pleadings, he rushed
on to get his child buried by a minister
who had some respect for the dead 1 have
labored with these people for a long time
and one by one they are coming to see what
foolish thing it is to spend SO much money
useiessiy on the departed when the living
are in such need.
1T is a hopeful sign that the Weather
families are discouraging the lavish use of
Mowers at funerals. 1t may be that we
can best work among those who can really
afford such extravaganza, and thus set an
example for the poor. But what is needed
Is general education Of the public
Ihere is scarcely person. not an under
and funeral customs on the ground of de-
cency, public health, appropriateness or
even ordinary Christian propriety Never
theless when a death occurs in their family
| those who deprecate these practicess will
resign themselves into the hands of the
undertaken, do exactly what he tells them
is customary. and so make the funeral.
which they should control, an imitation
of all others. with every Objectionable fea-
ture retained.
Some of the Abuses.
But 1t is when the funeral Is over"
DR.. Da Costa went on, that the worst
abuses show themselves. The case used
for the body is what is called 'casket,'
made Of oak, rosewood, or some other
heavy wood. made. too. in the most SUBJ
stantial way, as il it was considered de-
sirable to preserve the body as long as
possible. The casket is moreover lined.
and really presents an elegant appearance.
1t has silver handles; it's lid is screwed
down with silver screws. 1t is then put in
case of pine, and the two are put into the
earth. But perhaps a cemented grave is
used, or perhaps-even worse-a vault
And then what kind of emblems are nut
upon the grave? In former times repul-
sive, when not ridiculous, skulls and cross
bones were common. We do not use these
now, but we often engrave absurd verses
on the tombstones. or We put up broken
columns, have statues of weeping angels.
cherubs with extinguished torches, and
such like emblems, which set forth, II they
mean anything. the awful calamity OF
death. We proclaim at our funerals our
belief In the happiness of the deceased,
and yet we use over his grave emblems
which imply that to die is a great mis-
fortune.
Against Wearing Grape.
lone Of the most important of the OBJ
Jects OF the association" continued the
doctor. is the encouragement of the wear