Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-05
FUNERAL CUSTOMS.

MOURNING DISPLAY IS A SATIRE ON
REAL GRIEF. Z
The Glory Of Paul's Victory Over tho
Grave Il Dimmed by Plumes OF Raven
and Habiliments Of woe-Rev. Madison
C. Peters Also Speaks Of Gamblers.
There has recently been formed in this
city Burial Reform association, the
principal aims of which are to secure
simple funeral services, to promote in
expensive funerals. to discourage exces-
sive display Of flowers, the wearing OF
Grape, especially of Grape wells, which, II
worn over the head, not only disguise
the wearer, but put the eyes to severe
strain to look through its black meshes,
and if worn thrown back pull so upon
the hair that it is not uncommon for the
wearer to suffer severely. Dark colors,
even black. may be appropriately worn,
but Grape calls attention to the person in
mourning, and You can almost detect for
whom the mourning is, and often the
length of time it has been going on-all
Of which is a satire on real grief, which
mourns in secret.
Paul's glad victory over death and the
grave is mufled by the raven feathers
of funeral plumes. The waving Grape
upon the door knob; the darkened win
dows; the body shrouded and coffined
in the color of gloom; women and chill
dren yelled and draped in dispiriting
black; mems hats banded with Grape
what hopelessness all these things ex-
pressl They symbolic doubt, despair,
agony and gloom. They express no
Christian comfort, breathe no heavenly
consolation, suggest no immortal hope,
inspire no sure confidence. have seen
the ultra fashionable cover their pet
dogs with Grape, and Grape mounted
horses, coachmen and footmen are used
to further emphasize these negations OF
Christian truth.
We have "fun mourning" mourning
jewelry," s'mourning visiting cards, !"
mourning stationery" which by its
gradually narrowing indicates that the
days of mourning are approaching their
end, but the CHASTITY humor Of our
mourning customs reaches its climax IN
''second mourning" followed by the full
bloom of gorgeous co1ors. for the time ap-
pointed by the memorable decree of fash
ionable society has passed, and now
mourning may be laid aside with fune-
raj garments.
If you deprecate these practices, when
death occurs in your family have the
courage to do away with what good sense
declares Objectionable features. Dare
to defy silly social customs. Take the
matter of flowers. In many households
there is display offensive to refined
taste, and among the poor the display is
frequently sinful in its profusion. They
put their last dollar into flowers. Flu
nerals are nowadays so expensive that it
costs more to die than to live. have
known men who died solvent, but be-
came insolvent before they got under the
ground.
Our undertakers are frequently swim
died. It is not only false reverence and
mistaken affection, but downright dis
honesty, if mans family or friends in
dulge expenditures that cannot be met.
Take the matter of funeral addresses.
Generally tho less good man has done
the more good the preacher is expected
to say of him, and the preachers often
discharge their duty in this particular
in such way as to bring their profess
sion into ridicule.
To hold the funerals Of haters of
churches in the church is trying to do
for their bodies what they would never
do for their souls. 1t seems like taking
mean advantage of man after he is
dead to take him by force where he
could not be persuaded to go when he
was alive. The most sacred place in
which to hold the funeral service is the
quiet home. Sunday funerals are rarely
necessary. They nearly always assume
magnitude that amounts to Sabbath
dissertation. The Lords day is for rest
and divine worship, and not for great
funeral pageants.