The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-08
TO AVOID FUNERAL POMP.
Rev. Leslie Sprague Speaks of
Unnecessary Display Over
the Departed.
His Sermon VIII Cause the Forma-
ton of a Society for Simple
BurialS.

A sermon by the Rev. Leslie w. Sprague
yesterday morning at the Second Unitarian
Church was the cause of starting a move
ment to form a society, the members of
which will pledge themselves to abstain
from any unnecessary show in any funerals
they may have anything to do with, to
have no public exposure of the features of
the dead, no public buriaIs, and to avoid
expensive arrangements and trappings
and to refrain from the wearing of mourn
ing.
Mr.. Sprague spoke on Funeral Gus
TOMS" He said in beginning that his
purpose was to arouse public sentiment in
favor of reform of the customs which are
followed at the present time. Mr.. Sprague
took his text from Matthew viii %,
'Leave the Dead to Bury Their Own
Dead" After speaking of the proba BILE
meaning of the passage he said that the
present method of burying the dead keeps
many from following the Christ that is
ever telling of the larger and more cheer
full faith. To speak of our funeral customs
as "Christian burial" is maligning Of
Christianity. Christianity means belief,
a confidence in immortality, trust in
Gods goodness, or it means nothing. Our
funeral customs are negatlon OF our
faith.
Mr.. Sprague said that he believed that
both the funeral service and the interment
should be private. If ever there is time
when the home is sacred and should be
kept free from the intrusion of even the
well-meaning visitor, it is when there is
sorrow over the separation from loved
one which death brings. He objected to
the expensive burials that everywhere pre-
dominate, to the rearing of costly monu-
&c +la,. o1a1< r%.@ aS1fr
ing mourning for the dead. He said that
the true monument should commemorate
the life, not the death, and should be
reared in the world where the departed
spent effort. Homes for the homeless,
schools for the ignorant-these are the
true things with which TO commemorate
the dead. If we believe in Immortality the
custom of dressing in black robes and
Grape poorly expresses our faith.
AS result of this sermon there will be
an organization formed to call itself the
funeral reform circle, doubtless, and which
will pledge the members to the following
principles of action in case of their own or
friends death, providing the wishes of
others concerned can be overcome.
That the remains of the dead shall not
be exposed to the view of any but the i'm
mediate family and such bosom friends as
shall be thought needful, but that no ex-
position of the remains shall be made at
any public service.
That there shall be no public burial, the
interment being entrusted to one or two re-
liable friends and the undertaken.
That an inexpensive funeral shall be Sc
cured, with plain coffin and few flowers
and modest monument or tombstone.
That mourning" shall not be worn or
any change made in the apparel or ordi-
nary habits of life, for the death of loved
ones who are best respected by doing as
they would like the remaining friends to
do, by acting without them as they would
act with them.