The aegis & intelligencer., 1895-01-18
Funeral Reform.
Funt
Baltimore Sun.


The question of funeral reform In reducing
the expense of interment has interested
clergymen of the Episcopal Church in New
York for number of years. 1t has beeu
said that families frequently deprive them
selves OF necessities in order to spend
money upon show at funerals which, they say,
is worse than useless. Two wears ago a COM
mlttee OF archdeacons was appointed to con-
slider this question. The committee is made
up of DIR. Henry Mottet, of the Church of the
Holy Communion, William s. Boardman and
James E. Learned. This committee has Just
made its report. 1t commends highly the
Burial Reform Association and especially ap-
proves the following recommendations OF that
association:
l. The exercise of economy and simplicity
in everything appertaining to the funeral
3 The use of plain hearses.
3. The disuse of Grape, scarfs, feathers
velvet trappings and the like.
4. The avoiding of all unchristan and
heather .embems and the use of any floral
decorations beyond few cut flowers.
.. lAe dlsGouraglng of all eating aud
drinking in connection with funerals.
q. 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 dis
couraging the attendance of persons at the
grave in connection with the holding of reli-
gious service.
Z. The dispeling of the idea that all club
money or society money must be spent on the
funeral
s. The use of such materials for the coffin
as rapidly decay after burial and the disuse Of
the box in which it is commonly inclosed
9. The early interment of the body in soil
sufficient and suitable for its resolution to its
ultimate elements.
10. The substitution of burial plots for family
vaults.
II. The encouragement, on sanitary grounds
OF the remQVali in crQwded districts, of the
body to mortuary instead of retaining it iu
rooms occupied hy the living.
IL. The impressipg upon officers of public
charity aud correction the claim Of the poor
est to proper and reyerent burial.
The committee then makes the following re-
commepdations upon their own behalf;
!. The substitution of simple garb of mus
lin or linen for dressing the dead In place of
clothing that might be of use to the living
2. The use of very light, soft wood coffin
for the reason that it will decay quickly or
else of the wicker collins, which have found fav-
or in England and are now manufactured in
this country
3. Abandonment of the custom, once prev
lent and even now not infrequeut. of building
brick and stone inclosqres for collins within
graves.
/. That tho Fectors ana veStries OF churches
should loan the use of some suitable places
for mortuaries in connection with said church.
es in which remains could be removed as quick
ly as possible after death.
3. That SO far as possible the clergy should
make known the fact that the churches and
not the homes are the proper places for the
conduct of burial services, and that they offer
the entirely free use of said churches for fu-
nerals.
The members of the committee concluded
that a suitable funeral may be provided for
less than $40. Copies of the report will be
sent to all the clergy in the diocese, asking
them to take part in united effort to bring
about a reform,