Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-07-20
yILMINa lmE pEAp.


10 has bcen prevailing custom
among the Lal,ot.day Saints, as In
tho world, 10 make the exposure 10
public gaze Of the remRlno Of the dead
a promigcut feature at a funeral. Ala
gwen JunCtufo In tho services or pro.
oecdings, held Tor the purpose Of signal
lz.ng the last tokens Of retpoct 10 the
departed, the multitude is invited 10
puss In single die around the bier, and
gaze upon the mortal remains OF the
one VINO has departed.
Characteristic Of the Gospel, and Of
the etiquette OF the houtc Of tho Lord,
IL a spirit Of dsllcacy, refinement anu
pfoprloiy, Of the loitlest kind; and the
exposure 10 public gaze OF the remains
Ia violalivo u this spirit. No doubt
most pcTous who take advantage Of
the opportunity to took uron the face
Of the departed DO 20 with emotions Of
affection, or at loaat Of foipooi, But n
Ia undeniablo that motives Of Idle, not
10 say morbid, curiosity move the gazor
la macy instances.
Cases have occurred In somo OF the
wardJ OF tho ChuTon In which the
,xposurn Of tho dead was peculiarly
Objectionable. and II IL stated that not
only have tho people present at n
funeral been permitted to sec tho re-.
main', clothing, etc., hut have even
handled the corpse, prompted by ID
aupcfslitilus notion that to touch a
deaf boIy would bring go5u luck.
IL 10 needless to say to any
Intelligent LaltsT.Jay Saint that
all this /, roTugnant to tAat spirit aud
Jec1Ium which ought 10 oharaoietizr
the laying away Of the earthly taber.
uacIcc OF those whom We have loved
OF respected; and tho general guthoTi.
tie, Of the Church have iolt called upon
10 exert nu lIlluoHce 10 check this evil,
and have advised the BAints no, TO OK
pose their dead 90 public view.
la tho editorial columns OF the
NEWS similar sentiments have hi,heT.
10 been ,Kptrsfe,; anu prominent
occasion has arisen Ia connection with
which Ihoy may properly be repeated
ana viii bo oxomplified. AZ the funeral
oi Apostle Abraham II. Cannon the
remains will not lie IA stal,; the oaskot
containing them viii no, DO opened;
tho rulU Of pfopuety which should pro.
vail ON such an occasion win DO oh.
served. Such 10 tho decision Of tho
quorum OF Apostles Of which tho do.
ceased wal membor anu which hss
cUarsc OF the funeral Arrangements
on tuoday Of the funeral, but be-
uJn tho opening OF tho seTyiyes,
lau m mbvIs u the family OF tho dc.
ceased, hlB uglT relatives ami iHlims,,
associates viii, iu private, be glygg OIL
opportunity 10 look upon his is1,urrti
uuisugl "a priyilgg, VIII no. bee
tc1'rd 10 The public. 10 10 NOT designed
by tla procedure 10 w.uui ~ disaI'
palnt bny one, auI q, 10 /. poi chat no
prra-n will view DO iu luau a light
The Wish h only {, con, I'm % MI
urivrauI hvlp Go ,saUl,.n custom
| ,hnt ought 90 pa y ilamous toe Saint.
Ills believed that lais iuuoya,l3.
upau pyovnilluE u.ago VIII meet Win
the neral and immediate approval r
tho Salute. Arguments ~ favor TO-. ~
not nugo Expressed, will road,ly Occur
on reflection. when Wuhsye arTayu
ourselves suitably f1r "a night Of rys
ami sw G, rerlse, (. woul not o-a.1im
to our ideas VI proluoy 10 be1our, o.
Iu.t Fa.r, an object % public Wow
| We may however, i've hiuIly p,r,in
10 tdpsg uoar Hud duag TO a., Th,
change which is cal.uI death brings %.
change % our aantuW,i.1 n the 10
| gard; and those who love Vi, and wh.
wlsu, when thoy lay us away Tor oll
| long slton % show their love fr W.
cauuo. DO go IN .gr pngo.ually OF nJlug
| ly than hy conforming 60 the seat
ments U, rphnouCu, and pr0pu,y im
parted to us by tho Gospel In our life,
time.