The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-01-13
Concerning Funerals and Funeral
Services.

a paper read by Rev. It. j. Bristow,
Somerset, Pa, before the Ministerial
Association.
IL is appointed unto men once to
die. The body after death must be de-
Gently laid to rest, burial being by con-
sent of all christian people the proper
way Of its disposal. Cremation is
heathenish and no more sanitary than
proper burial. Whatever way is adop-
ted will not interfere with the doctrine
of the resurrection Of the body in u
spiritual form; there are marvels in
nature as great as that. In the inter-
ment of the dead there is room in this
age for reform, as also i'm the religious
services at funerals. In most cases the
funeral is too costly. The sum of one
hundred dollars and more is frequent
~ paid for the casket containing the
body, and there is not value received
in this decent receptacle. 1t has been
affirmed that in the city Of New York
funerals average in cost five hundred
dollars, and that only considerate and
economic people can afford to die there.
People OF moderate circumstances inn
itate the aiiiueat in the funerals Of
their dead, and plunge themselves into
debt. We are not pleading for parsi
mony and meanness, but have to say
that the funeral as it is often observed
is sadly extravagant, and like a grim
ace at death. We hear the phrase ~
pretty corpse" and are reminded of
Sairey Camp where Charles Dickens
satirized the nurse of his time, who
when called in to LOOK at patient said,
as she pinned down his arms, "My,
wouldn't he make lovely corpse"
There is too much exhibition of the
dead for good taste and feeling.
The memory OF the living face is
better than that of the dead,
and except in the ease of
public men Of service in the church or
state, we think the body should not be
exposed TO the public gaze. This feel
ing is growing, for you will often see in
funeral notices that the interment will
be private. 1t is repugnant to those
who treat departure from this life in
serious manner, to look upon the
pOmp and vanity which go right up to
the gates of death. Flowers, too, are
all very well, but if there were more
Of what they teach in the lives of our
dear ones, ii would be better than the
costliest display after death.
We have been at funerals where the
tired and wornout mother has been
laid away with flowers in prufusion,
bu. little less bending over the wash
tub and of the drudgery of household
life while she yet lived would have
been better. With regard to the serv-
ice of the burial of the dead, we are
glad to see that much needed reforms
are being made. 1t was thought in
some places, at least, that no person
could be properly buried without a
funeral sermon. These are rarely de-
livered now, a brief address being
deemed most appropriate. have
heard remarks full of strong and sui
phurous adjectives by men who have
sat in the carriages in waiting, because
the minister prolonged the agony of
bereavement by prating and holding
long service on a cold day. Singing,
We think, should, as a rule, be omitted
from the funeral ceremony. Where,
however, the best can be had and the
sweetest, it is very well, but usually
the singing at a funeral does more
harm than good. Said a bereaved
mother TO the writer once: II wish
they had not sung at the funeral, for
every word went 10 my heart like "a
kaife." The word of God should be
read, with selections appropriate 10 the
case, a tender prayer offered, and
few words of comfort given. 1t is not
the place OF the minister to pronounce
final judgment on the impenitent
whom he may bury; what is implied
will be sad enough, and the man who
will suffer the damnation Of his fellow
mortal TO roll off his tongue, is not fit
10 occupy the position of the christian
minister. Although a Presbyterian,
believe there is no better service for
the dead than the Episcopal form, all
of our attenuated services are pieced
out of that; in it all are treated alike,
and hope only expressed in each
ca e. "As our hope is this our brother
doth" Eulogy of the dead Is wrong
in every case. A good life does not
need it, and certainly a bad life should
no. have it. In Chicago not long agD,
a rich man died aud was buried, the
minister lauding him to the skies, and
giving him first class passage to par
adise. At the close an honest Dutch
man touched the minister on the
shoulder and said: "Mine friendt, did
yer know the corpse ven he vas aliye!"
[. is always unwise To attempt this
thing, because IL done at all, the fat
terry must be laid on thick, or the dead
will be condemned by our faint praise.
We think that one man, the pastor Of
the deceased, or In the case of one out
side the fold, the minister preferred
should take the whole service. 1t can
then be kept within the proper limit
as to time, and if this were made the
rule no other minister in attendance
would feel hurt if not called upon to
play second violin by the officiating
brother. We are to treat this thing
from common sense, and philosophic
standpoint. Death is sure to come,
and we shall be frequently called upon
to minister consolation. We must do
this in manly way, and discounten-
ance all things prevailing which are
in bad form and worse taste. We do
not want to say as one preacher did,
"This hymn was selected by the
corpse,n or when at the funeral of the
village butcher the minister said, "He
was kind man and never hart a liv-
ing thing" Perhaps the climax of
absurdity has been reached in this line
by the pastor who said, "This vener-
able woman lived in the holy estate of
marriage for forty years, and died in
hope of better life."
The conclusion of the service at the
grave should be brief, but time should