New-York tribune., 1901-01-13
METROPOLITAN Sections.
THEIR ORIGINAL CALLING ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT OF THE UNDERTAkER
"A USAGE ALMOST PECTI-
LAR To NEW-YORK
LAR To NEw-YORK.

one SUNDAY undinS himself in Brooklyn without
an engagement to preach anywhere. he looked
about for some church where he might go and
be preached to for once. He saw many
| churches, he said where large bIackboards an
nOunced in gilt letters that he could have his
body buried but which advertised them
| selves for the business of saving his soul
This was one Of Mr.. Moody's own charac-
| teristic strokes OF Wit at a prevalent practice
which may have appeared to his spiritual mind
as out of keeping with the purpose of Gods
houses. The date of his experience must have
been many years ago. OF else h did not go far
through the outskirts Of the City of Churches
for it is not difficult nowadays to find Brook
lyn churches where the sign Sexton and Under
taker'' is not To be seen. The combination
however. is still common enough in both the
principal boroughs Of New-York City. and
religious paper recently contained a protest
against it. In summing up the ideal church
sexton. the writer. leading Methodist doctor
Of divinity says. Il have Yet mention his
chief claim to my admiration He never had Il
plus 10 his title; he plain 'sexton'-never
sexton and undertaken From this as well
a. from negative indications 20 be gathered in
some Of the newer and weathier suburbs il
would appear that a feeling is growing up against
the custom Of making the church office. humble
though il may be. contribute To thrift in 4
purely secular enterprise. Il myself don't like
it," said the Rev. DR. \. G. Dixon Il don't see
why any man should have the right use the
church building 10 display advertisements of his
outside business
Or. DiNon's objections seem to have the force
Of analogy to support them. If the sexton may
announce himself carrying undertakinS
business AZ such number, such street. tel--
phone --. the trustees or deacons might claim
with some show Of reason an equal right so
pIacari all their names. business addresses and
telephone calls in some prominent place near
the church door. Certainly any medical brother
connected with the administration of the church
ought to have precedence Of the undertaken. an
between the two might be introduced John
Blank senior Churchwarden and Counsellor At
Law Wills drawn with expedition at all hours"
But ON the other hand. the sexton undertaken
appears 10 br a development arising out OF the
peculiar conditions OF the largest American
cities lie is not 10 be- found-at least, not ad-
vertiscd On church doors-in Europe. lie is usual
in New-York and known in Chicago. but not in
most other American cities. 50 far as the writerS
experience goes. Here. where undertakers are
more numerous and individually less Important
than in smaller cities there are always many
vorshipp,rs in the church who would not know,
in the sad emergency. where 10 find trained as-
sistance for the last offices L. their dead. The
rich may rely upon the business acuuen of first
class und-rtak-rs 20 supply The needed infor-
nation but deaths among the less Well 10 i-
are by no means So sure To bring To- the bereayed
respectfully coudolins business cards. Naturally
the first person 10 whom church member
would turn for guidance in su IN matter would
be the sexton of his o~n church. 1t is not that
the undertaken seeks employment as a sexton.
but the sexton gets tired of recommending the
services III other people. and aWakens 70 the op
portuuities Of his position. Then As a rule, while
the office of sexton does not impose work enough
To occupy all of a healthy mans time and en-
ergy. IL gives him too much 10 do. in a viSor-
ously conducted city church, To leave him free
for any business entirely unconneCted with the
church. From the sections point of view there
is every reason Why he should go into the under
taking business though there may be very lit
tie worldly iEducrment for an already pros
porous undertaken to become a sexton As for
the trustees other temporal regulators of the
church's affairs. they find it hard enough to Sc
cure the services Of efficient sections at reason
able rates AMI the privilege of using the church
door for the display of a lugubrious professional
shiugle is a matter To be reckoned toward the
abatement of salarics-tO say nothing Of its
wholesome effect all comers "memento
ruori