The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-10-10
REFORMING FUNERALS.

That reform is necessary in funeral
ceremonies everyone admits. 1t is
true that some of the costly excesses
of former days have passed away,
due to the wise new custom of having
interments private. The morbidly
curious are thereby cut off from a
qualification of going into houses they
never entered before. We no longer
see in cities an endless procession of
carriages, both expensive and annoy
ing to traffic and travel. But for all
this, there is still room for further re-
forms tending to greater simplicity.
At any rate, this is the opinion of the
Atlanta Evangelical Ministers AS
sociation, composed of body of cler-
gymen who are endeavoring to ex-
tend reform along lines which may be
thus summarized "That funeral
sermons and orations be discarded /;
that there be no eulogy of the dead,
except in extraordinary cases that
there be less extravaganza in the con-
duct of funerals that the practice of
wearing mourning be discouraged ;
that no funeral services or burials be
conducted OH the Sabbath except in
cases Of emergency, and that the re-
moval of hats at the graves be dis
couraged."
Not all these recommendation will
meet with universal acceptance, but
it would be difficult to frame a strong
argument in opposition to any OF
them. Except in rare instances, "fu-
neral sermons and orations" are not
conductive to any good end. Many
or them are positively ana seriously
Objectionable and provoke sneers and
cynicisms from those who knew the
character of the dead man eulogized
A good man needs no praise, and it is
a mockery to bestow it upon a bad
one. The simpler a funeral is the
more solemn and dignifed the effect
The most impressive funeral service
the writer ever saw was in this city
held over the remains of a good ole
Quaker. Not word was spoken al
the house or by the graveside and the
solemn silence and inarticulate respect
paid the dead was almost unbearable
in its impressiveness. This is carry.
ing matters to an extreme, perhaps
as it is some relief from the intensity
of silent strain to hear the word fit.
ly spoken-something like the simple
English burial service. 1t is needless
to say that extravaganza in funerals
should be repressed and the rich
should set the example. Bishop
Knight set good example in leaving
directions that he should be buried in
a plain rough box without a coffin.
1t is unseemly to display wealth at a
funeral when everyone knows and
feels that a shroud has no pockets.
1t is only ancient custom which can
be pleaded in support of wearing
mourning. The Atlanta Constitution
gives its unqualified endorsement tc
the entire programme of the Local
clergy, and closes its comments there.
on with the remark that "what the
world needs is more independence ir
precedent and more common sense ii
such matters. There is no danger ol
a material, practical age declining tc
give death its due in the matter of the
last offices, but there is every reason
why an age that discards superhuities
should adopt more sensible, consis
tent funeral programme. The agita-
ton of reforms of this nature in At
lanta is distinctly step forward. u
And Atlanta is but one of many cities
where similar agitation is needed
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