The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-11
TpOeka Ministers Would Abolish
Sunday Funerals.
Preliminary Step Is Taken This
Morning.
COMMITTEES 2 o BBP0RT
Decided to Recommend AdOp-
ton eff Reform.
Formal Vote Will Be Taken
Next Monday.

The Topeka Ministerial union viii
on next Monday. at its regular meet
ing. issue a formal announcement in
favor of the adjustment of Sunday
funerals in Topeka.
The union had a special meeting
this morning. The resolutions com
mittee. consisting of Rev. w NJ.
Cleveland of the Third Presbyterian
church. Rev. c. i. Lee Of the Sea-
brook Congregational church, and
Rev. ]. ". Reed of the Kansas Ave
nue. Methodist church, met at 8 o'clock
and decided to report favorably on the
matter But because the meeting Of
the union was special, for the purpose
of looking over the matters pertaining
to the church census, it was deemed
advisa BILE and more proper to wait and
not present resolution in the matter
until next Monday morning, the date
Of the next regular meeting of the
union.
There is no question in my mind. 50
said Rev. w. NJ. Cleveland the chair
man of the committee, this morning
but that the ministers will on next
Monday vote to abolish Sunday fu-
nerals- Ny committee will certainly
present a resolution faVOring such a
step All the ministers have talked
that we do. I know that the majority
of the preachers favor the step. Ii is
a very delicate matter, however. I do
not know whether we shall come out
boldly and say that We shall refuse to
mold sunday funerals, or whether we
shan word the resolution so as to dis
courage the practice so far as pos
slble. That matter viii have to rest
with the union as a whole. I think.
however, that the matter will be made
Trrf47 80.
about the bush. An ordinary person
does not realize what the SUNDAY I'm
nerals mean to us. Sometimes we are
simply pushed beyond our CAPACITY on
the Saopath day. By adding a fu-
neral 70 the regular Sabbath work r.
scarcely gives US enough time to 90
from one engagement to another. The
majority OF funerals could be held on
some other day than Sunday. some
times 1t may be absolutely necessa ~,
TO use that day but such instances are
very rare
"The reason we did not report III.
matter today is because this meeting
Es Specials ana then too, we realize the
paplelLy wnleh step of this kind is
giRens ana consequently wish to be verv
careful how we word our action
L. NJ Eenwell, the owner Of the Pen
vel undertaking establishment started
the no Sunday funeral crusade fo7 To-
peiEa- He outlined a plan ia Re agrss,7
TO by the funeral directors, the ceme-
tery. associations and the ministers. TTba
latter were the first to take up the pro-
position and they VIII report favors bl1r
la the matter. Their action is principal
because a pastors relation to his parish
toners Is q decidedly delicate matter and
ene that must be handled very carefully
The funeral directors and the cemetery
association win not even hold meetings
60 formally declare in favor of the aboI-
iahnneut OF the Sunday funeral They
have all advocated such a step for a
long time, and now since the preachers
vilI give It affirmation, nothing remains
bat g meeting Of representatives. of ali
ffrso bodies and the drawing up and
aan7iaation Of g common agreement.