The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-11
SWELL FUNERALS
SCORED BY POSTER.
Rev. z. D. Lewis Condemns
Practice Among Colored Poo
pie of Richmond.
RE ;'; SOME INCIDENTS.
Double Header" Results i'll Fight
Over Grave-Craving Tor
Dissertations Display.

Fashionable Sunday funerals were
condemned fore and aft by the Rev.
n. D. Lewis, pastor of tho Second Bap-
fist Church, colored. In an address be-
fore the Dunbar Literary Society. u
we'll known negro organization. last
night Destinations display, expensive
caskets, long lines OF carriages, one
cortege trying to outrivel the other, a
practical Dissertation of the Sabbath
by great funerals. which are little
more than picnics--these features. COM
mon enough, brought forth the sharp
criticism of the speaker. who was UNI
qualified in his denunclation of a prac-
tice which has resulted In such great
extravaganza in recent years among
the more fashionable negroes. that. In
the words OF tile Rev. Lewis. there has
gone Into a hole In the ground nun
drcds OF thousands OF dollars OF hard
earned money, which should have been
used for the benefit and uplifting OF the
race.
Though 1t was pnsparing in its con-
domination of customs which have peen
practically universal among the colored
people here, the address was well re-
ceivcd by an audience which gave lio-
taken. and which followed the speaker
with close attention, although many
were standing and the church was
packed to its utmost capacity.
a Typical Funeral.
The Rev Lewis. who Is one of the
best educated negroes In Richmond,
took a bold stand, but he has with him
most of the preachers. as well as the
ers of his race, many. OF whom We're
on tile platform last night. He opened
his address by describing typical
swell funeral. q case which he said
had come under his own observation
recently, in which the whole. wealth of
the little family was utilized, the cas-.
ket costing 5000. there being several
blocks of carriages, a wealth OF How
.ers and much display OF mourning,
with an elaborate funeral discourse
and the attendance of various societies
and orders, brass band. billygoat and
ALL"
The preacher stated that It was a
matter of public knowledge that this
couple had been living in poverty, dis Z
cord and without any use or. respect
for each other; Yet on the death of the
husband. the fashion in the best CIR
cles OF Richmond colored society had
decreed a "swell' funeral, with all the
trimmings on, and In order to Guido
all former events of the kind, 9 'dou-
ble-hender" was arranged. with two
undertakers and two preachers AS an
the undertakers had a tight at the
grave over which should have the hon
or of burying the body; that the widow
had sold her home for the costs OF
that funeral, which amounted to- SOB,
apd that she is now doing work by the
day and is in danger of being put on
the street for non-payment of her rent.
No Authority for II.
Continuing. the Rev. Lewis took up
each detail of such funeral, stating
that there was no Scriptural authority
for a sermon; that such eulogies were
usually entirely false..an that preach
lowered in the estimation of their con-
gregation and of the public Mt large
He commended the various Well-knoWn
insurance organizations supported by
policy of having the death benefits pay
able to the undertaken rather than to
the family of the deceased when
ever a white man dies. he declared.
somebody benefits financially. Some
white people never have any money
until somebody dies. But.with the ne
groes 1t is different. Whenever any
body dies all he leaves is q great big
bill to the undertaken, which the whole
family works for a year or so to pay
off"
The custom OF lodges and orders to
attend funerals merely to make lengthy
procession. when that adds to the eN-l
earr,aee sns a eg TIC
Inviting all the nelgliborhood to ride
to the cemetery, making the blll i -
carriages alone sometimes come to Sl9o
being argued that only the family and
immediate friends of the deceased
should attend. and that IL lodges send
committees or delegations they should
show their respect Tor the dead by
An especial feature to, which the ne
stated was to be found In no other
race on earth except the negroes. was wa !.
the ground for five or Sin days, IN
order to have Il big, swell" sunday
;, Display Not Genuine.
sunday services he said, and placed
In front OF our congregations whetll-
en- we come 10 attend the funeral or
not. Sometimes they even insist on
long the body may have been kept,
and people Who never knew the dead
man crowd around TO gaze curlollsly
on his remains, All of this ostenta-
uine, Look at our cemetery over here
on the North Side. where many Of
these expensive funerals have taken
place. now Owe rgroWn3 In weeds and
oNerrun, With serpents, and In many
cent onGn swell funeral for some rel
ative cannot now point out the spot
Who're the body is buried"
y Referring to 5eXtravaSant mourning
costumes. Rev. lewis said tlsAt mourn-
ing should be commensurate with the
or the heart rnthss shan
With the decree Of fashionable "socie-
tN.As Z A
Several musical selections closed tho
evening, professor y, Webster Davis
presiding on the part OF the Dunbar
Literary Society, which expects to hold
during tile winter at various churches,
q series IF popular lectures on va
nc tile colored peopse N n