The Washington herald., 1909-06-06
Nv F7.ATTACHE.

British empire. This has led 10 the i'm
preston. not only in England, but also
abroad that this ancient fame is Pan
theon, in which all those Britons who
have achieved great fame and luster are
entitled TO a tomb after their death.
Nelson. on the eve OF his greatest VIC
tory, intimated that7the alternatives con-
fronting him were assest in the House Of
Lords or a tomb in Westminster Abbey.
and this historic remark has served 10
still further confirm the belief that ali
great Englishmen have right 20 a last
resting place. within its hoary walls.
The Abbey is. however. before every
thing else, a church or minister OF the
Established Anglican rite. and those who
in these modern times do not accord
their spiritual, allegiance TO that rite. who
object TO any Of its doctrines. and who
fail 10 live In accordance with its teach
ings. cannot reasonably expect 10 find
a welcome within its precincts, hallowed
alike by creed land history. when they
die
Just at present sthe dean Of Westmin-
ster IS being made the object Of no end
of abuse In Consequence Of his refusal
10 permit the entomLbment in the abbey
Of George Meredith An adn1irer Of his
works, ne was willing7to hold a memorial
service for the greaz novelist IN the alb
hey. But ne would mot accord even the
little space in the minister that would
have been needed for the ashes OF the
gifted writer. For Mleredith's remains
in compliance with his peremptory direc-
tions. were Cremated within forty-eight
hours after he had hlseathed MS last
The dean has vouchssEfed no explanation
for his attitude. and maintains absolute
silence. in she face OF all the attacks
which afe being made upon him. not only
in the press but also in Parliament,
where q movement. doomed 10 defeat, has
been started to transfer the right OF de-
termining the question Of burial In the
abbey TO the government. It mag there
fore De well tc- explain tl=at the dean IS
directly responsible TO the Crown, 10 the
church. and 10 the nation. for the abbey,
and everything .COneCted thGPWiJh indie
pendent Of biS.Op. primate. and premier.
holding bis Office directly from the King,
I'm the latter's capacity as sovereign and
supreme head otethe church. he may be
described as the trustee Of the nation
FOR the abbey.
It is acknowledged that owing TO errors
Of Judgment and unfortunate laxity in
former davs. many were enabled 10 Sc
cure burial in TIE abbey who were in no
sense Of the word entitled 10 the hon
or. AT one moment, indeed. the abbey
seems TO have been regarded very much
as their parish church, by the burgesses
and citizens OF Westminster. with the
result that to-day il IS terribly over
crowded. with tombs and memorials. It
IS filled almost TO the point Of overflow
ms with dead.
There is but little place Ieft-not for
more than dozen at the very most
The nation looks 20 its trustee TO see
that the vacant graves should be con-
ceded only 10 those whose niche IN
the annals Of fame, and in the history
OF the empire entities them beyond all
question or discussion Otthat distinction.
while in the same way the ancient
Church Of England. whose past is so in
tlmatelv bound up with that OF the alb
bev. relies upon the dean 10 restrict 10
the adherents Of its rite. the privilege
Of burial in in minister.
George Meredith. after all, is very far
from being the first Englishman Of note
who has had the gates OF the abbey
closed 10 his remains. Herbert Spencer,
Henry Stanley. George Eliot" and a
number OF others could be cited IN this
connection. and are frequently mentioned
as Illustrating the -'deplOrahde narrow
mindedness" Of the dean Of Westmin
ster. But when Dean Stanley. the broad
serH ~Hrr. rHF~ f#l-F
OF the Church Of England in a hundred
years or more. denied burial to George
Eliot in the abbey. and rejected The ap-
peal made in her behalf by Herber- SPen-
Ger. the late Prof Huxley. 20 whom
certainly no one would have ever dream
cd Of imputing Anglican OF any other
kind of orthodoxy took up the cudgels
In behalf Of Dean Stanley, and expressed
himself as follows:
..The dean is officially. and above ev-
prvthing else. a Christian priest, and
burial in the abbey implies the grant
bv him Of exceptional Christian lOnOrs.
George Eliot Is known far and wide.
not only as a great writer. but as per-
son whose life and opinions we're in no
torious antagonism 10 Christian practice
IN regard 10 marriage. and 10 Christian
theory in regard 20 dogma How am 70
read over the body Of a person who did
not repent Of what the church considers
mortal sin. a service not one solitary
proposition OF which she would have aC-
cepted for truth while she was alive?"
George Meredith's domestic arrange
ments were. unlike those Of George
Eliot" quite above reproach. But the
teaching contained in his works, on the
subject Of marriage. his widely published
views concerning the doctrines Of the
Church OF England, and last but not
least. HIS amusing. but to churchmen
somewhat dismaying expression Of the
hope that he would sooner die with a
laugh on his lips while telling his best
improper story than with a prayer or
a blessing on his lips are not precisely
calculated TO qualify him for burial in
the abbey. Moreover. the very fact that
his body should have been cremated
would. In itself. I believe. have proved
an obstacle TO entombment at Westmin-
ster. For although the incineration Of
corpses has been accepted by the Church
of England as orthodox. yet cannot re-
call a single instance OF ashes OF the ere
mated dead finding a place in the abbey
Formerly a number Of the Burgesses Of
W westminster possessed the hereditary
right Of inteTCSent within the precincts
Of the Abbey. always providing that they
belonged 10 the Church OF England, and
that they had lived and died as Chris
tians. But these families have either
passed out Of existence or have allowed
their rights 10 drop. Indeed. there is
only one house. namely. that OF Percy
of which the Duke Of Northumberland
is the chief. that still retains this pre-
rogative. The Percy vault in the Abbey
IS situated beneath the ST. Nicholas
Chapel, and the last entombment there
was OF the father OF the present Duke Of