The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-12-06
DR.. WARNER
The Directions for His Funeral not Oh
served-Excellent Suggestions

|
Francisville, La, says:
The death of DR.. Beverley E. War
ner, rector of Trinity Church, New Or
leans, suddenly on Sunday was a grea
blow to his church and to the civic in
| terests of New Orleans. Second to. NJ
churchman in intellect and scholarly at
tainments, he was above all things else
however, the good citizen, and some o1
| the most solid benefits that the city has
secured were due to his iniatiative.
The letter of directions for his
funeral, written to Warren Kearny, {
member of his vestry, contains so much
that is excellent in suggestion and ele-
waited in spirit and tone, that we can not
forbear publishing it in full, as follows
IF | should die in or about New Or
leans, should like to be buried there
i solenlnly charge those who shall
have charge of my burial II put my body
away with the least expense possible.
have seen so much extravagant waste in
connection with funerals that l shrink
both from the display and from the ex-
ample of putting underground what
ought to be kept for the maintenance of
the living.
Il die poor man, and all that | have
been able to gather should be husbanded
for the support Of my family, but if I
were a rich man, | should still desire
that my funeral expenses should be at
the lowest point needed for decent in
|ternent.
Il wish nothing more than the service
of the church to be read over me. Meth
er at the hour of the funeral nor at any
future time do | wish memorial services
or addresses. Let my life be remem-
bered as long as people recall it natural
ly If I have helped people, I thank
God, but do not want special addresses
to be made to tell hte community of that.
My life has been the ordinary mix
ture, suppose, and | know that I have
accomplished far less than many people
seem to think will know how little it
has been by the time these words are
read. | do not want additional cause
for discontinue in the other world,
which would surely be mine (if I could
know of it) while memorial service
was being conducted in this world
Il say this not without a deep appre-
ciation of the many kindnesses I have
received, but | know my own weak
nesses too well to be misled by the
praise of those who do not
Il would like to have my funeral as
short a function as possible For the
sake of the living, and as an example
for others, I charge my friends to drive
as rapidly as possible from the church
to the cemetery. | prefer that the horses
should not walk step of the way
Il don't want memorial in the church
where ] have served more than half of
my ministerial life | have had expert
ence in getting up memorials, and I
don't want soul on this earth ap-
preached for dollar to perpetuate me.
AS long as people remember me, their
memories will be better than any formal
tribute. When strangers come, they
will not care, naturally, who was rector
of Trinity from 1893 until-whcn?
L die believing in the creeds I have
taught, in the church at whose affairs I
have ministered, in the sacraments
have ministered and the prayers I have
offered. Most of all, in God, our Father
in heaven, to whom l. pray for mercy as
a miserable sinner. B. w.
June 6, 1907.
And yet in the face of this simple but
eloquent appeal for only decent essen
tials, honorary pallbearers, resolutions,
etc, were arranged for, SO inseparable
from ponnp and circumstance is the
working of the average human mind in
arranging for the last sad rites for ones
SO deeply loved and revered as DIR. War
ner"
LUZIANNE COFFEE is the. sonth's