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Show J U I'ROFEK KI-rECT FOK THE j J IEAI. jl - It is Tight and religious to py re 1 V spec! to the dea.1. True, tho remain of the departed seem to bo but cold i clay. Yet the body placed in tin casket once contained the livini spirit, and with It farmed a Ilvim p soul, and was part of the per f ' tonality of the indivIJual. "Tin I tody without thespirit is deaii," bu' , it belongs to the spirit, is neceasar to its complete happlne-s and power ,. and when quickened and vltilizc-' I wasa wonderful exhibition of divini f " creative skill, unsurpassed in all tin J known works ot Dslty, and worth (of the highest a Jmlratlon. It Is ti 1 resurrected. It is to come forth from tbegrave, spiritualized as toiU life'fluid but tangible, material aim I in its own image an i identity. I is therefore far more than a cloo and is entitled to profound respect. Services over tho remains of th ' departed are eminently proper. j . ; They are often season of instruj j tlon and profit. On Mich occasions )', i the minds of tboe who attend are , .,t impressed witii the solemnity fell j j ' in presence of the Ufa i, and are I 5 thus prepared for reflection and religious teaching. Tlio spirit ol 1 truth finis more eay access to tilt heart than ordinarily, and the if themes suggested are of a nature Jt" bring forth impressive ideas thai often affect future conduct for good It is also reasonable to mourn the loss of the departed. That is if it , Is not indulged in to au unreason- ' able extent. Kxccss in anything 1- ' wrong. Immoderate Rrief is a species of intemperance as euervat i ingaslt is u'cles. Self-control is i a virtue that should bu exercised , in times of sorrow 33 well as at f seasons of rejoicing. But to crieve fortbe loss of them that die is natural, natur-al, and tears nil fl i w when tender Ht heart are pierced with a sharp I B eenre of bereavement. There is no lB c ' law of God or rule of propriety that fjH forbids tho falling tear. ,IB , Custom, however, makes soaie ftVM unreasonable things common, anJ ,H fashion helps to make them appear VBB necessary. Kxtravagant display i AVB one of them. Families cften plunge 5PAT themselves into a deep gulf of debt 7B through desire to emulate the costly , "J funerals of the weilthy, anl say, "Nothing is too good" for the de parted one. This is a'l wrong. The dead care nothing for such displays. iand if the spirit were present it would deprecate the folly that often suggests them. Another thing is the public exhibition exhi-bition of a corpse. We have always J thought it in very had taste. There may bo exceptions to this 1 rule, perhaps, but ordinarily it is an O A irrational and indelicate custom. t On calm reflection, who is there I ! . that desires, when living, that his J 4 body thall be presented to the pub- - J He gaze for a general show after he I is dead? If friends and rehti visile s' J sire to take a last look at the face of I the deceased, that is all right, in 1 " private. But to exposs to all fcom- 1 I era the form cf the decea-ed, while I i themournersare keptby thehieriu 1 agony till the gaping crowd h is j passed, their hearts harrowed by j tlie sobbing of spectators, i3 a need - (f less and barbarous usage. We were pleased that this was dispensed with yesterday at the funeral of Brother James Moyle. It was far better and showed greater respect for the deceased and the family, to wait until they had iosscd out ol ' thebulIdlDgbeforethe congregation arose and dispersed. Music is appropriate at funeral. But this is often made the means of aggravating grief inteaj ofimpart-sng ofimpart-sng consolation. Funeral dirges are composed, apparently, for the express purpose of touching tlie tenderest ciiords of tlie humau breast, so as tu make them vibrate with tho keeubh anguUU. Often the bereaved, having conquered , themselves so as to suppress in- decorous outbursts, are made hysterical hys-terical by the doleful strains thought t appropriate, which cause even strangers to weep. Music, both vocal and instrumental, should be used rather to comfort than to agitate agi-tate and pain the mourners. Another unL-B custom is the exposure of the living to danger fiom cold out of supposed I rsiect for tho deaJ. Tramping i slowly through rnuJ or snow for y long distances; standing in the 1 . graveyard until nearly frozen; N J j baring the head to the wind, or the j ' storm, or the blazing vin, while the J last services are being rendered to f I cover tho coffin from sight; aro all ji needless observances and frequently if result in sickness and death. They , U do the departed no goo J, thev often I hit do tho living much harm. Wheu fy lhe dedicatory prayer or bcnedlc- "fi tlon Is pronounce j, uncovering the j V head Is proper. A n J thcu the per- I (l ton officiating should bs mindful ' 1 of the atmospheric conditions and - , f cot keep people bareheaded while he indulges in flights of Iengtliy -i, rhectoric l'rayer is .iltvajB lst i i d whf,n soulful yet simple, brief and ' V , -"j? to the point. f '. I TadltiJn still has great power t i j ' ,. . 0Ter the mind even among the I Latter-day jjalnts. We should en- I J . j deavor to wean ourselves from every I'' , unreasonable and unnecessary cus- ,f J. - l'1 torn and every foolish fashion, l'ay tl due respect to the deaJ. Iiveto- L. j j getlur iu such love, Uiat when a Si I- place in the family cirele is made Lf I vacant the heart mjurus for the I ' j i presence thatisgonc. Hold funeral K . j : services. I'ray an isiugand preach. t . Hpeak good words but in trutli o! V ( the departed. Convey the remain 11 in honor to the tomb. But let all he 13 , . dune decently anJ in order, in tem- '" periace anJ moderation, and iu l';, J '. reverence for God who will raise j j all His children from their graves J ' 5 I J in the coming resurrection-day. |
