Funerals – The Montreal Daily Witness Sep. 4, 1874
It is a breach of good taste which prevails here perhaps more than in other countries, to make a large display at funerals. By our customs it becomes necessary for a man who wishes to show respect to his friend, or his friends’ friend, to give half a day of his business time, in a costume different from usual, to follow his remains to the grave. It would be more edifying if arrangements were made, as a correspondent of the Witness once suggested, to enable friends to attend a service in a church or at the house, and then return to their work, leaving those who are really mourners to care for the remains which are dear to them, and to give vent to sorrow with which strangers cannot intermeddle. One evil result of this ostentation is the constant tendency to hold funerals on the Lord’s Day, giving occupation to cemetery employees and to undertakers, and what is equally objectionable, to clergymen upon that day when all should rest. The ministers of Montreal have already protested against this, and we are glad now to hear that the Cemetery Company have resolved to take decisive measures on the subject, by refusing to admit funerals on Sunday, except under extraordinary circumstances, and then only at special hours. Such action has, we believe, always been custom at Mount Hermon Cemetery, at Quebec, and we hope the reform will receive the support of the community here.
