From a report presented by Samuel B. Ruggles (see H. T. Tuckerman's article in the Christian Examiner, November, 1856, p. 338) we take the following concise statement of the rights inherent in relatives of the deceased. It is there demonstrated :

"1. That neither a corpse, nor its burial, is legally subject in any way to ecclesiastical cognizance, nor to sacerdotal power of any kind.

"2. That the right to bury a corpse and to preserve its remains is a legal right, which the courts of law will recognize and protect.

"3. That such right, in the absence of any testamentary disposition, belongs to the next of kin.

"4. That the right to protect the remains, includes the right to protect them by separate burial, and to select the place of sepulture, and change that at pleasure.

"5. That if the place of burial be taken for public use, the next of kin may claim to be indemnified, for the expense of removing and suitably re-interring the remains." Cemeteries have rules of their own which can be easily obtained, and which no general guide could well supply.

The word "cemetery" itself means "sleeping-place." In a similar manner the Jews called their burial-places by such names as "house of assembly," "hostelry," "place of rest," "place of freedom." "field of the weepers," "house of eternity," "house of life."

"O eloquent, just, and mighty DEATH! Whom none could advise, thou hast persuaded! What none have dared, thou hast done! And whom all the world hath flattered, thou only hast cast out of the world and despised! Thou hast drawn together all the far-fetched greatness, all the pride, cruelty, and ambition of man: and covered it all over with these two narrow words:

Hic jacet."

-Sir Walter Raleigh: Conclusion of his "History of the World."

III.

THE FUNERAL,

"The life of a Christen man is nothynge but a readines to dye, and a remembraunce of death."

HUGH LATIMER: Seventh Sermon before Edw. VI.

THE FUNERAL.

I. THE DUTIES OF THE CLERGYMAN.

The late Rev. Enoch Pond, D.D. (Professor for many years in the Theological Seminary at Bangor, Me.), has given such explicit and capital directions concerning funeral services, that we condense them here from his "Young Pastor's Guide."

I. A minister has no option; he must attend them. They are matters in which his feelings, duties, and interests are equally involved.

2. The mode of attending funerals is different in different places. But the services embrace always an address and a prayer. In the country they are often of more general importance than in town.

3. The services, including hymns and Scripture, should be appropriate. There should be no sameness and uniformity. Let the peculiarities of the case direct the minister how to adapt his services.

4. Let the manner of the speaker be sympathetic, subIf a man love his people it can hardly He can be faithful and tender, too.

dued, and tender.

be otherwise.

5. The services should be short. Most funeral prayers, Dr. Pond thinks, are too long, either because they are too general, or too particular.

6. The reasons for brevity are plain. There must be

time to see the face, to attend the body to the grave, and

to return.

7. The true object of funeral addresses is not so much to eulogize the dead, as to instruct, comfort, and benefit the living.

8. It may be proper to speak of the vices of the deceased, when these have resulted in ruin; but only in the way of charity and kindness—if at all.

9. Let the speaker trace the overruling providence of God.

10. Let him show this as the true ground of comfort. It comforted Eli: It is the Lord; let him do what

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seemeth him good." I Sam. iii. 18.

II. Consolation can be drawn often from the character of the dead. Mourners are always partial friends, and they love to hear a kind word from their minister. But the minister must keep soberly within the truth.

He need disturb no

12. Other consolations are those of religion, in case one has died in hope and peace. In cases of rather doubtful piety one had best be silent. hopes, but he must be careful not to lower the standard of Christian living.

13. Dr. Pond objects to saying openly that the dead are lost. The inference is hard enough to bear.

14. Funeral sermons generally are to be discouragedespecially when one is expected to take the Sabbath for them. It certainly ought not to be expected. Indeed, one may remark, that of late years it is unusual to look for a formal discourse, unless the dead person has held public positions or possessed extended influence.

15. Very properly, too, Dr. Pond opposes Sunday

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