“Registry Office Funeral For Pagans” Suggested

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31097, 28 June 1966, Page 22

“Registry Office Funeral For Pagans” Suggested

The "few hypocritical ! words” spoken in “too obviously insincere” eulogies iby pastors who hardly knew (the dead person is one of aspects of modern funerals criticised in an 'article in the June issue of j "Courier.” the official organ |of the Congregational Union ■of New Zealand. ! Also criticised are the last ■ rites with the “generally shaky and undignified ’ carrying of the body into ■ church in a wooden box, the criminal waste of beautiful [wood used in coffins, and "the i phoney music and electrically- ! moving curtains or lifts or !heaven knows what to hide [the coffin from view” at 1 crematorium services. Such things could be done away with entirely as they [serve no useful purpose, the article says. “The very factory-like precision needed these days not to arrivve too soon as to get caught up with (the funeral before; not to ! take more than a few minutes (so as to get out of the way of the next one, makes the whole thing heartless.” The insincere eulogies are worse than useless, and should be replaced with a brief account of what the Christian Faith should mean at the time of death, the article contends.

Also seen as incorrect is the British attitude not to distinguish between Christian or not being a Christian when it comes to dying.

“If we suggest that in the end it doesn’t matter tuppence

iwhether the dead person tried to live a good life or not we [are doing a great disservice to lour faith. ( “When we say, at the 'funeral of a known adulterer, ‘the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God’, the relations must either think we are fools or wonder where he has (gone. Surely we need a sort ■of Registry Office funeral for (pagans ... We let pagans be born and marry without our assistance, it must be very difficult for them to die,” the article says.