Flowers at Funerals.

Feilding Star, Volume XX, Issue 117, 16 November 1898, Page 2

Flowers at Funerals.

In the course of a recent address Dr Murray, Roman Catholic Bishop of Maitland, N.S.W., delivered some interesting remarks concerning the custom of using flowers at funeral ceremonies. He quoted from an authority to show that the practice was a very old one. Even in the second century of Christianity, the tombs of departed friends were sprinkled with the leaves of flowers. The custom, notwith standing, he said, was one of silly sentiment. No possible good could come of it. It was all vanity, and pomp, and folly, Almdeedsand prayers for the daad were preferable. At times there were pretty floral crosses and handsome wreaths sent by friends to place upon the coffins and graves of departed ones at a coet of several pounds. The outlay in some cases was no object to the well-intentioned donors. But, all the same, it was useless "extravagance, which should be discontinued. The Plenary Council, which sat in Sydney in the year 1805, be said, expressed a desire that the practice should be abolished by the yarious priests in as gentle, yet firm, a manner as possible, and, so far as they were able, strictly prohibit the use of flowers in connection with deaths. •• When I die," exclaimed his lordship, " there will be no flowers ; but I hope there will be plenty of rosaries, plenty of prayers, masses, and holy communions." He concluded the discourse by expressing a hope that in some way legislation would be introduced to prevent the use of flowers I either in the church or at the cemetery in connection with the f ausral services and ceremonies.