The Bill for permitting Dissenters to bury their dead in
the -parish churchyard, with services of their own at the grave, if -they desire, passed into Committee, and was fought through one -of its most disputed clauses on Wednesday, though not without -strong opposition from Mr. Beresford Hope, Mr. Gathorne Hardy, 4kc. It got into Committee by a majority of 71 (171 to 100). Mr. Cawley's amendment refusing to the Dissenters the right to am their own religious service at the grave was rejected by 41 <182 to 141), and an amendment by Mr. Cowper-Temple striking -out the prohibition against clergymen of the Church of England -using any but the authorized Church Burial Service was rejected by 14 votes (155 to 141). A proposal by Mr. J. G. Talbot to -enact that any service read at the grave should consist of nothing but prayers, hymns, and passages of Scripture, was negatived by -only two votes (146 to 141), Mr. Brace pointing out that it would be of little service, as both hymns and prayers of a most startling -character might be used, and that it was better to leave the matter to the good feeling of the officiating minister. The first and most -disputed clause was eventually carried by 22 votes (149 to 127). As we have pointed out elsewhere, the Dissenters seem to have no -morbid horror of aid from State churchyards, and possibly :State churches, if their liberty is not controlled.
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