THE BURIALS BILL
(To THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.")
Sin,—What more instructive comment on the now, alas! shelved Burials Bill could there be than the touching spectacle in West- minster Abbey on Thursday last, when High Church and Low Church, Protestant and Ritualist, bishop and presbyter, men holding all creeds and men holding none, met round the grave in which their common sympathies were centred ? Are we only on such rare occasions to be allowed the privilege of, for a few brief moments, sinking our ecclesiastieal differences in our common humanity? What a golden opportunity (such as Mr. Morgan's Bill is offering) are we in our suicidal blindness thrusting from Ars! I wonder, Sir, if you have room for the following lines of Whittier's:—
" My heart was heavy, for its trust had been Abused, its kindness answered with foul wrong, So, turning gloomily from my fellow-men, One summer Sabbath-day I strolled among The green mounds of the village burial-place. Where, pondering how all human love and hate Find one sad level ; and how, soon or late, Wronged and wrong-doer, each with meekened face,
And cold hands folded over a still heart, Pass the green threshold of our common grave, Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart, Awed for myself, and pitying my race, One common sorrow like a mighty wave Swept all my pride away, and trembling I forgave !"
Could many Dissenters in our villages pass through a similar mental state, and if not, is it not our fault ?—I am, Sir, &c.,
A CouNrny
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