THE BURTALS BILL
[TO Tam EDITOR OF THE " SPEOTATOR:1
MacColl accuses Mr. Blomfield of "well-poisoning," -and adds, "The parish priest has just as much power to refuse Christian burial to the baptised, as he has to order Mr. Blomfield to be hanged on the nearest tree."
I hope that a less summary process may be adopted in my friend's ease. He is an estimable member of society, and I trust that he will beware of the vicinity of trees and of "parish priests." It is part of our grievance that the latter do not always use their " power " in accordance with law.
Your correspondent's harsh judgment about the sincerity of Dissenters may very well be answered in his own words :—" The leading spokesmen of the Dissenters honestly avow that even Mr. O. Morgan's Bill would not satisfy them." By no means, but why should the fact of our having other grievances prove us insincere in seeking the redress of this one?
Mr. MacColl is mistaken in supposing that silent funerals are
in use amongst us. To his first question, whether Nonconformists would agree to be restricted to a form of service fixed by law, I answer, certainly not. Freedom is of the essence of our services. Your correspondent would have to obtain it with a great sum, but we are free-born. Far be it from us to desire equality with the Clergy in this matter. This would be, in our view, to descend -to a lower leveL
With regard to the second question, I believe that Nonconfor-
mists would be glad to see the Clergy relieved from the burden of having to bury with the rites of the Church those who do not -belong to it. As to Joseph of Arimathwa, I always thought he -was chiefly to be remembered for having willingly given up his legal rights of burial, in favour of One who was regarded as a heretic, schismatic, and Dissenter.—! am, Sir, &c.,
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