AN ORDER

FOR

FUNERAL SERVICES

PREPARED FOR PRIVATE USE

BY

THOMAS SMYTH,

PASTOR OF THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

CHARLESTON, S C.

BOSTON:

PRINTED BY SAMUEL N. DICKINSON.

FUNERAL SERVICES.

When the corpse has been brought into the church, the service may be introduced, where time and other circumstances render it expedient, by singing a suitable hymn.

Then shall be read one of the following forms of scripture services, according to the age and character of the deceased.

FORMS OF GENERAL INTRODUCTION, OR PREFACE, TO BE READ BEFORE THE PARTICULAR SERVICE USED ON ANY OCCASION.

I.

BELOVED FRIENDS AND BRETHERN: Seeing that in the midst of life we are in death; and that, in the very fulness of health and strength; we know not what a day or an hour may bring forth; it becometh us at all times to keep in mind, that God will bring us to the house appointed for all living; that so we may be led to work out our salvation with fear and trembling; and this so much the more, as we see the day approaching. Yet ought we especially to remember that we are dust, and that it is appointed unto us to die, on such an occasion as the present; when the mortal remains of a departed friend, in all their weakness and decay, are outstretched before us; when the grave is opened to receive them; and we are admonished, as by the voice of heaven, to prepare to meet our God, seeing that in such an hour as we think not, the Son of man cometh. Let us, then, humbly receive, and duly ponder upon, the declarations of God's holy word, as appropriate to this solemn occasion, which shall now be read.

II. OR THIS.

MY BRETHREN, as God hath spoken unto us in His afflictive bereavement, may our hearts be opened to receive, with meekness, humility, and reverence, the words of that heavenly wisdom, which is profitable to direct, to comfort, and to instruct us.

35-Vol. IX.

III. OR THIS.

THE providence of God, by whose appointment death cometh upon us all, has called us together at this time, that we may commit to the grave the cold remains of our departed friend. It becometh us, therefore, seriously to consider what God designs to teach us by this solemn event. For this purpose, let me bring before you some appropriate instructions from that holy word of God, by which it is our duty now to be directed and governed; as it is our destiny, that, by it, we should hereafter be judged.

IV. OR THIS.

CHRISTIAN FRIENDS, as we have assembled together to weep and mourn for ( ) who has gone the way of all the earth, let us hear the words of heavenly wisdom, which admonish us to lay this solemn event to heart, seeing it is appointed unto all men once to die, and after that the judgment.

FORM I.

AN ORDER FOR THE BURIAL OF A PROFESSOR OF RELIGION.

DIDACTIC.

MAN that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay. The voice said, Cry; and I said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the grass. The grass withereth, the flower thereof fadeth. because the Lord bloweth upon it. One generation passeth away, and another generation ariseth; when a few years are come, then shall they also go the way whence they shall not

return.

Man dieth, and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? Our fathers, where are they? the prophets, do they live for ever? There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it. Surely every man is vanity. Surely every man walketh in a vain show. Surely he is disquieted in vain. He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them; for we