The corpse, at
length, arrives at the meeting-house[2]. It is suffered to remain there
in the sight of the spectators. The congregation then sit in silence, as
at a meeting for worship. If any one feels himself induced to speak, he
delivers himself accordingly; if not, no other rite is used at this
time. In process of time the coffin is taken out of the meeting-house,
and carried to the grave. Many of the acquaintances of the deceased,
both Quakers and others, follow it. It is at length placed by the side
of the grave. A solemn, silent pause, immediately takes place. It is
then interred. Another shorter pause then generally follows. These
pauses are made, that the "spectators may be more deeply touched with a
sense of their approaching exit, and their future state." If a minister
or other person, during these pauses, have any observation or
exhortation to make, which is frequently the case, he makes it. If no
person should feel himself impressed to speak, the assembled persons
depart. The act of seeing the body deposited in the grave, is the last
public act of respect which the Quakers show to their deceased
relations. This is the whole process of a Quaker-funeral.
[Footnote 2: It is sometimes buried without being carried there.]
SECT. II.
_Quakers use no vaults in their burying-grounds--Relations sometimes
buried near each other, but oftener otherwise--They use no tomb-stones
or monumental inscriptions--Reasons for this disuse--But they sometimes
record accounts of the lives, deaths, and dying sayings, of their
Ministers.
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