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AN ORDER OF SERVICE FOR THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD
ORDER OF BURIAL SERVICE
**(It is important that before an interment the Minister
should receive a certificate of death from the undertaker)
THE PROCESSION
**The Minister, meeting the coffin at the entrance
to the Church or Chapel, and going before it, may use
one or more of the following sentences:
The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom then shall
I fear; the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom
then shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27: 1
I
am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord; he
that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall
he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall
never die.
St. John 11: 25-26
I
heard a great voice out of heaven saying: Behold the
tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with
them, and they shall be His people; and God Himself
shall be with them and be their God. And God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain; for the former things
are passed away.
Revelation 21: 3-4
And there shall be no night there; and they need no
candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God
giveth them light; and they shall reign for ever and
ever. Blessed are they that do His commandments; that
they may have the right to the tree of Life, and may
enter in through the gates into the City.
Revelation 22: 5, 14
I
will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence
cometh my help. My help cometh even from the Lord,
Who hath made heaven and earth. He will not suffer
thy foot to be moved, and He that keepeth will not
sleep. Behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither
slumber nor sleep. The Lord Himself is thy keeper,
the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand; so that
the sun shall not burn me by day; neither the moon
by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil;
yea, it is even He that shall keep thy soul. The Lord
shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from
this time forth for evermore. Amen.
Psalm 121
THE SERVICE IN THE CHURCH
**The words in italics must be used according as each
occasion requires.
**For cremation it is preferred that there be no words
of committal. Tension is relieved by the coffin being
removed in the middle of the Service. It is suggested
that this should take place during the singing of a
hymn or psalm, or, more preferably, while the Lord's
Prayer is being said, when the eyes and mind are taken
off visible things.
**When the mourners are assembled in their place in
the Church the Minister will say:
Dear friends, during this short Service let us remember
that this life is but a training for the Life to come,
and when each has accomplished his work on Earth he
is called to continue that work in a higher sphere.
We are gathered together to ask God's blessing for
our beloved. We give thanks for the knowledge of that
continuing life, where there is neither death, nor
pain, nor crying. As you think how blessed is your
loved one who has gone from pain and weariness into
the Better Land, it will help you to overcome your
natural sorrow to remember the Love of God, and God's
Home is never closed to those who have passed on.
So we ask you to lift up your hearts and, by faith,
to look beyond the shadows of the Earth life, when
you will be able to see a little of the beauty which
awaits you also.
Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, if
a man keep My saying, he shall never see death."
St. John 8: 51
HYMN
**(A favourite hymn of the departed should be used
if possible)
SCRIPTURE READING
St. John 14: 1-7
Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe
also in Me. In My Father's House are many mansions,
if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare
a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither
I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou
goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and
the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father
also; and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen
Him.
**Then may be said or sung:
PSALM XXIII
The Lord is my shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing.
He shall feed me in a green pasture; and lead me forth
beside the waters of comfort.
He shall convert my soul; and bring me forth in the
paths of righteousness, for His Name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and staff comfort me.
Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that
trouble me; Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and
my cup shall be full.
But Thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house
of the Lord for ever. Amen.
Minister:
LET US JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAYER
OUR FATHER, Who art in Heaven, all hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is
in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive
us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us. When in temptation Thy love sustains us,
and deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom,
the Power and the Glory. For ever and for ever. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THE DEPARTED
**(In the case of a little child "A Prayer for
a Child" is in the Supplementary Prayers further
on)
O
GOD, our Father, Who holdeth all good things in Thy
sake keeping, we pray for our brother/sister who has
completed his/her earthly span. Bless him/her and guide
him/her, and help him/her to learn quickly the way
of spiritual progress, so that he/she may indeed be
one of Thy devoted servants. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THE BEREAVED
O
HOLY SPIRIT, Divine Comforter, we know that Thy Presence
is among us in fulfilment of the promise of our Lord
Jesus Christ; and we ask that Thou wilt pour Thy comfort
and strength into the minds and hearts of these Thy
children. Grant that courage may rise within them to
meet this test, and that they may realise that the
separation is but material alone; and in God's good
time all will meet again. May they ever remember that when sleep claims them
they can be with that one so dear in the World of Spirit,
learning from his/her experiences, and knowing that
day by day he/she is able to share their life on Earth.
Amen.
THE ADDRESS
**Here may be given any personal testimonies that are
known of the departed person's life and character.
**It must be left to the Minister to decide that which
will be most helpful and appropriate for each occasion,
but for those who may need it the following address
is given (an alternate address is given further on).
**Turning to the people the Minister will say:
Dear friends, it is my earnest wish to give you a few
words of comfort which may help you during the coming
days, when you will miss your dear one so much. May
I ask you to try to think of the physical body as merely
a garment which has played its part, and now can be
discarded for a body which will be stronger and more
able to work for God and for you.
Remember always that God is your Father, and even an
earthly Father does not deprive his children of those
things which they hold most dear. But you know that
life on Earth is surrounded by circumstances that test
and strain the body, and although much can be done
to bring back vitality, the sickness and diseases of
the Earth take their toll, and the one concerned passes
out of suffering into the joy of another state of being.
Very soon he/she will find himself/herself renewed
in health and mind, and, on looking back over the past,
he/she finds that the experiences of physical life
have provided useful tools for that higher plane of
life into which he/she has entered.
Now is your opportunity to prove the depth of your
love, for real love is unselfish, and always puts first
the happiness and welfare of the one who is loved.
You must take up your life again and, by faith and
prayer, you can prove to yourself and others that the
sorrow which has fallen upon you has strengthened your
character and given you a wider understanding of the
sorrows of others.
Do not think that in speaking in this way I cannot
realise your sorrows, but I would remind you that although
you are human, first of all you were Divine, and through
the Divinity within you, you are capable of rising
to far greater heights than can enter your imagination
now. The way to climb out of the Slough of Despond
is the simple way laid down by Jesus the Christ - the
patient carrying on of your work day by day. When depression
seems to threaten you, hold fast to the Lamp of Hope.
Soon you will find that its flame will become stronger
and brighter, and by this fact others who have been
broken-hearted over the loss of their dear ones, will
respond to your influence and thank God you have passed
their way.
May our Saviour make real to you today His words: "My strength, my grace, is sufficient for thee."
A MOMENT'S SILENCE
**Then the Minister will say:
L
et us be silent for a moment to pay tribute to our
friend. We wish him/her God Speed.
**Here may follow a HYMN, or if preferred, the NUNC
DIMITTIS.
NUNC DIMITTIS
LORD, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace;
according to Thy word.
For mine eyes have seen, Thy salvation,
Which Thou hast prepared, before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the
glory of Thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be, world without end. Amen.
**In the case of a Burial the Blessing will follow
at the end of the Committal (see further on).
THE BLESSING
THE GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of
God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with
us all evermore. Amen.
IN THE CASE OF A BURIAL
**When they come to the grave, and the coffin is being
made ready for immediate lowering into the ground,
the Minister will say:
I
should like to read one passage from the Pilgrim's
Progress on the passing of one who was Valiant for
Truth:
"
When the day that he must go hence was come, many accompanied
him to the river side, into which as he went he said:
Death, where is thy sting? And as he went down deeper,
he said: Grave, where is thy victory? So he passed
over, and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other
side."
THE COMMITTAL
Seeing now that our brother/sister has been set free
from the physical body to enter into a new life with
a spiritual body stronger and better than the flesh,
we commit his/her spirit into God's hands. We give
thanks to God for the gift of his/her earthly life;
for the promise of a sure resurrection, and a happy
reunion in the Life to come. Glorious is the Life of
the Spirit, and glorious is the thought that each stage
of life faithfully lived is a step nearer to that Heavenly
Home promised by God.
**(In the case of a little child see further on in
the Supplementaries)
And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed, behold,
two men stood by them in shining garments; and said
unto them: Why seek ye the living among the dead? He
is not here, but is risen.
St. Luke 24: 4-6
THE BLESSING
Unto God's gracious mercy and protection we commit you;
the Lord bless you, and keep you, the Lord lift up
the light of His countenance upon you, and give you
His peace, now and for evermore. Amen.
SUPPLEMENTARY PRAYERS, ETC
ADDRESS TO PARENTS IN THE CASE OF A CHILD
Beloved, this little child has gone to live in the glories
of the Spirit World, but the Father has provided an
ever-open door through which your child can come to
you and be in the home. God is a God of Love, and your
little one is safe in the care of Angel friends. Do
not let your grief dim the happiness of your child's
new life, but rather enfold him/her in the thoughts
of your unselfish love; and believe that by the grace
of God his/her love is with you still.
A PRAYER FOR A CHILD
GENTLE JESUS, the Friend of little children, take into
Thy loving arms our little one. We relinquish this
flower of God's Creation, knowing that in Thy tenderness
Thou wilt give Thine Angels charge over him/her, so
that he/she may learn the way of life, and even hold
fast his/her links with those who love him/her here
on Earth. Amen.
A PRAYER FOR THE PARENTS
O
SAVIOUR CHRIST, Who, in the midst of Thy great suffering,
didst remember the anguish of Thy mother, give to these
sorrowing parents that peace which the world cannot
give; and grant that, as the days go on, still greater
confidence may be released within; so that they may
continue their earthly way knowing that all is well
with their child. Amen.
COMMITTAL FOR A CHILD
And Jesus said: Except ye become as little children,
ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
St. Matt. 18: 3
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
St. Matt. 5: 8
Know ye not, that in Heaven their Angels do always behold
the face of My Father, which is in Heaven.
St. Matt 18: 10
O
LOVING FATHER, into Thy hands we commit the soul of
this little child; and as we lay the earthly garment
into the keeping of Mother Earth we know that the life
which was within it has been transferred to another
sphere, one full of love and beauty and all those things
so dear to the heart of a child. Grant that the parents
may leave this quiet spot certain that their child
lives on in happier conditions, and that the ties between
them never will be severed. Amen.
A FORM OF SERVICE WHICH MAY BE USED IN THE HOME BEFORE
LEAVING FOR THE CHURCH
**Calling together those who are assembled in the home,
the Minister will say:
OUR FATHER, Who art in Heaven, all hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is
in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive
us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us. When in temptation Thy love sustains us,
and deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom,
the Power and the Glory. For ever and for ever. Amen.
St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, writes:
"All things are for your sakes, that the abundant
grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound
to the Glory of God. For our light affliction, which
is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory. We look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen;
for the things which are seen are temporal, but the
things which are not seen are eternal. For we know
that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens."
II Cor. 4:15
Dear friends, in your day of need and your natural sorrow
at loosing the physical presence of the one you love,
I ask you to try to lift up your hearts and to look
to the light and beauty and freedom into which that
one has passed. In the familiar surroundings of the
home his/her presence will be with you still. Try then
to realise the happy state of your loved one, who,
released from physical limitation, will now have a
greater capacity to love you. Directly, he/she will
want you to share his/her happiness. Realise that your
thoughts and feelings can help or hinder him/her in
his/her spiritual progress. Now, as never before, prove
the reality and unselfishness of your love, and in
time you will find the courage to rejoice in the happiness
that he/she has won. (Therefore, fortify your faith by the thought that
each night while the body is bound in sleep, you can
join your loved one in the World of Spirit.)
The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep
your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of
God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And the
blessing of God Almighty, the Father, The Son, and
the Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you always.
Amen.
AN ALTERNATIVE ADDRESS IN CHURCH
Our Lord said to His disciples: "Peace I leave
with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid."
St. John 14: 27
The peace which Christ offers to men is the knowledge
that nothing can separate us from the unfailing love
of God. To His own disciples He said: "I will
not leave you comfortless, I will come to you."
But they could not grasp His sayings, for their vision
was not yet open.
They could not understand how it could be "expedient"
for them that He should go away, and they said one
to another: "What is this that He saith unto us?
- 'A little while and ye shall not see Me, and again,
a little while and ye shall see Me.' "
The words spoken by our Saviour are plain to us who
know the truth of the Life of the Spirit; but at that
time the disciples had no such knowledge, and with
their limited view how could they understand? It seemed
to them that His death shut the door on all their hopes,
and all that which they had looked for. They were of
all men the most miserable. And as they walked along
the road to Emmaus they talked to the stranger Who
met them by the way, saying: "But we trusted that
it had been He which should have redeemed Israel!"
But in that very instant their lives were transformed,
as Jesus said to them: "Peace be unto you."
Death had not changed Him. It was His physical body
only that was changed, and that to a more glorious
form, and in the miracle of that revelation was the
Key to the future - their continued work and fellowship
together. In His arisen and spiritual Presence Jesus
was the same loving personality as before, and as their
Lord and Master He would be for ever with them, to
guide and strengthen and sustain them to their journey's
end.
So with our loved ones who pass from us, shall we not
think of them in this same way, as being risen with
Christ? They are not lost! They have but entered into
another life of activity and progress; and God in His
loving mercy, has provided the way by which they can
return to us, and bring their love to help us, and
walk with us until our pilgrimage on Earth is done.
ON THE TRANSITION OF AN ADULT
**Extract from an Address: "THE GAP BETWEEN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT" given by the celestial-messenger Zodiac, on
Sunday, May 21st, 1950, at Penzance, through the mediumship
of Miss Winifred Moyes..
"I
want you to consider where you stand. However much
you may shrink from the thought of the transition,
come it must, and you cannot say when the call will
come to you…the pains of the body are no more,
the weakness of old age is forgotten, the adversities
of physical life are seen in their true light as stepping
stones of experience to truth and understanding.
"Yes, and that can be the lot of each and every
one gathered here today, and all those who will read
my words in this land and in many others. And your
part is clear, beloved, to give your support to those
who believe that physical death is like passing out
of a dark room into one which has something of sunshine.
That is all that physical death represents for the
man or the woman who has tried to do their duty, who
has been kind and sympathetic, and who has not scorned
the labour of physical life. There is no need to sorrow
for them. I know that those who are left behind miss
the physical presence, but soon their loved ones will
be back in the home. The only reason why you cannot
see and hear them, as the so-called mediums are able
to do, is because of the materialism and lack of faith
built up by those on the physical plane, who have no
time for religion for they are occupied with other
things, with pandering to the body and snatching at
the pleasures of physical life.
"So you see what lies before you? You can regard
your passing out of this dim plane as the happiest
day of your life, and it was meant by God to represent
a happiness no earthly words can describe for it is
of the Spirit. So as you take your daily way and you
see those who are going down the hill of physical life,
remember my words. You have it within your province
to comfort them, to reassure them, to take fear out
of their heart and replace it by something of a joy
which shall grow and grow." ZODIAC
ON THE TRANSITION OF A CHILD
Extract from an Address:
"GROWTH AND AGE IN THE SPIRIT WORLD" given by the Christ-messenger Zodiac on Sunday, August
12th, 1945, at Bromley, Kent, through the mediumship
of Miss Winifred Moyes.
"Then I take you to the other end of the scale, to a
little child. You have noticed a look of wisdom shining
forth from the baby face and you have become awed;
you say to yourself: 'It was as though an experienced
soul was looking at me through my child's face!' And
sometimes these little ones are wanted for work in
the next world. They are so sweet and loving that they
can act as ministering angels to the bonded; and those
who find their arms empty are indeed blessed if they
do not become embittered because their child is used
to bring joy to others, to those who stand in far greater
need of that joy than the parents concerned.
"It is a wonderful thought that God, being our
Father, has placed so much within our own province.
It is not He Who ordains suffering and sorrow. His
Law is health, happiness, vitality, beauty and a melody
that streams from the Divine within. But man has over-ruled
God's Law and for a span he must have his own way until,
having learned his lessons by the only way man can
learn - by suffering - he tries that better way that
leads to peace."
ZODIAC
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