The custom is growing of having fewer flowers, and it is no longer in good taste to have a carriage in the procession carrying flowers and set pieces.  A good use of the large set pieces is to send them afterward to the hospitals.

       If any flowers are laid upon the grave
       they should be those given by the nearest
       relatives.

  Invitations.  A church funeral can be attended
       by any one, friend or acquaintance, and no
       slight should be felt at the non-receipt of an
       invitation.  Those attending should take
       especial pains to be in the church before the
       funeral procession arrives, and that they do
       nothing to distract from the solemnity of the
       occasion.

Notice of death and date of funeral may be printed on heavy bordered cards, or on mourning paper, and sent to friends.  Sometimes a notice is written and sent to most intimate friends.

  Men—­dress.  A man should wear either a black
       frock coat or a black cutaway, with the
       necktie, gloves, and other parts of the dress as
       subdued as possible.  Under no conditions
       should light ties or light-colored linen be
       worn.

  Pall-bearers.  See pall-bearers.

  Precedence.  At a church funeral the parents,
       arm in arm, follow the body of their child,
       and the children come next in the order of
       their age.

       A widow, leaning on the arm of her eldest
       son, follows the body of her husband, and
       the other children come after.

       A widower, attended by his eldest daughter
       or son, follows the body of his wife, and the
       children come after.

The elder children always precede the younger.  The pall-bearers are seated at the left of the main isle, and the near relatives at the right.

  Public notice.  When the date of the funeral
       has been determined upon, notice should be
       published in the papers, giving date, place,
       and time of funeral—­also date of birth and
       late place of residence of deceased.  Such
       announcement may contain notice that
       the interment is private, and also the words: 
       “Kindly omit flowers.”

A notice of death and date of funeral may be printed on heavy bordered cards or mourning paper, and sent to friends.  Sometimes a notice is written and sent to most intimate friends.

  Church.  The pall-bearers and the nearest relatives
       meet at the house.  At the appointed
       hour the procession leaves the house, the
       casket borne on the shoulders of the undertaker’s
       assistants, followed by the pall-bearers,
       relatives, and friends.