The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1876-03-28 00:00:00

THE DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD.

•P"I

CHRISTIAN COLPORTAGA AssocIATION FOR ENGLAND.—
The second annual lueetiiiii of this association was held
on Tuesday evening at Richmond Tense, Whitehall,
Lord Shaftesbury occupied the chair, and aiwingst those
present were the Ron. Arthur Kinniard, M. I'., Sir Thomas
(.3hamhers,Q. C., M.P., Alderman W. McArthur, XP.,
&c., itc. The report for the past year was read by the
secretary. It stated that the aim of the association waste
counteract the evil influence of prenicious literature,
which, chiefly through low.clasi chew serials, is so wide.
ly circulated in the present day, and is doing so much to
lead young people into vice and crime. Its mode of
working is to send out rolporters —book-hawking evangelists
—who go from henget° house itelling the Scriptures, books,
and periodicals, of a pure Christen character, thus forming
an agency for bringing them; Cu the homes of the people,ana
seeking thereby to displace the vicious literature by a
wide dissemination of the good. There are now twenty-
eight colporters employed by the society in various parts
of England, and during the past year there were sold by
this agency 5.712 copies of the Scnpture. 751,U01.1 books, and
I 45,000 periodicals, of which Inure than nine-tenths had
been sold to people of the labouring climes (to domestic
servants, at fairs and markets, and in public-houaes). Ttse
society, which is of a religious but entirely unsectarien
character. is endeavouring greatly to extend the work,
but is much hindered from want of capital, and the
committee are now making special elforta to raise LI,OOO
to be devoted to this purpose. Lord Shaftesbury expressed
his strong appreciation the work the society was
doing, and said lie knew of no agency more worthy of
Christian support Sir Thomas Chambers, the lice. Dr.
MacEwtua, and others also addressed the meeting. The
°Mae of the society is at 14 Ilanover Street, Long Awe,
W.C.

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The public is much to he conitratulated that Dr. Fai7 is
not only • man of immense capabilities for work end fee
the scientific handling of masses of accumulated facia, bet
hut that be is also an eloquent writer of pure Engl.&
Indeed, we know of no one who is capable of putting dry
subjects before the public in so attractive a form as D.
William Fan.. Appended to his recently-issued Report
an artical OD the Disposal of the Dead, in which he reviews
the various opinions on the subject which have been pit
forward by Sir Henry Thomson, Mr. Seymour Halve, sad
Mr. Holland. Dr Farr deals first with the historical side
of the question, and shows that, even if we were to ad..
the practice of ci emation, we should only be rotor:Ms.,
a custom which Ta itus states to have been commis
among the German nations. On the question of *comae
Dr. Farr admit* that cremation would entail a saving si
land and time, but be pointa out that the great expense of
burial as at present carried out is not so much due to the
inherent necessities of the practice am to the barbarous end
mtentatious customs with which we have surrounded it
The mere placing • body in the earth cannot, Of mew
need not, be an expensive process in itself, but the arson,
panisuents of polished oak, crape plumes, horses,
mutes, funeral baked meats, and star Pointed iseremids-
have made it so. Cremation, too is capable of being teads
quite as burdensome. Li the pockets the surrivers ; sed
Dr. Farr remind' us that the Romans showed gestexti•
vagance in their funeral rites, and that Nero vislues
the funeral of Popmea as much incense as Arabia co*
produce in • year. The great advantage of cremation owe
inhumation lies in the fact that by the former process ea
diseased germs must he utterly and irrevocably destroyed,
and that for those dying of cholera, plague, small pm, as
other infectious diamees it is certainly the best mode of
disposal. There is no need, however, for anything like
compulsion in thie matter, and creunatios and inhumation
may well be allowed to go on side by side. " Habiti" he
says, " change slowly, and if trials be made experience
will decide. Neither of the systems, when once ie isee,
will excite in common mind more repugnance than nature,
desiring her creatures to love life, has thrown over ths
contemplation of dissolution, Some will prefer a house of
rest in the earth others • home is the sky. It is easily
conceivable that a woman of refined mind might choose
cremation, to escape what she dread% of worms, would,
eremaimusis, puetrefaction, or any kiwi of proteauke.
The day will probably soon come when thee eter.i
munLipalities and sanitary authorities may, after
due inquiry, and on equitable terms, relieve the cemeteries
and yards of their office, awl lay down such wise remle-
tions as may secure the decorous, sale inhumation or
cremation of the seven hundred thousand bodies that fall
victim% to death annually in the United Kinzion"—ras
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