New-York tribune., 1874-04-25
TIE CREMATION SOCIETY.

MEETING OF THE sOCIETY-BASls OF AsoOtiAii'N
REMAINS BY DIR. BARNARD, PROF. sEELEf'
AND DIR. FRoTHNGHAM.
The members of the Cremation Society
met in the lectureroom OF the Young Mems Christian
Association evening, Henry Stone In the chair ana
Edward A. Caswen acting Secretary. There were
perhaps so present, including one lady. Among tnc
gentlemen were Col James Dwight James W. Arhoiu'
Dr. S. Sexton, President Barnard OF Coiumnla CoHeee'
the Rev. 0. b. FrothnCham, and Prof seeley Inc
first business after the usual reading OF the minutes
was the reading OF report Of the Committee on Or
ganization of which Mr.. Caswell Is Chairman ihey
reported the following the basis of organization
Frsi. The Incorporation Of stock company ths n0 ~
Company binds Itself perform the is 81 u C
dere before dca sne o. opposition Hom UoAs e
s Money paid fr shares shall considered Contributors
and pr0G be used for the interest o. 'no
RSrn Cremation shall he furnished near cost as possible
Fteh shall be taken 70 prevent ne co
Of sSy person bis death by other than natural
h The province this Society extends TO cremation only and all
the whether ufns or vaults sha be ie eAuIeV 10 ne
The Society will coHb,ive position and
vii only apply Tie process Of cremation 10 persons VINO 0 e "
This report was laid on the table for the present, and
the Committee was continued.
Mr.. Pullman, Chairman of the Law Committee, re-
ported that the Committee had addressed themselves TO
the consideration OF two propostons-Frst, whether
there was anything in the principle OF cremation likely
second what legislation necessary. They had dis
covered nothing either in the common law or statute
law in any way fepIgnant to the proceedings con-
temnated by this Society. The question OF the dspos
ton OF the dead seemed 70 have been nowhere made
subject OF legal enactment II was thought BEST how
ever that an incorporated society be formed because
the incorporation would give IL certain defined rights
and @ better opportunity to accomplish results The
Committee had drafted the act Of Incorporation and u
had already been introduced at Albany. The Com
mittee had received letter from Mr.. Wagstdf at
Albany promising to do all he could TO procure the
passage OF the bill.
The report Of the Law Committee was adopted, and
thanks were rendered TO Mr.. Wagstaf Tie Committee
on Public Meetings, DR.. Sexton, Chairman, reported
progress. They had had the promise of some eminent
speakers in the city, and meeting would probably be
| called next month in some large public hall.
Mr. Caswel then read few letters that had been re-
ceived and the Chairman called upon Dr. Barnard of
Columbia College The Doctor said that ne was not pre-
the Of others but he spoke few words expressing
his approval of the purposes OF the society cannot
sneak he said Of the SANITARY aspects OF the question:
nor the economical nor the practical only know where
stand and that is all can tell you There IS no dOuDt
that the movement, which seems 10 be simultaneously
begun in many countries is going 10 be successful
in the end 1t meets the appreciation OF the
enlightened judgment OF large number aId especially
Of educated lcasses. There is no objection 70 II
on principle religious moral far as can discover
There many things TO be said IN favor OF H. put aer
all will encounter the resistance which comes from the
natural sentiments OF the human heart When any one
dear 10 MS has been taken away we all Know perfectly
wen that no art can prevent the visible form from
gradually disappearing the constituent elements rom
resolving themselves, passing IrOh tne orGdhc tO thS
inorganic form. This inevitable but all OF us reco
from the idea Of contributing TO accelerate that change
and there Is the secret OF the whole dlncuty No one
wishes TO aid the powers OF nature 70 do ther work
| Now, We must adopt some method TO- meet this
| natural requirement OF the human heart In the an
cent processes cremation was performed IN the presence
Of surviving friends but 1t will be long before We can
induce people Of CHRISTIAN lands TO be present-paruc
Pators we may say, in the process OF destroying tue
person were put receiving vault and destroyed bv
the process Of cremation unknown TO the friends It
that should thus void doing violence to
he natural preudees OF ipeGpe, ana We may may recon
CERTAIN cS e08 time TO the boGy Would be decomposed
anyway aud by separating the process OF cremation
equal to the period that decomposition requires The
trendess dead from the aHshouses are now disposed
OF in such wholesale aud unpleasant way tnat ~ seems
with them would be particularly praecdOe ana
even Aad YET %SG nIt PSs pSe de o
| gnominy To the thought Of cremation.
Prof Seeley, the next speaker SAID he had certain
sanitary question, and the one point that he appre-
this process the OF health While there certainly
were TO the usual method OF burial The city was In
creasng fast, and he Thought calculation OF the
humber of deaths occurring every year and the rate OF
increase lead to admission OF the praccaoity
| not come up in practical form before, especially in
| such cities as New-Oreans. Many had been wiling to
| bones exhibition. He for one was willing
| that hIs body should be burned.
-
the audience, aud Mr. CasweN invited him 10 few
words. Dr. Frothin CHAM said have been very much
surprised at the favor. this movement has met with
among sentimental people not among scientific people
OF physicians because il looks TO them much
healthfuI a community than nhumatloD. But senti-
mental people, who nave the ieeolest arguments are
always the stoutest in maintaining them. Laughter
The result Will be likely 10 be tha the most vehement
opposition will come, not from those at the bottom Of
society who caunOt help themselves much, or those at
the top, but from those the middle, who will inter
| pose religious and sentimental objections Ii
| Is perfectly idle to argue against a preJd,
| dice sentiment, and on sentimental
grounds the arguments pro and con about equally
strong this Society put forward three or four
points with good deal OF force rs j presume from
what nave heard here tonight, De done, it will
succeed. For instance, you prove that cremation
Is better FOR the ground, the air aud pocket than iuhu
nation, and you will carry large mass OF thoughtful,
sensible, practical people with you 1t seems 10
that scientific OF the question important
| one aud hoping TO hear DR.. Wagner and Prof
Chandler who would bring forward facts upon that very
matter. There is u tnls question the point whether
cemetery III proximity a city heathu and there
the point whether cremation can be prdctccd without
outragng the feelings as well as without sucn sn out
| rageOus expense a. attends the ordinary funeral
Col j. +. Dwight thought that science would before
long suggest much better hod than cremation,
| a method by which the body could be reduced much
more expeditousy, although he urged the benefits OF
cremation the mean time. He dslked, however the
idea furnace for burning the dead; II repul
siVe 70 him. He thought that sentiment would be the
great principle IN this matter aud he hoped the cIe
matoyum the idea expressed by 1t, would be sur.
| rounded by poetic and aesthetic atmosphere which
%9nd appeal favoraby " the sentiment OF the oommu
Remarks were also made by Messrs. Crofton, and
| Others.