The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-05-10
Paganism Towards the Dead.


When the N. Y. World newspaper, some
months ago, took up the advocacy of burn
ing the bodies of the dead, we suspected a
Bohemian trick, worthy of that most IN
principled of New York dailies. Some half
century ago there was a Lord Spencer, in
England, leader eff fashion, and with a
cynical contempt for that fuctuating thing
called "public opinion" One day, being
with some of his companions, he made a
bet that, by wearing his jacket, or waist
fashionable life, would follow, and make
asses of themselves by doing likewise. He
won his bet, and the "spencer," for time,
became the thing in fashionable society-a
vest, or waistcoat, worn outside of the
coat We thought it was some such foolery
the Horld-ready to serve, or sell, any
cause-was engaged ia. But we find there
was more than a joke in it. This PROPOSE
ton of burning the bodies of the deceased,
is the settled work of some organization
of which the poor Bohemian" World is
but paid tool. It is q conspiracy against
the salutary custom of Christian Burial A
Pastoral of His Eminence, the Cardinal
Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Guibert,
dated March Both, on the dissertation of
cemetery customs, awakes our attention.
Then, too, Messrs. Benziger Bros, of this
city, announce in our advertising columns
the publication of an English translation of
a work we regret we have not seen. 1t is
from thaS PatEefiZtbS aamhef oi hodeFh
Paganism, Mgr. Gaume; entitled, in
French, "Le Cinetiere au XIX. Steele"
The very title of it opens up to us new
horizons. We understand how he will deal
with it. The word Cemetery" of Chris
tian origin-from Greek word, signfying
that it is place where they " Sleep" who
are to rise again-is supplanted by the idea
money enough, or friends supply ia
vulgar, pompous monument must lift it's
head, to tell what the dead has been! 1t
excites small devotion for praying for the
dead, or meditating on the end of life.
The Cardinal Archbishop of Paris excites
against some pagan project of the Broglie
ministry to do away with tho Cemeteries,
near Paris, and have one common Potters
Field twenty miles and more out of Paris,
to which "the dead " are to be carried, in
Discriminatory, by a Railroad train, to
place where they are to be covered up, and
forgotten by the living!
The Catholic conscience, rightly, objects
to this. His Eminence, the Archbishop of
Paris, on behalf of the Faithful in Paris,
objects to it.
But, as presented to US, the question is
different: 1t begins by an incremation "
or &c body burning" corporation, asking a
special charter of the Legislature. Before
we know, the wretched body of simpetons,
or worse, called the "Board of Health :"
will be bought up, and decree that, for
sanitary reasons, all those who die in New
York must be sent to their laboratory, to
be burned up!
The movers of " body burniag" are in
creasing in numbers. They are nstigated
by didbolieal spirit, of which they are not
aware. 1t is conspiracy against Christian
Guridls,
A true Christian cemetery is, in itself, q
preacher. Disagreements in life are COM
nppI iPrJ A,N@ Il, $40
supposed to have their mortal bodies laid
side by side, awaiting the glorious Resur-
rection.o of the Body.
The cemetery, after the Christian fashion,
is great preacher of the equality of men
before God "They lie in the grave to-
gether, and the worms feed on their bodies
alike" and-except the Saints, the mem
DRY of the M is forgotten.
The Catholic Cemetery, however,
breaches more consoling lessons. 1t teaches
the dignity of the body Of a Christian. 1t is
temple of the Holy Ghost. 1t shares in
the glory, in it yet to be revealed after the
purgation of the soul, of the Resurrection
of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 1t is not alto
gether dead and gone.
And. IT 1T is of one that has well per-
formed the duties of life, it is a saiutary
Instruction to visit the grave where the
loved one sleeps. True Christian sentiment
is not pleased with a gaudy monument,
r ~ b AN"'J VI cuPPO5Cu ouI
the grave is marked. -Thither those loving
the deceased can go and find it. Ard the
visiting of the humby marked grave is
good for the living, whether the dead need
it or not.
These are some of the Christian ideas,
written by so many that it would be idle
for US to say that this one or that one
of past times wrote it. 1t is the christian
tradition.
Adam, our first father, knew the do ctrine
of the Resurrection of the Body. The
burial Of the body was so universal tradi-
ton among men, that the CLAW of Moses "
without mentioning it, took it for granted.
1t was only in those vilest, and most dis
soIute of Pagan ages, the times of the
Greeks aud the Romans-that SoRpe-not
all, consented to the horrible practice of
barring the deGd-to get rid of the primeval
tradition of the resurrection of the body.
1t is worthy of this day, when all vestiges
of Christian teaching are disappearing from
sects called Protestants, to bring forward
the notion of the most depraved nations,
at their worst times, and propose a plan
or daad H.