New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-04
BURNING THE DEAD.
MEETING OF DISCIPLES OF CREMATION.

ADDRESS BY PROF. BRUNETTE
A meeting OF those favOring the practice OF
cremation held last evening in the lectureroom OF
the Young Mems Christian Association. Some fifty
sixty persons were present among them Henry Bergh,
Dr. q. Lorillard, DR.. Samuel Sexton, Prof. j. W. s.
Arnold DR.. F. NJ. Weld r. d. Francis, +. C. Bowman.
James Dwight, o. A. Cough. editor of The South, Ellis
b. schnabel. Col Henry Stone, and Edward A. Caswell
The meeting held for the purpose Of efecting per-
manent organization, and called to order by Dr.
Weld and Col Stone chosen chairman, and f. A. Caswell
secretary After the usual routine business number OF
letters read.
The Rev o. b. rockingham wrote as follows: "The sub
ject il which have gwen little attention To that
il would be but impertineuce my part to make
speech write letter about 1t. have certainly no
prejudice against the practice. am inclined rather to
favor it. The usual religious sentimental bearing
toward it has weight whatever with me- simply lack
regard to such matters to the process aud
its economy"
c. \. Dana AS far as have been able to ex-
ann the subject my judgment Is in favor Of prop
oston 1t is certainly credtable to civilization that
any part the earths surface should be devoted TO
grayeyards and that the remains Of the dead should be
disposed OF In the unscienfc cumbersome, and repul-
sive at present"
letter from H. s. Ocott also read, and in part as
follows: 81 am not firm believer IN the immortality
of the soul with patience the Inconsistency OF
those behave the dead bodies Of their friends
a. ~ the immortal part were being laid away in the
ground The more l might love my dead the less Will
ing should leave tho fair form that had once held
an immortal spirit to turn into putrd carrion under
ground and breed a myriad Of loahsome creatures out
ofits own rotenness This attempt to substitute the
scennc poeucal and rational system OF cremation la
my earnest sympathy. L pray Heaven that before OF
any OF my beloved die 1t be possible to commit our
bodies to pure flame, that IN one short hour VIII
purge them Of drOss. gold Is refined In the furnace
seven times heated"
long letter from Henry Bergh read concluding
"a follows " You have invited the expression Of my
opinion. which Is hereby summarzed Cremation does
mot conflict with our religion for the language Of the
burial service is. Dust to DUST ashes to ashes In
bumation satisfies reasonable instinct Of nature
IL is only prejudice. like hundreds OF others which still
exist. or which have been cleared away by the
bright light OF reason. Cremation speedily effects
that which the tardy process OF decomposition
accompshes with danger and Infinite cost to the living
the final result beng in both cases annihlation. LII
might asked whether would consent to personal
appcaton of the ancient custom unhesitatingly an
swer yes for infinitely prefer that my ashes should DO
made Of some immediate and practical utility. even
,hourh they used the great bard has It, TO stopa
crack TO keep the wind away rather than that my Dody
should be subjected to the buetings aud ostngs inci
dental to other system, and which are as sure 10 EN-
sue as May-day moyngs."
Dr. J. W. &. Arnold of the University of New-York
Medical Record from The London Lancet:
Prof Brunette (Rerier Scientiqie Nov 23) gives the
details the apparatus THAI would be required io Tue
nrocess OF incrematOn. After having mace seVeh eA
pper,ments on the human subject IN which tue DOdes
were burned Ia the retorts OF gas M % me art
satisfied himself that the complete and perfect perlor
of the process would be 5a Gnue there
D !. required an oblopg furnace of bre-proott
bricks, having 10 holes below, psOuat sahS TIE
upper part OF this should DO followed 10 reGelss Inc
coffin and over this domed cover Is 10 De paCea by
which The flames, in areyer6atory furnace, may o1
directed upon the body Within the coffin Is "A metal
sum wire The operation embraces three periods
the heating of the body, the spontaneous
%sr ana ad the eacnaon Of the bones During
the first period, and about half an hour ater e Po "
good in the furnace has been lighted the combustion VI
wooI body commence Il gives of a large quantity OF
gas and the management OF the reVerotory par "a
the Wa ARRANGED two hours suffice produce
plete carbonzaon During the third period tne ar
anon fresh plate aud the heat Is now urged 10 the Ut
most fresh supply OF wood Is ihserteu. Dy mnds ~
h gement at the expense OF about 100 pouhus W
nod complete incrematon-thsti Is TO say lncremati4n
Of the SOFT parts and caunatoh OF rne %s Cooled the
cinders and bones collected and deposited III
funeral uiu' ,,, .,,o.,oh,a and
| resolutions a.,
oe,ps Of the bodies Of dead far preferable to that
OF inhumaon from sanitary as well as e''ne'io anu e'o
4
| wh,r,as We believe that very many persons woulu
favor cremation II IL were properly presen'eu W '0
| and rendered practicable; therefore, be IL
R,,olred That we form ourselves into an ASSOCIATION
o., the purpoee OF promoting cremation ana securing i's
practical application.
p,solred That the members OF the Society agree 10
nerform this for OF the members VINO may aesae
10 have their disposed OF In this netnou oui
hat this ceremony shall be entirely optohs WIN an
nsmbers and that any person may JON the society ana
aid Its progress without beng bound 10 accept coa
| ton for himself;
| Mr. Ellis b. schnabel, after some remarks on the
of educating the public mind on the subject
lid: II WAS wisely observed that other nations had
adouted the principle of burning the bodies OF ther
600 and II would he well IL it were adopted ny u.s.
supuosing generation ceases in twenty years. accord
| inc TO the estimate OF The London Hnxa recently
400 100000 of people die every year IL
| :. not a mere question OF dollars ana cents
| Of funeral expenses. the real loss is In the
was,age OF what essential Tor future generations
There nothing nature that Is really ios'; rcsur
rse, Itself. Treat this matter seriously, anu you WIZ
mann lie osa their pxQrbid teptlWSnt Aa cph""o'"