Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-05-15
CREM1 TION-PRO AND CON-
From a Religious Point Of View.
tFrom o. d. Frothingham's Sunday Sermon

From, a Religious Point Of View.
tFrom o. B. Frothingham's Sunday sermon.l
What, then, is TO be done? But ono
thing has ever been proposed. The dead
should he burned-the practice Of crema-
tion. 1t is as old a way as any, as wide
spread, as dignified, as noble, as grand, as
beautiful in its assOciatons-a practice OBJ
served from time immemoral with as
much feeling, as much delicate poetic sense,
as much feeling for beauty, as any other.
1t has been pracliccd by some Of The grand
est peoples of the world. 1t has been hp-
proved by some of the wisest minds that
evef lived. Christians may flout it as pa
gan, but among things called pagan have
been the grandest races this planet has
known. 1t does not do TO cast reproach
on such as these. The practice Of crema-
ton, too, had at heart a religious belief II
is found among people who worshiped
the Supreme Being under the symbols OF
light or fire, who saw in the sun the visi-
bio creator, the source of beauty, joy, and
love. Along with this belief came the
practice of burning the dead. 1t is found
in the most remote antiquity, before there
any Iindoos, before the great Aryan race
broke up into groups, and curiously
enough ii came over TO the New World,
and among the aborigines of North Ameri-
ca is known TO have prevailed. To be
burned meant immortality. Fire meant
life and the path of flame led to eternal
bliss. Some Christians object TO crema.
ton that, if you hurn your dead, there is
no germ for the resurrection. In this OBJ
lection there can be no force. AS only
miracle Of omnipotence can raise the dead
from the dust, the same miracle can raise
| it from ashes, and IL there be hidden
! germ, nucleus of the coming form, that
must be imperishable, even by fire.
Here, then, we lake our stand. Crema-
4 ton is safe, wholesome, and economical.
! There is no land 10 be bought nor guarded,
no distant transportation, the condi.
tons Of expense are done away with. The
| process itself is simple, easy and inexpen-
! sive. As much can be lavished as YOU
please, but the poor can afford to burn their
dead. And the cost rescued from the sad
and melancholy part OF the ceremony can
be applied now in what is graceful and
! lOufHluE. nc HStutAlt sue Oi CItlHdllOu
strongly recommends it. We follow the
dead up into the clear blue, not down into
the dark mold. The thought of ascending
fame is more beautiful and gladdening
than the thought Of the lowly grave. The
swirl, bright processes of fire are substi.
tuted for the slow ielluric processes of the
grave, pure white ashes for fostering mold,
graceful urn for shapeless mound. The
interval between the drawing of the last
breath and the last view NAV be spent Just
as ii is spent now. and tEen-ou: of sight,
not out Of mind, but in hopes. We can
have the ashes Of our dead with Us wherey E
er we go, or we may bestow them in a GEM
etery if we p!ease-why not? But If we
will they may be our companion. Is this
a light consideration In 4 country where
the people are continually changing theii
homes, 1t is matter OF serious importance
that the inner life should not be disintegrat-
ed and broken up and scattered as it toe
often now must be. With the ashes of oui
dead we can carry home life with us, and
the crude place TO which we go will be
mellowed and ripened and softened and
glorifed by the vision OF funeral usns in
which sleep The ashes OF those we love
But the question can be answered in bu
one way. Let it appear that the one prac
tice means danger, the other safety, and The
argument is summed up. All other con
sdcrations will fall in eventually. Science
will meet any such objections as may frs
arise, and, little by little, associations vii
gather around the new practice, and mel
will wonder that they could ever have con
formed 10 the old system.
: A change like this is not in a moment
But once the argument is strengthened il
lis main point, time will do the rest. 1t i
no slight matter TO alter the language O
theological prejudices, or 10 change the cur
rent of theological systems But that is lh
task we have undertaken TO do, and it |
the task laid on all rationalisis. Year b,
year we draw the lines closer. 1t is n heav.
task-one needing great delicacy, tact, sym
pathy for old mistakes but it is tas
which must be done firmly. Religion ideu
titles itself with letters and forms. Super
u slilion lives in customs. Alter the custor
d and you destroy the superstition. If thl
l old custom could be modified only, coul
u have measure Of public opinion in its Fl
!, vor, the old faith that has tyrannzed III
u world for nearly 1000 years would receiy
!, blow at lis very heart. If we deal openl
7 in a spirit of love for truth and goodness
Y of respect for slnclities, We shall not onl
destroy the old foundations, but we sha
II lay new and on those new foundation
e shall better rear the structure of moi
e beautiful religion.