Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-04-10
Cremation.


ing some attention. In the New York
Tribune, ladies, clergyman and doctors
have passed in their communications
favoring cremation, and last week pub
lie meeting was held to promote this OBJ
iect. OF course the idea of burning the
dead is received as revolving by most
people, but as the subject has come up,
It may be of some interest to know on
what grounds cremation is advocated.
At the meeting above alluded to,
long letter from Henry Bergh was read,
concluding as follows: You have in
vited the expression ofmy opinion, which
is hereby summarized Cremation does
not conflict with our religion, for the Ian
guage of the burial service is, Dust to
dust. ashes to ashes. Illumination salts.
fies no reasonable instinct of our nature;
it is only prejudice, like hundreds Of
Others which still exist, or which have
been cleared away by the bright light
OF reason. Cremation spee lily effects
that which the tardy pr cess of decom-
position accomplishe with danger and
infinite cost to tn living, the final result
being in both cases annihilation. 1t
might be Aed whether | would consent
to per onal application of the ancient
custom. | unhesitatingly answer yes, for
infinitely prefer that my ashes should
be made of some immediate and practi-
cal utility, even though they be used as
the great bard has 1t, 20 stop a crack TO
keep the wind away, rather than that
my body should be subjected to the huff
etings and iostings incidental to the
other system, and which are as sure to
eusue as 'May-day movings.
Mr.. Ellis r. Schuabel, after some re-
marks on the necessity of educating the
public mind on the subject, said "l
was wisely observed that other nations
had adopted the principle of burning
the bodies of their dead, and it would bt
we'll if it were adopted by us. Suppos
ing a generation ceases in twenty years
according to the estimate of the Londor
Times recently, 1,300,00O,000 or l,40O,
100000 of people die every year. 1t il
not a mere question of dollars and cents
of funeral expenses, the real loss is il
the wastage of what is essential for fu
ture generations. There is nothing il
nature that is really lost; it resurrects it
self. Treat this matter seriously, ant
you will make people lose their mora
sentimentalism connected with the dead
} He is ignorant of the vast economy II
yolved. A man when he is dead is n
more than any other animal. When b
is in the living state be has no other ele
ments than four--fire, air, earth an
, water that is all there is of him, an
when dead he is nothing more than an
other dead animal. Consider the was
age of 400, 100000 of people every veal
2 You take away the fructifying elemer
6 essential TO the earth. Look at tt
8 mode of cultivating the soil in Virgins
Y There are countries ON the James Riv'
;. that year in and year out are cultivate
4 without giving fructifying elements bac
b. to the soil, until absolutely destroye
/ and thrown into commons. If Englan
had adopted that system she would no
: be starving on barren soil, but instes
of that she gives back more than al
>. other people.
a The thing most essential for the grow
>, of vegetables is carbonic acid. 1t is
:. grand mistake to urn your ashes. l.
: them be scattered over the fields. Il
n baby born weighs two pounds, this boz
;0 weighs $50 pounds VIII ere did | get
"A By eating wheat and fruits and met
Il IF bury my body beyond fructificatio
4 am a thief You can appeal to the fl
!, fat fellows, the gourmands. Tell the
!, if | die, my gases are given to the cart
:. my ashes are scattered over the ear
and nourish the seeds and plants. L
- OK eats the plants and men eat the
! and those very elements come back a
10 live again. Physical existence must
pleasing to such persons.
You have no right to rob the futu
of This is matter of legislation. ]
for healthier the condition of toe people,
~ more progressive and and active tt
at are, and every state has right to P
, it tect the public health. If you be
m. this rightly, you can remove the morf
ing mawkish idea of taking care of rot
the carcass The error arises from false e
,ay cation. Conscience is as blind as
the other faculty in tue mind, until rigt
old educated. The great battle you hav
it, fight will be against the great relig
are. sentimental society. You may as
begin to-day this great economical r.
luton but allow no man to be a m
be- Der of your society and teach the doctr
last to others, and say, "you must bury
wed in Greenwood" / move an amendn
onr that tho clanse leaving cremation on