The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-04
LYRIC HALL.


Cremation Healthy, Wealthy ana Wise,
and Burial Othsrwise-A Sermon by
MIR. Frothingham.
There was very large congregation at Lyric
Hall yesterday morning to hear Rev. o. B. Frotn-
ingham expound his Views upon the subject that
Is now absorbing 30 largo share OF pubic atren.
ton and c0mment-"Cremation.u or, as he puts 1t.
''The disposal or our body" The subject OF crema-
ton, he began, was one exciting great interest at
the present time. 1t engaged the attention OF
scientists ana OF almost all men OF cultivation.
Since the prominence given to It al the Vienna
Exposition IL has taken mold OF with an interest
singularly swift and deep. 1t has been commented
upon universally, and not by those who wish
something merely new, but by the scientist, the
socialist and the man OF faith and hope. It was
worth remarktng that this reform Is urged on &C
count OF Its benefit to the living. II age Is re-
markab for one thing more than another II Is for
Its investigation OF everything that tends
to the Improvement Of the condition OF
humanity. The usages OF Chrlstend0m In
INrERRlNG TIE DEAD
were familiar to them They were derived from
the ancient Hebrews In the Old Testament inter-
ment Is spoken OF as the only method OF dis
posing OF the dead. There were lew exceptions
that they merely prove the rule. Among the Jews
there was q horror OF not being decently buried.
AuC i8WB WcT0 very btIlukcut auu Tue CuSkOm Iu-
violate. Their method OF interment was very much
like ours. The graves were sacred places They
we're made ~ It were o garden 50 deep is the
foundation Of the modern custom. IL was reg-
ious CUSTOM for with tnis custom was the belief
that the soul hung around che body and would not
be parted IRON IL. The grave was dwelling place.
little world THIS Is stated III SO many words
by the most eminent writers OF the times. Alter
quoting from various old writer's in proof OF this
statement. he said that the uead were prayed 10
New Wo ID Il would be impossible 70 say Tne word
that meant soul was the same as the word that
me ant BODY with the addition OF that wtain tie
body. 1t was this Delei that made the p~op.e SO
TIE RITES OF BURIAL
Nothing must be omitted; Tor, Ii 1t were, the
soul would not be at rest. Among them, too.
those remote Ab0rigines, was the IDEA that there
was q bone winch wound be the nucleus OF new
DIGEST part OF the Old Testament. jacob, wnen
told 0! the death OF Joseph. said II will 20 down TO
my son. Isaiah said oi their enemies that their
bodies should not be resurrected, the Phar,sees,
VINO among the jews represented the idea OF res
mater O. course. st. Paul believed that the ma
terlal body would terminate INTO Il sp ritual one,
Arouna TINS old custom are some OF our sweets't
associations; 1t seems to preserve the dead. They
are company-a community OF brotherhood
People cling to the graves vi tner dead friends
almost as closely as 10 their living friends How
swee,y those old people spoke OF the dead rae
iathers." What y sense OF security Ia In tnis:-
Life's f;ful fever over. he sleeps in peace.
This is q mistake. There Is nowhere SO much ac
tivity as III the MAN
Nature does not allow the form OF the departed
to waste. me aDcients did not know this; they
did arch into causes as we do. 1t Is revealed
10 US that tue city 0I the dead Is not inactive.
Science 0nerS to uS startling revelations Death
may need a deeper grave tnan we have suspected.
Possibly those WHO nave passed away in peace 90
not continue IN peace. Those whose ne was
nj hal hpn Il
We are told that tneir place VI rest Is u perfect
laboratory Tins Is n.t fancy, but demons, rated
come home 10 some minds VITA such force that
they must
Referring In this connection to the acrlOn taken
by the people OF London to prevent lurLner
injury 10 public health. ne SAID tnat iu ms opin-
ion, these evils were not exterminated BAT
simply uanishei to the country. la tns coun-
try the result Is the same as In TIE city.
Tue air 10 Ia ected, the waser poisoned aud the
eartn corrupted. New YORK Is now spreading
Itself our descendants Will have 10 remove us as
the Londoners mad TO remove their grandatners.
Besides does not the injection take che wings OF
the wina and anect villages miles away Most OF
those who make a study oil air and SOIL trace most
diseases to the enects oil impure water. fne
amount Vi earth put on the dead Is not enough TO
The usual system OF burial Involves the expense OF
ground, transportation and health. There Is but
one way to get out Of this.
CREMATION.
Ii ia as old ana as grand as anS other method. It
has been p &C lSeu by some OI the best peoples OF
the earth sanctioned by some vi tue MODEST
MINDS. We must remember tnat some vi the
pagan nations nave been the best that the earCn
ever BORE We are studying aud initiating tner
literature t0-~ay. The burning Oh Their dead Dy
the greeks took ITS source from the same idea as
tue burylng cI their dead ny the ueorews-im-
mortality. Tie Greeks mad their sacred fire. II
the fire was exJinxuisned at the wrOng time there
WAS i death III the lAniiy. Now with tins behef
came tine pracLlce OF burning Of the dead. ms
practice Is also known to have prevllled among
the aoorigInes OF Nortn America. 1hey burned
TIER great men anu cnlels. Burning meant i'm
mortality. CHRISTIANS object TO cremation because,
Is gern Immortality. Ii ls a. easy u recreats
no more destroy 1T tnan earth can. The process
o. cremation recommends isseli w the same ar4u
mentS that snow that
INiERMESTs SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED
1t Is healtuv aud cheap There ~ no need vi land
and expensive funeral c0fteges. Tue money
could DC speut IN nOwers and remembrances. In
the process o. cremation We .Oll0w the dead up TO
the blue vault vi heaven aud not down TO tne dirk
some earth. We SUBSTITUTE pure asnes Tor ieSter-
lug mold. All tue rituals on the dead can be pre-
served tue same as now ana every display VI p0mp
and luxury ue continued. Under TINS process we
have our dead with us. In conclusion he said that
cremation cOnduced TO the ieaitn OF he llvlnx,
and after ali this was the most important question.
Inc burial OF the pead was superstition depenh-
ing merely ON custom. Wncn tne practice was dis
continued the superstition would die.
THE BROADWAY TABERNACLE