New-York tribune., 1874-04-24
CREMATION.
PROGRESS OF THE MoVEMhni. xrc


rdffor Of The Tr'o""e'
c.. Since nv communication ih me M
oih o" en-, Inst there has been much DISCUSSION
..,,.r,or,v in this city. upon inc suuJe0. VI s q,
s,. croa,er number OF those Win "ho'" , ~ .s,ou
s"e - hurning One friend has maze oo"0"
- ~. ,,n ordering his body to he Durneu' Ano'"V 80.
TO DIS N' ,-ov,oes s7a1 in order to make his body
"' ~ w. - hrrnine I am sure shall De content
S00u -, - ,,,,ea as converts. The sudden manner III
-, ,,,s suheet has been introduced ana 'no 'o"o VI
.,o,,o on the part Of portion OF the press nav ~
,aa many from looking seriously into 'he "a''o''
"a many in fact have been thus driven 10 oppoSo"
80 Who desire TO to what extent the Garner ms
i"o'o their dead would refer to the article
,,,s,od nv Sir Thomas Browne in 1858. Alate London
s,,r a, his works. by Bohn, 1882, is accessible NO
h, the discussion pro and con will now De very "Hrm
An, the thing really TO do is TO begin the praece a onOo
~. asrmt the doubling to Judge for themselves NO
,n account OF the various experiments lately mace DIS
% the best method Of burning the dead VIII galu many
CONVERTS Let it be understood that no attempt VIII pe
- nntu Thoroughly satisfactory appliances have been
nstructoa II will then be that body can DC
odoced 10 ashes In less than hour, without giving
oeeuse to any one. The result will be that the non
volatile elements only will remain, and can DC dspoeeu
Of as best suits the friends The ashes can be buried ~
,,istnO cemeteries or put into and placed in SAFE
depositories above ground. The services OF rensous
hodes and societies will be the same as at present
A text for an argument in favor OF cremation might
Ne ,ound in almost any number OF THE TRIBUNE The
tate sttemp 10 defraud an company could not
nossby have been carried out II the body CD had been
presented for cremation The undue excitement created
nv wife who had her husband brought from the grave
the Moreue could occurred for before burn
cause OF death be determined withcertainty
As after cremation detection Of poison would in many
eases be impossible much greater care would be neces
.rv whenever doubt existed as 10 of death In
,N.Uay many cases OF poisoning would probably be
hrouAt 10 light which would otherwise escape detec-
tim The medeolegal evidence thus obtained would be
f and accurate and render conviction in cases OF pol
onng less rare Modern reform has made our cOnven-
nce and many established customs yield to the laws OF
hygiene but such is the sentiment about the dead that
,is difficult to change the practice OF their disposal.
howeyer inlmcal TO health not be thought that
We would BY this change and the beautiful sentiments
which ALL high and low, so carefully bestow upon the
dead With many the reverence would undoubtedly be
heightened.
In conclusion, permit me 10 offer your readers some
selections from extensive correspondence which this
discussion has brought me. s.
Nee York. AprH 20, 1874.
ADHEEENTs OF THE NEW MOVEMENT.
NEw-YoRK, April 4, 1874.
wife down on your books as supporters of cremation
and II you will take the trouble 10 inform me Of your
next meeting, l should like 10 attend it. -.
letter from New Orleans La, dated April s, 1874,
concludes follows:
- The vaults in our cemeteries here are built
many of themO brick. 10 feet high made like pigeon
holes one over IT, t1e o.eI 10 noa sge e DCgS San at
into We caunOt dig grave here without coming
% water Respectfully, w.F.P.
The following is an extract from letter written by
gentleman Of this city
WEST EIGHTEENTH-sT., April L. 1874.
For the last ten years have been among my
friends endeavorng to mstill into their minds the de-
sirsbiiiy " cremation mode OF disposing of the
j
that any amount of public opinion would be forth
coming i'm It's favor. 1t was therefore, with great salts
faction that read the discussions upon the subject in
the public papers, and might almost say with delight
that found the subject taking practical form. wish
10 join In and assist the movement and l sincerely
trust that should die on land the dust" Of which my
body is composed may he reduced to ats elements by
the purifying process OF cremation. -
THB UIILrrARIAN ARGUMENT UNSUCCESSFUL.
NEW YORK, April 10, 1874.
DEAR SIR: While earnest agitation of the
question cremation must or later result in its
widespread adoption in lieu of the nhumau practice OF
tnhpmaton II IA equally certain that it's successful
initiation may be long deferred by any illcalcuated
however welintenlIOned, disregard or the purely
sSntmental feelings winch govern many in is consd-
sraton Among striking variety Of motives that We
have influencing different persons 10 favor the
ssthetle or sentimental. To the genter, and in this
case the Influential sex. the lutheran argument
makes no suocessiul appeal Indeed its practical
weight however real, Is certainly not in itself sui
RECENTLY urgent 10 induce extensively the attention OF
many energetic thinking men, who feel that vital ques
tons OF obviously greater usefulness Ia their decisions
are now pressing upon us. No more seliOestflCtlVe
,ep can be taken than for advocates OF cremation 10
announce themselves as battling against the senti-
mentality OF society, religious or otherwise. Rather
should this become their most effective ally We deem
erematons lOftest aim TO he the ameoration OF the
sting OF death 10 the surviving by victory over the
literal grave which adds to natural grief so much OF It's
bitterness .
late letter to THE TRIBUNE from lady OF evident
thoughtfuness and talent, after Nvidy depicting the
Cremation offers alike refuge from such
knowledge and a substitute for custom so painful
Here i he
OF the fair form the air after the farer
sr aud the small residue is inurned and sheltered III
sacred place. All that Is left is the purified germ
Of humanity. III these remains there Is some thlng dg
niaed, something noble. We may allow both tender
memories and future aspirations TO cluster ABOUT then
undisturbed They are longer OveTshadOwed by the
lurking perception that dare not call up our dead
before tie mluds eye from the nelds where we lett
them" We have quoted at length, confident that the
writer expresses the sentiments Of thousands Of both
sexes who. from other motives than those indicated
regard the new movement fayoIaby aud long 1Or lts
We have written you 10 request your assurance, as
prime mover. that the new society for cremation VIII
d0rsng the objections which Of the reformers has
advanced, with almost virulent zeal against the nna
Preservation OF the ashes OF the dead These objections
have such scientific value 10 warrant IN any de-
gree the shock gwen 10 natural sensibty Ihose VINO
ase capable OF tender associations with the simplest
inanimae objects would have the prof0undest teeIngs
o regard for the ashes OF their dead. THIS regard hs
sentimental reverence ls nor 70 be overcome 9y any
Idle banter This fact admitted, we trust the leaders OF
Ine cremation movement viii manifest In tler uelDer
tODs aud plans respect for the feelings OF the masses
wa. VIII most rapidly insure the success OF their scleh
Hne efforts. H.
EVIDENCE OF POISON DESTROYED By CREMA-
TION.
10 the Bditor Of The tribune.
SIR: Among the arguments recently brought
forward in favor OF cremation, well against it, one
pest seems yet 10 have been entirely overlooked,
bamely that cremation the possibility Of prov
he NJ in In