The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-10-22
GhtQntelliqenrer:
Tho Cremation Question up Again.

W. buppUscu tuht Auc SANLAHNNA O09A
ness had about run its course. II had q
lievly turn in the newspapers last winter
but when The hot weather came on the sub.
JeCtwas voted out ofseason and dropped by
general consent. With the approach o.
winter, however, the topic shows ltsell
again as cheerful sort Of fire side subject
for discussion. Up In Hancock county
they propose to open the winter campaign
at the Fairview lyceum with renewal ol
the question In the shape Of tho following
resolution:
ReSolUed, That Cremation Is q better
mode ol disposal Of the bodies OF the dead
than the present mode ol burial.
We observe that our friend ]. R
DoNRHoo, Esq, who wrote an interesting
little article for our columns on the sub
J ect last winter, Is one Of the debaters on
the negative side. In case the question is
now fully settled by the scientists OF
Hancock VIC shall depend oD him TO
present US with an outline Of the
argument. The people ought 10 have
something conclusive very soon as TO
whether it Is better to be burned or
buried.
But, seriously speaking on this subject,
II seems strange that one Of the serious
points that have been msde against this
much mooted project ol Cremation is the
fact that it comes in contraventon with
the ideas oil vast numbers OF people on the
subject Of tho Resurrection. There arc
thousands Of persons who are believed to
really labor under the apprehension that
II their bodies were burned instead OF
buried their chances for resurrection at the
last day would be materially lcssened.
Such persons have an idea that as they go
down into the grave so shall they be
raised up, never stopping to inform them
selves upon the facts that attend the de-
composition, absorption, exudation and
evaporation Of all bodies committed to the
earth. They are not aware that the earth,
the air, the water and the gases have dis.
tributed 10 themselves every human be-
ing since tho days Of Adam, and that our
immediate ancestors are now component
parts Of all the vegetation We see around
us. 1t sounds very heathenish and csnni.
balislic 10 say that we are at this day eat
ing our ancestors at every meal, inhaliDg
them at every breath, and constantly
drinking them down with every glass oi
water, but such is the fact. Even their
bones have been resolved and re resolved
into new clements many times, into iron,
stone and wood, and in these shapes have
subserved all the purposes Of the arts and
sciences. Talk of Cremation! Think Of
the volcanic action Of the earth every now
and then. Fire in It's various shapes is the
great chemical re-agent Of Nature. 1t
is the great resolyent that sooner
or later acts upon every particle Of
. matter. Cremation is simply the antici-
patton OF the inevitable fate that waits
upon every species Of animated lie,
Those people therefore who think that
they have any chance OF preserving their
indentity simply because they are not
burned up 10 start with, belong TO that
class Of whom It can be politely said that
1t would take q very large book to hold
all Of which they are ignorant. When we
think OF the fact that twelve hundred
millions OF people are laid under the
ground every SO years, and that this
process has been going on for ages past
and will go on Tor ages to come, We can
have some idea Of the absolute necessity
that Nature should thoroughly re chemi-
calize the world atshort intervals in order
to prevent 1t from becoming a vast chsn-
mel house Of corruption. She therefore
bene6cently dlsintegrates, dissolves, re-
solves and eyaporates everything thai
walks or creeps on the earth at stated
periods.
In saying this much on the subject ol
Cremation We do not wish 10 be under.
stood as making an argument in favor oi
IT, Outside o! the large cities the ques
ton has no practical bearing except ss to
its economy as q means Of disposiDg ol
tho dead. Ono of the important ques.
tlons Of this sge relates to the tyrsnnical
exactions laid upon families in the matter
Of iunerAls. The cry has been raised in
all the newspapers Of the country, how
shall society be delivered from this tyran'
nyt No satisfactory response has beer
made. A portion Of the prest
and many scientific men have de-
cIared In favor Of cremation as the only
satisfactory solution OF the difficulty
And yet tho movement in favor o
1t has really made no perceptiblt
progress even in the large cities. 1t Il
hopelessly repugnant to all the delicat'
and tender sensibilities Of human nature
and we can see no future for 1t, except
beIrom dire necessity as q measure for ul
timately guarding large cities from pesti
lence.
VIZ knew that there would be troubl
between the steubenville NtsrS an,
GaEtts when we saw the election return
from that unfortunate place. steubenvill
Is Republican city, in Its nsrmsl condl
ain.. Int Il hnn I,llnr, inAs Al . a.