The Portland daily press., 1874-04-07
Cremation.

Bulwer, in his fantastic novel, "The Com
ing Race" gives an account of a people Ev-
ing in subterranean country, who have al
tanned an ideal civilization, and an almost
angelic degree of intelligence, through tae
discovery of the laws of that "ouuer-
full force about which we know 50 ii't'e'
which is akin to electricity, and OF winch
electro-bology, animal magnetism "es'hei-
ism and all that class of phenomena are par
tjal manifestations. One OF the lncloents vi
this advanced civilization is the disposition
made of the bodies of deceased members OF
their community. which are reduced to ashes
by the application Of this powerful psyche
electric agency. The handful Of pearly ashes
which form the residuum of each body, is de-
posi- ed in an urn, which occupies an honora-
BILE position in the household. As ifin emu
lation Of their ideal mode of dsposing of dead
bodies, system has been recently perfected
for similar transformation of flesh to ashes
by the operation of intense heat, the process
occupying about an hour and half and re-
sulting in little heap of ashes.
The burning, instead of burial, of the dead
has been the subject of general discussion in
Europe for a considerable time, and in Aus
tria has received official sanction by the es-
tablishment of cremation machines. if we
may call them so,in the cemeteries of Vienna
and Gr4tz, whose municipal governments au-
tnorize burning in all cases where surviving
friends desire it. The leading argument in
favor OF the system is its sanitary superiority,
boipr ,oo, rdad moro consistent with fha
health OF the living to consume the dead at
once than to leave them to gradual decay. 1t
is also urged that in sentimental view, there
should be nothing more ap falling in the idea
of the rapid dissolution Of the bodies of our
friends, than in the present system of giving
them over TO slow disintegration and assmi-
lation with the earth; in short, that 'ashes
to ashes is no worse than 'dust to dust"
In this country the discussion is just begin
ming. Some of the New York papers have
taken sides in favor of the change with great
ardor, and an association has been formed for
the purpose of disseminating information on
the subject and creating public sentiment
in favor of 1.-THE theory being that by con-
slant presentation of the topic the natural
shrinking and horror which it inspires will be
overcome, and that in the progress of our en-
lightenment we shall arrive al such a point as
to generally aLopt the practice.
To whatever result logic shall lead us on
this question, it is very certain that the adop-
ton of cremation will receive very}ittle favor
with the public az large. Philosophers and
scientists may demonstrate that burning ones
relatives is the proper thing to do, and may
offer their own bodies up as test of their
sincerity, as many enthusiasts will undoubt-
eddy do; but to the average citizen, crema-
ton will seem little short of blasphemy. Our
ideas have been so long associated with Moth
er Earth, from which we sprang, as the prop
er repository of our remains, that any other
theory will make but little headway. EN-
-balming, after the manner of the ancient
Egyptians, would be more attractive change
from our present system, but there is some
thing abhorrent and shocking to the tender
sensibitfes aroused by the ueaCn or our
friends, in the notion of burning. Its advo.
Gates may turn It's euge little by cafiins it
cremation, but after all it is burning,-plain
simple, undisguisable burning,-and its gener-
al use is impossible until the preponderance
of intellect over heart and sensbility becomes
much greater than at present among our peo-