The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-04-21
The burning of the Dead.


1Es.-PRAcTIcAL VIEW OF THE GRAVE.
About fifty scientists met last night in
the lecture room in Association Hall to
consider the fubject of "CrematioD."
Colonel Henry Stone having been called
to the chair said that DR.. Welde, T.. A.
Caswel, DR.. Sexton, and Mr.. Poor, q
committee appointed at previous infor.
NAL meeting for the purpose had prepared
some resolutions. Mr.. Henry Bergh
said All the people of the earth hold
that the dead have luckily escaped from
an abode of bricks and mortar to a bless.
ed abode from which they would not be
called By this the conclusion is closely
established that cremation and inhuma-
ton do not effect the status of the soul,
which is in reality all that is worth pre-.
serving; neither is the Christians belief
in the resurrection of the body in its
natural form assailed by cremation, for
its fate is to become dust and ashes. Let
science do its best. 1t seemed to him
that the only obstacle in the way Of
speedily reducing the body 10 that con-
dition which it must sooner or later reach
is scutimcnt-perhaps a better word is
prejudice. 1t is not that cremation is OF
Pagan origin. the purposes being only to
preserve the body from insult from enc.
mics, nor that omuipotencc would expert
ence greater difficulty in restoring its
particles on the Last Day by whatever
process they had been scattered but
simply because OF an idea which the usa
ges Of time have consccratcd Moreover,
the voluntary destination - H." h"iy
seems to such disrcspcctlul 10 it and to
its living associations. and mutilation OF
its physical beauties which memory de-
sres to cherish For my own part, said
Mr.. Bergh, cannot discover anything
beautiful or attractive in a dead body
Yet have heard persons declare that
some dead friend looked perfectly lovely
that they had even kissed the cold and
clammy lips; but | prefer to believe that
it required a strong effort, and that had
The admirer Of defunct lovclincss been re.
quested to sit up alone all night with the
beautiful corpse, a sense Of horror would
have dispelled the illusion, No, memory
delights in the physical and moral beau
ties of the departed, and a sight of the
beloved features narrowed by suffering
and stained by corruption serves only t(
rob remembrance Of the richest treasures
Let the painful sight be hidden from hui
man view as quickly as may be ; for il
and the living have nothing in common
nor do costly Baskets, flowers, monuments
and funeral pomp tell of aught else thar
human vanity.
The sanitary aspects, too, OF this ques
ton are of dread import The numcrou.
and extensive cities of the dead within
the cities of the living may well engage
the undivided attention of metropolitan
authority, BY the present mode of in
humation the once beautiful tcnomen
which enshrined the spirit We were won
to love and revere is made pcstilentia
scourge, poisoning with its fatal gases thu
air we breath and the water we drink.
Then the pagan theory of preserving
the body from insul; is worthy Of consid
GRAFTON as our restless or ever varying
American life denies even to the silen
dead a permanent resting place. Ii
Tuesdays San an article under the heat
"Crowding out the Dead, testifes to thi
uncertainty. 1t is strong argumen
against sentimental inhumation. Will
cremation such dissertation is impossible
My opinion is that cremation does no
conflict with our religion, for the languae,
Of the burial services is Dust to dust an,
ashes to ashes Secondly. Inflammation
satisfies 10 reasonable instinct Of our ma
ture. 1t is only a prejudice like hundred
Of others that either exist or have beer
cleared away by tho bright light Of reason
Aud lastly, cremation speedily effect
that which the tardy process Of decompo
sition accompishes with danger and IN
finite cost to the living. The final resul
in both cases is annihilation.
Professor G. w. S Arnold, NJ. d., 0
the New York University, read an ar'ic
from the London Lancet describing
process Of cremation by means of hot al
blast, which is cheap and speedy.
a resolution was passed by which tn
gentlemen assembled formed themscve
into an association for the purpose of pro
noting and securing its practical appli
cation. A resolution binding the mem
bers Of the society to provide for tn
disposal of their bodies by cremation wa
warmly discussed.-Mr. Caswell though
that many would be scared away from tn
society by the necessity Of pledging them
selves for cremation. Wives would oh
ject, and other objections would artist
But Mr.. Ellis b. Schnabel said that tn
society would have no strength shoul,
the members refuse to follow out thei
avowed opinions. Their belief should b
acted on beginning must be mad
somewhere and the custom would nevc
be introduced unless members Of the sc
ciety led the yan.-Then the speakc
showed how matter is ever changing i
form and never dies. The ashes of tn
dead should not be entombed. 1t is vic
lating law Of nature and robbing ma
Of the iructilying elements in the body
J The asnes should be scattered over tn
soil to return to man again in fruits an
al! kinds Of food. The resolution We
tabled.
J On motion Of DR.. +. NJ. Weld, Mcssr
f. c. Bowman and II. s. Ocutt wei
appointed Committee Oh Law to tax
steps for obtaining charter from tn
Legislature establishing institutions fc
} cremation.-N Y. Sun.
From the Vermont Farmer.
The GOyernOrship.
In your issue of April Sd appears q
: article signed West Side Voter" flo
Addison County, interlarded with crit