The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-07

grave yards, and It's further prevention oi
poisonous exudations to streams oil wa
ter. These are all important cOnsidefa'
tiouS and entitled to their due weight.
There is also the additional considera-
tion that vast amounts Of ground devoted
10 grave yards and cemeteries would be
saved and perhaps reclaimed.
Whsn this much has been said the ar.
guments in favor Of cremation are prac.
tically exhausted. As for the fut one,
economy, 1t isnot yet apparent that there
is much in 1t. The chief expenses Of
ordinary funerals nowadays are hacks,
cofins, burial lots and monuments. Al
least two Of these expenses would remain
even should cremation become general
practice, those Of hacks and cofins, and
We presume the expense Of an urn would,
in part at least, take the place Of head
stones and monuments. The rich would
soon make these urns very costly luxu.
ries, and the poor would not feel at lib.
erty to economic any more than they do
now In the general appointments Of q
funeral. @ r -F ?
Then, too, what about the urns? What
Ia 10 become OF them? Are they to be
handed down as heir looms in families?
Will they be found among the old lumber
OF the cellar and garret at the end OF the
second and third generationr When
families are broken up and scattered, or
become extinct, whose duty will 1t be to
take csre OF the urns. Will there be
town museum in every community-a
sort OF local GoIgotha-where these urns
can be KEEP. on deposit for 50 much per
year2 And in case Of failure to pay the
yearly tolls will the dust Of Jones,
and johnson and Thompson, be sold out,
like accumulations in IN express com.
pany's office, to pay charges.
The expense Of the present style Of dis
posing OF the dead could be cut down fifty
per cent il the rich people OF the land
would only set the example Of economy.
In the Catholic Church very Wholesome
rules have been adopted on this subject,
but the Protestant churches have no pol
icy in regard to funerals. Every member
is law unto himself, and consequently
the expense Of funerals is only messur.
ed by the ability or tastes OF the afflicted
friends Of the deceased. A change towards
greater economy and simplicity has long
been demanded by public opinion, but Such
il the force OF an imperious custom that
people have not the courage TO depart
from i,'for fear Of incurring the criticisms
of friends and acquaintances. Upon no
other subject are sensible men and wo.
men more sensitive than this one Of sup.
posed proper respect for the dead. Hence
every species Of extravaganza has grown
up around burial ceremonies, and the
public submit to bs black mailed by all
kinds Of high priced bills because Of the
very delicacy Of the services rendered.
1t Is incumbent on those who argue in
favor Of cremation to show that there
will be change for the better in this
matter OF economy. Cremation may be
made costly or economical, and so may
funerals. But would cremation be Ger.
,ainly made economical? This is the ques-
ton that can not be answered in advance.
Everything considered, there Is not
enough in cremation up to this time to
commend It to the public as substitute
for the prevailing method Of fdisposing Of
the dead. The advantages claimed for
II have got to be made much more appar-
ent than they are now before there will be
any disposition to iavorit. There Is too
much to overcome in the way OF senti-
ment before > change can take place.
The burning Of a human body is rspul.
siye 10 itself to most people, and besides
is looked upon as a relic Of paganism
that Is unworthy OF revival among
Christian nations.