The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-28
Cremation vs.. ILLUMINATION.

Eoitors OF the Register:
In the year 1872 Henry Laurens, an
eminent patriot and statesman, was Gre
mated on his plantation in South Caro-
lima.
In the year 1922 Shelly, "the poet of
the clouds" was cremsted by his friends
Lord Byron, Leigh Hunt and Mr.. Tre-
lswny.
In 1870 the body of an East Indian
Prince in Florence was burned by his at
tendants.
In 1874 Sir Henry Thompson sdvo.
Gated cremation so ably that the subject
attracted attention everywhere.
The Communal Council of Vienna
then resolved to provide means for those
who wished cremation in the cemetery,
and the Council OF GratZ city of 100,-
600 population, passed the same resolu-
ton.
In New York city an informal meet.
ing was held in its favor, where letters
were read from Croly, rockingham,
Dana, Ollcot and Bcrgh.
In 1876 Alberts Keller was burned in
a temple built for that purpose by his
own orders in Milan.
In 1875 the body of Lady Dixie and
that of the wife of celebrated German
physician were cremsted by their own
request, and In Germany the iron power
OF bigoted law was invoked to crush
out its practice by the people.
sc. II. NJ !" writing from Washington,
Pa, varies in his conclusions. In con-
cluslon No. l, the cremation boat will
strand because it cannot overthrow
Christianity: conclusion No. 2, the sem
timent that opposes 1t will strangle it;
conclusion No. 3, after being stranded
and strangled and generation past,
public sentiment may force its revival;
conclusion No. 4, public sentiment will
crush it by law; conclusion No. D, and the
last turn of this strange wheel OF thought
on conclusions, with the incneration Of
Dr. lie Moyne "the foolishness will end"
We argue for cremation on three
grounds rs sanitary, economical and
most agreeable to true sentiment.
When the spirit has fled its earth
clay casket what remains but liteless
animal matter, whose destiny Is deStruc-
ton. How shall we destroy 1t? Let
US sketch both processes. Illumination
-incased in the coffin the form we
loved in lite is lowered into the earth
and covered up in mud and water.
De composition ensues and loathsome
worms devour the body, die and rot.
mingling their dust with its dust.
Noxtious gases are liberated to poison
water that Ii tiers into wells and drinking
fountains, developing and increasing
that dread destroyer consumption, OF
which England is SO forcible an Illus.
tration, with its wet cemeteries OF rotten
and rotting snlmal matter. The remains
of this strange compound OF human and
worm dust imparts its strength to the
SOL, which in due time imparts It to the
prain We eat There are cases of per-
sons in trance being inhumed alive,
and this is a horror that hsunts many
mind, aud those we bury are always
liable to the desecrating hands OF the
resurrectionist. Cremation-we lncln-
derate the lifeless animal matter, we avoid
vast expense; We cheat the loathsome
worm; we kill the septic gases; we pre-
vent inhuming alive; we destroy the
repulsive calling OF the resurrectionist.
We would ask 'G. II. NJ" to which he
would consign the body of his friend
or loved one as the most fitting receptacle
consoant with refined feelings, the loath-
some grave worms NAV or the crema-
tlonal urn?
Can we not more appropriately re-
we're the memory of the dead over the
urn OF ashes thar over the grass grown
mound, the most of loathsome grave
worms revels Cremation by inclndera-
tion. The cremation of to.day-is not
the cremation of Pagan Ages.
The cremation of to-day is called ~
PROCLAMATION of the human form yet the
gentleman will stomach the worm or
rather allow the worm TO stomach nun,
and there is no proclamation.
Away with such white washed senti-
mentality that self righteously looks
down on cremational rites as the revived
funeral pyres of Paganism, while its own
disposition of the body after death Is one
80 loathsome that human Ingenuity can
not conceive of any thing more disgust
lng,-to take that form we loved in llie
and at death feed it to worms. Sublime
venerationl Matchless reverence! glori-
ous civilization While fire, crucia test
OF gold, symbol test of highest, purest
worth, is proclamation, OF peerless consis-
tency.
Bevond mock scntimentality and igno-
rant prejudice the question is burn or rot
-ashesor worm food-cased in an urn or
fed to worms. Take your choice.
S. 7. w.
D..s,,bs,. 25th 1876