Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-02-16
About Cremation.

The successful cremation yesterday of Mrs.
Pittman. the wife of the we'll known phOnOg-
rapher, once more attracts attention to the
merits and dement's of this mode of dspOSing
of the dead. The process has been in practice
almost entirely pagan. Greece. Rome, the
ancient BTitOnS, and even to this day. some OF
the nations of Eastern Asia, have employed
it, But il has never come into general use in
any Christian nation. And this circumstance,
together with the fact that a large majority of
its supporters to-day are modern paganS. is,
We believe, the main cause of the idea that
religion in some way diScOuntenanceS the
practice. Ii Is hard to see where il is i'm con.
fiict with any essential principle of Chrstiani-
ty. Ii can have no effect on the belief in
any of the various theories concerning reSur
TectiOD. since il merely substitutes an immedi-
ate for gradual reduction of the body to its
elements. There is also feeling that the
SacredneSS which hallOwS the dead and holy
associations of memory connected with the de
parted will De Tudely dispelled by this Subsi-
tute for burial. This Will always be the strong
est objection to the introduction of crema-
ton, since. it may be conceded, that
a strange and unusual observance of any
event has tendency to weaken the force of
customary emotions by calling into play an
interested curiosity or some kindred feeling.
But this obstacle applies only TO the introduce
tiOn of the practice, and would have no force
should cremation ever come into general use.
Ii is extremely doubtful whether the objection
TO cremation on sentimental grounds is rea-
SOnable. We consign the remains of q loved
one to the cold, damp ground, perhaps to the
horrors of premature burial, To become in
little while lOathsOme and repulsive, poisoning
the ground, and, in crowded districts endan-
gering life: or it may he that we hand them
over Ia the tender mercieS of the disSecting
knife. If desirable, cemeteries and tOmbS,
places set apart especially for the dead, with
all their sOftening Influences, may be pre-
served under the new practice: funerals, with
whatever rites are thought appropriate, need
not be abolished; the question of the dispo-
Sition of the ashes of the deceased is entirely
distinct from that as to whetherit is expedient
to hasten the decomposition which nature will
otherwise effect, and by this means make the
dead harmless to the living, and remove
many OF the horrors connected with our
thoughts of the tomb. Any expense thought
desirable or appropriate NAV still be incurred:
Il pageant can conduct the ashes to their last
resting place; memorials of affection can as
well be erected over the ashes of the dead as
over Wondering cOrSe while. at the same
time, death in an extremely poor family will
not, as at present. tend to reduce the Survi-
yorS to the same condition by making serious
ravages in their scanty means of support.
Some persons moreover would derive comfort
from the thought that the remains of a loved
one need not be hidden away in the ground.
as repulsiye, away from the habitatiOn of liv-
ing man. but may he retained near at hand as
a constant reminder of the virtues and exam
pie of the departed, and of the fate which
comes to all men. But bereaved persons are
not generally in a condition of mind to at
tempt what is new and unaccustOmed how
ever desirable proposed change may have
appeared. when the reason and not the emo
tiOns had predOminance. Consequently it
will be very many years before any other me
thOd of dispOsing of the dead than the one
now prevalent comes into general use