New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-07-03
Constant Change.

Both mineral and vegetable matter are
constantly changing. It circulates from
the soil through tie plant into the ami
NAL, and thence back to the soil again.
The mineral is what we call the earth.
inorganic, incomb ustiblei part of the
plant and animal. When theplant burns
the organic part disappears, but the
mineral part remains, and we call it ash
The wood-ash is q familiar example. II
any part of the animal is buried the ash
also remains In the native Wild erness
the naturnl circulation of universal mat.
ter is short and simple. The leaves and
bark of the trees.are annually she'd, and
the tress themselves die, to restore their
matter to the soil. Next 1t quits the soil
and enters into the plant as it grows.
Hence single process completes the
round. The same is true III the natural
meadow. Yearling the young berbage
grows up and feeds on the waste Of the
past year. In the autumn it ripens and
returnes It's mineral matter to the soil.
It cultivated regions vegetation is al
most entirely consumed by animals and
men. It enters the stomach, is digested
and converted into blood. From this
blood the mineral matter necessary for
building up the body and supplying the
waste, is tatken up by the vessels provid-
ed for the purpose. This process is con.
stantly going on, in the groweth and re-
newal of the body, while the animal lives.
But finally the whole body dies at once,
and all these mineral substances return
directly to the earth, whence they came.
Here they are broken up and decomp osed
IN preparation for new chemical combina-.
tons to feed the new plant and for the;
service of the living animal. All that
live are constantly dying. And without
death there could be no life. Thus
through waste and death, all the mineral
matter which served the body returns to
the soil. New plants work .ps again the
old material, and the dying and living. 90
on in endless evolution. The living must
pay the sdebt of nature or nature could
not reproduce the living. IA sss4
So rapid and sure are these changes in
matter, that NO man can claim as per
sonal property a single atom even of his
own body. How idle to cherish affection
or reverence for dead ashes, since we can
not prevent them from passing into new.
forms Of vegetable or animal life, IN
which we have no concern. The sub i
stance of human bodies are constantly
changing. Thousands perish IN the sea
and are swallowed up, digested, and soon
built into the forms, OF marine animals.
Thousands die and decay in waste places
and now vegetable forms spring up and
feed on their remains. Armies scatter
upon the battlefield their dead, which
restore to. the soil material enough to
build up other armies fer many succeed
ing generations. s@ +, ...ss
Nor do cemeteries hold thier dead anv
more securely. The village sheep fatten
upon the green herbage which grow s
on the tufted tombs. And the cherished
shade trees and shrubs have appropriated
the sacred dust which once composed the
bodies of those we loved, The tombs
and pyramids built to preserve the forms
emperors and queens, can hold the occu-
pant but for season. Embalm the
bodies Of friends in resinous cerements,
as the old Egyptians did, and you would
preserve them little longer, but they
would finally be scattered to the winds
of heaven. Conceal these bodies where
local history keeps no record, and yet
they are not safe from tile destroyer,
Dissolution which awaits all material
things will finally reach them also.
Remarkable Sell. Cremation.
t., Il 80