The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1878-03-02


lid of the retort, and the draught being
thus arrested, and the garment referred
to being of wooden meterial, there was
at this point just perceptible smell of
burnt material, in no way serious or
offensive. This would have been avoid
ed had the garment been of muslin.
Another item must in this connection
refer to. The reporter, who never saw
it, said the casket was lined with white
satin; it was white muslin. Or the
economical argument, especially when
we have, as in the near future we GER
tainly shall have, crematories within
convenient reach of our cities, every
thing seems to favor change of prac-
tice."
Mr.. Pitman held that the expense of
modern funerals, the erection of monu-
ments to the ignoble rich, and the send
ing of the worthy poor to the Potter's
Field were moral worngs. He then
spoke of the political argument, say
ing that the principle of our Govern
ment was equality without castles in So
ciety, and the act of cremation carried
out this principle in treating the rich
and the poor alike. The religious ar
gument, that burial was Christian and
cremation heather custom, he said he
attached no importance to it. But the
early Christians did not practice burial.
The body of Jesus was laid in cave
cut in a rock, and the early Christians
were placed in catacombs. Those who
commenced digging holes for their dead
were the innovators.
He then proceeded to the sentimental
argument against cremation, which, he
said, was the only one of weight with
most people; but in this country we are
not sealed to the ruts and grooves of
custom and prejudice, as is the case
with the more formalized countries of
Europe. 1t will, think, be seen as in
telligent, impartial thought is directed
to this matter, that our present funeral
customs are unnecessarily dolorous,
melancholy, expensive, not rnfrequently
hypocritical, and not far, from an :es-
thetic, not to say Christian, standpoint,
exceedingly stupid. The after consid-
erations are too revolving to calmly
think about. When the mind, with NOR
bid curiosity, follows the dead I" to grubs
and eyeless skulls" although the last
sight of the loved ones revealed
A beauteous ensign, with tint on cheek and
lip,
we follow, with Juliet, to the tomb
where
| All her buried ancestors are packed;
Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth,
Lies fostering in his shroud,
and we can not escape the horrid dream
of our loved ones
Chained nightly in charnel- house,
O'ercovered quite with dead mems rafting
With reeky shanks and yellow chaplen skulls /;
and he thought that those who are most
dear are, in the dismal watches of the
night, left solitary in gloomy vaults or
sitting graves, the victims and COM
panions of all that is loathsome, and this
has, believe, done more to make death
terrible than all the pains and sufferings
that too oft precede it. And equally
terrible to think-and hundreds of cases
occur in every city yearly-that the
loved ones are selected and resurrected
to afford exercise for the Students dis
secting knife, afterward to become an
interesting skeleton for the surgeons
cabinet. Weigh all this, 1 pray you,
impartially, as against what know to
be practice in most perfect accord
with good taste, good feeling, decency
and economy.
The little building near Washington,
Pa, which Dr. LeMoyne erected for his
own use, when his time shall come, is a
brick structure that might pass for a
village school-house, save that it has
two doors and no windows in front. Its
outside measure is 20 by 80 feet, and
consists of reception and furnace
room. have to use words that do not
sound sentimental, but as to the actual
process of cremation, it is one that sur
pri>ed me by its intense simplicity, and
beautiful and purifying associations,
and should add, by its entire freedom
from any thing that could possibly shock
the most sensitive soul alive. There is
no burning nor suggestion of it. Ex-
ercise your imagination, not on the
wasting of joint of meat, before TIE
fire, but on the sunlight glow of re-
tort heated to 1900 degrees. You look
into it; there is no fire, it is a fervent,
glowing sunset brought near to you.
You see no walls to the retort, no top,
no bottom; it is an unlimited, glowing
receptacle, and after the body has baked
in this glow for an hour you see it not.
1t has assembled to the clouds and min
gled with its kindred elements in perfect
purity and rest. Can you realize 1900
degrees of heat? The body's tissues do
not burn, they are seemingly absorbed,
and what vapors and odors arise are
carried down by fues through the
glowing furnace, and before they escape
into the air are entirely colorless and
odorless. Some smoke is observed for
the first few minutes issuing from the
chimney, but it is very trifling, and due
mainly to the clothing and to the lower
ed atmosphere consequent on opening
the retort to receive the body.
had not seen my dear one since she
breathed her last, and did not intend to
l preferred to retain the image of the
active, gentle, genial soul in its life and
vigor. Accidentally, however, when the
daughters of DIR. LIE Moyne were placing
the saturated alum cloth over the body,
used to conceal it during the process of
combustion, I caught mOmentary
glimpse of the loved features, which sent
thrill of surprise and delight through
me. 1t was but a glance, and I pur-
posely avoided a second, that l might
not by any possibility realize less beau
tiful vision. As she was instantly after
carried by gentle hands to the work of
the retort I could not but recall that
placid and beautiful countenance, with
roseate tint on cheeks and lips, due to
the embalmer's art, as if it had long
ing expression to welcome that glowing