Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-02-27
CREMATION

CREMATION.
The patronage which the crematory
established 10y DIR. LE MONS, at Wash
ington, Pa, il attracting, has stimulated
an ambition to have them IN other To-
calilies. The last subject which was ~
duccd To ashes in pr. Tx MoYSE's fur
mace was young lady, whose disposl-
ton Of her remains seems to he regarded
as an act OF personal courage aud hero
ism that others desire to emulate. II ~
now stated that this CrcmatOry has one
hundred "orlurs ahead oi persons still
living.
A number 1T wealthy residents OF
New York city are agitating the building
Of crcmaiury in the vicinity OF Jersey
City. aud are negotiating with the pro
prictor oi burying ground for u site.
Thus DE. IEMoNSE's much ridiculcd
notion seems to be- gaming strength and
responsibility. We have not doubt that
n will ultimately become not only pop
ular, hut supersrde the present eXpen-
siyc. announcement and unsatisfactory
fashion Of burying body a. il done
with a beast. four feet under ground.
Tho cost oi cremation is 80 small ia
comparison with that Of ordinary
burial. that the financial argument Is
SURE. eventually. 10 overcome popular
scruplrs, and all that is needed to give
the method oi Crcmating u start Is to
have the appliances at hand. There
would even now be- speculation IN es-
tablishing them rs private enterprises
in the neighbOrhuod ui large cities. We
venture to say that New York city
would give steady employment to-day,
To u hall dozen or more OF them, II es-
tablished. and where there ~ such an
opening to make money, Spectators
will not be hong in taking advantage ut 1t.
The question is becoming practical
sanitary one whore there are large
musscs of people, and the true way to
meet and settle It IL according to the
merits Ut the case rather than 10y lnhcr-
tied prriudicrs.
There are So many customs at an tx
pcusiyr, supcrsliliuus AMI unsubstantial
character regarding the disposition Of
the dead that II II we'll that some limo
Walton should give rise To a discussion
of the whole matter AMI break downth |
tyranny that To many classes oi people
is very oppressive.
There is no duty that one friend or
relative performs To- another that ~
more burlcusnmc and cNact,ug than to
bury his body in conformity with the
customs ci the times. The elaborate
and silver mounted coffin; the mourn
ing ioilcttcs, the funeral pagrants; the
lot i'm the cemetery; AMI finally the
iincly-wruught stone that marks his
tomb, make blll oi expense that
either dcpriyrs him Of the power Of pay
ing sccully respect 10 the dead OF
taxes his means To an extent that be
comes exceedingly oppressive,
II is neither Christian nor pGilusoph- |
ic to attach any hurlcnsto bereavement |
beyond those rites dictated hy simple
respect, tenderness AMI consolation.
All exccsscs oi this Kind, such Is great
display oi the emblcms oi mourning, or
expensive aud showy accomplishments
OF any character, arr only vulgar ami m.
dicatiye Of a lack ui genuine SORROW aud
u humane tenderness.
There il nothing in the method ct
cremation, it strikes Us, that dctracts in
any degree from the deepest manifesto.
ton OF respect Tor the deal anl there is
everything 10 recommend 1t rs means
Of obyiating aud breaking up the eNpcn
siye customs now prevailing Ia dispos-
INK Of body.
We believe there is more IN the
thought Of having the loved form OF the
deceased suddenly and forever obhtcr-
atcd, tn make cremation Objectionable,
than i'm any other Incident Of the pro-
cess. This is an objection that With
many is conclusive against u, aud Il Is
not without some reason. When the |
feelings OF bervayed person are all sore |
with the anguish ri such an experience,
il seems cruel To strike an additional |
blow, by celebrating the image oi
the departed hut " hen time has some
what assuagcl the grief and returning |
repOse and reason have asserted them
selves, there are few who would not pre-
fer 10 think ut the ashes Oi the lost |
friend as safely in his possession, than
20 think Of the body notifying anl be-
ing eaten up by worms, while even the
dust will soon be mingled with the
earth and all trace Of the remains OBJ
liberated. We are convinced that the 1
majority Of persons, in their calmer mo-
ments, would infinitely prefer the ere
matory. And il, with every crematory
there were vaults in which the dead
could be kept, prior to incarceration, for
a reasonable period OF time, the chief
objection to the process would be- re-
moved, and as the facilities are ptulti-
piled for thus disposing Of the dead, the
present custom Of grave burial would
soon be superseded.