Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-07-09
Cremation.

~. ~, = Cremation. j., -
; A bill; introduced in the legislature OF
.cne of the middle States to prevent Gre
nation, is bringing forward all the pros
and cons in the matter the benefits and
objections. The education and lifelong
preiudiccs of almost the entire world is
against this manner of disposing of the
dead. We have been taught to lay our
loved ones reverently beneath the sod;
to plant flowers and raise marble monu-
ments over them to keep the graves
sacred, often visited and never neglect
ed. r.
romany the rites Of sepulchre are dear,
and Goods Acre." the most lovely SPOT
of earth, and it cannot be denied that
there is a mournful satisfaction in visit
inr the last resting places, and by the
care of graves keep those who have gone
on before In loving remembrance. It is
but natural we should feel thus. Death,
the tearing loose from heart strings those
who are the dearest objects of life, is al,
ways terrible, and the lessons taught are
kept wildly alive by the returning to
mother earth the dust robbed of the es
sence of immortality.
True, among many Of the ancient ma
tons, burning the bodies of the dead was
practiced; but as civilization and chris
tianity made progress, it was abolished;
has lain dormant for centuries, save in
rare cases, and the sudden revival awakes
a thrill of horror and bitter and stren-
nous protest. Sutteeism has never made,
never could make any advance in this
country; has been steadily frowned upon
and held opposed ana revolving to the
finer instincts of our nature and inclina-
ton. as worse than heathenish as in
direct defiance of the fiat of the Almighty.
This upon the one side. Upon the
other, strong arguments are advanced in
it's favor, though it must be admitted
generally upon purely scientific and san
itary grounds, and mostly freed from
feeling. Perhaps not entirely SO, for the
advocates Of incineration contend, and
with considerable show of reason, that
inurned dust can be as truly mourned as
any other, and that publication and re-
duction by fire is less Objectionable than
delositing in the earth and giving to the
WE m and decay. There is force, too, in
tho theory that the world is becoming a
vast grave-yard-that collins are crowd.
Ing one another; the ashes of former
generations dug up to make room for the
present and as the centuries roll on this
will be still more the case.
To remedy this, us we'll as to save the
enormous expense of fashionable funer-
ais, and to prevent the possibility of con-
tagion and noxious gases infiltrating
the earth and poisoning the springs, are
the strong arguments Of the advocates of
cremation. OF the truth Of what they
advance, numerous instances are adj
duced, and scientific research is making
bold front against the practice of bury
ing in the earth. And it cannot be de-
MED that there is much of reason upon
this side Of the question, and setting
aside the strong bindings and prejudice
of education, it will be very difficult to
successfully dispute what is advanced.
The sole other point that arises, is the
legal right to do as we please with our
dead, so long as it does not initiate
against the living, or too much shock the
sensibilities of the public. There are
legal as we'll as moral rights upon both
sides. All do not, never can agree ex-
actly upon the subject of the disposition
of the body when left tenantless by the
spirit, any more than they can or will do,
the future of the soul.
To say, then, that there should be legal
one, is going very far. Cremation is GER
ttainly safe for the living, and if it is the
belief Of any, why should they not be
permitted to carry. it out uncontrolled
with? No one claims it as a sole right.
rest beneath the daisies, and rear above
<na,, {oh
none to say nay, and it strikes us the
who wish to cherish even more efectual-
form.
In justice to the growing sentiment of
cremation, we can seq no valid grounds
against it, save only TO place proper re-
strictions, as in all other public affairs.
We believe the same freedom should be
allowed as in matters Of religion, and no
question can arise as to the sanatory
principle involved, and it would be al
most fanatical to argue that it was of
any detriment to the body after death !;
that line Of demarkation for good Or
cay.
11S u uQstCtCA VI ldoCC CslC11 Ollc uluSt u0.
eide for himself We conessto strong
leaning to the good old fashion of our
forefathers, and no pleasant looking for
ward to being tossed into a thrice-heated
furnace, and reduced to the merest atom
Of ashes. Not that it would matter how
we were resolved back to clay but edu-
cation has established barriers not easily
broken down, and love and respect
throw shield around after death too
holy to be lightly disregarded. The grave
is to us a sacred spot; one to be trod
reverently by man, and guarded by
angels. We would lay our dead away
amid pleasant surroundings; keep their
graves free Of weeds and made bright
with flowers; we would plant the will
low, the rose and the evergreen there,
and make it an altar at which we can
hold communion with those in another
and better world.
But others have the same rights, and
if they look at the matter from differ
ent standpoint why should we selfshly
arrogate to ourselves the exclusive priv
ilege? 1t is wrong to do so, and we be-
ieve humanity and necessity will settle
the matter Alright without legislation.