Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-05-03
WHY NOT BURN ?

The subject of cremation Is coming to
the front with vigor that will not be put
down. The next Legislature is to be asked
to affirmatively permit such Of lis as choose
to dispose Of our dead by means Of the Gre
matory, and it is time for the friends of
cremation To be moving upon public senti
ment. 1t i simply shameful that local
authorities, not fortified by any express
statute, should interpose to prevent the ex
crcise of the right now. We can learn of
no law that compels people to bury their
dead in the earth to become food for loath-
some worms, and to pollute the soil that,
by its nuXiOuS eXhalations, poi,onS the liy-
ing. Nevertheless, the authorities backed
by nothing but old-time prejudice, do in
terfere. YET Justice Stephens in the case
of Dr. Price, has decided that cremation is
lawful. New York and San Francisco both
have cremation societies, a large society has
just been formed in New England, and sew
eral exist in Great Britain. At Working,
England, crematory furnace factory has
been set up. In Pennsylvania the Legs
Iature has legitimized cremation, and 50
there is progress being made.
In his recent work OF travel, " Due
West" Mr.. BalIou tells us OF visit to
Bombay. lie went out To Maiabar Hill to
view the famous Towers of Silence. About
their bases beautiful gardens are kept in
bloom and loveliness by the most assiduous
care The towers constitute the cemetery
of the Parsees. Their dead are brought
here, and after simple ceremony, exposed
upon the summit of the towers:
These towers are open At the top on the cor
nice of which hundreds of vultures are always
waiting in full view of every one, and as soon as
the body is len they Swoop down 70 their awful
meal eagerly tearing and dcyourng the flesh:
absolutely picking it clean from the bones
which fall into IL space below in an indiscrimi-
nate mas 10 DC decompOSed by time and the
elements The hideous detail OF the scene is
not visible 20 the spectators, but the rc-dppear-
ance of these terrible birds OF prey upon the
walls an hour later, in gOrgcd condition, l.
only too significant of what has tranSpired within
the silent and gloomy Enclosure. followed a
funeral procession TO the towers. For moment
after among these the face Of the corpse was eX-
posed showing the marble features OF Young
girl of some fifteen years, wearing upon her pale
face an expression Of seraphic lovelineSS The
body was covered with a SnOw-white sheet eN-
hibting the outline of & beautiful, budding form
suddenly snatched from life.
over and around the body were white buds
and half-blown pale flowers indicative of youth
recalling TO mind a similar experience on the
banks of the GRngeS There was no apparent
want of sentiment or tenderness here. * soon
Is the brief ceremony was over, the beautiful
remains lovely even in death, were deposited
IN the nearest tower the door was closed and
the bearers retired. Down SwoOped the raven
Gus birds to their terrible banquet, we turned
away with shudder. The deyouring flames
that wreathed about the childcorpse AT Bcnares
did not seem 10 us so shocking this, Seeing
an intelligent Parsee, who had evidently been
watching US We asked:
a. How can you reconcile to your feelings such
disposal as that of the remains of q tenderly be-
loved childg'
What do you do with your dead?' he asked.
~ We bury them in the earth
q" Yes" he continued. for the worms to cat
Aud if there Is death al sea, YOU S.1A he body