The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-12-13
Cremation.

The destruction of human remains
through the action OF fire WAS the most
extensively nscd and was considered
the most honorable mode by most of
tn nations of anti uity. AID thence
the idea OF the funeral pre- and urn
sepulture is as much associated with
heathenism as burial in Che earth is
with Christianity, though there is, in
truth. no neccsSa rv connect on between
the two. Though it is now we'll ascer-
Ia ned that the body of the poet Shelley
was burnt from reasons perta ming to
TIE quarantine regulations, it was At
the time considered an additional
proof, had any been required, Of his de
termined hostility To Christian o5scrv-
anceS, and it was with some little diff
Guilty that clergymen could be per-
suaded to read the burial service over
his remains. The Greeks commonly
buried thc'r dead on the sixth or sew
enth day after death; but up to that
time myrrh. gum Of cedar tree, salt,
wax and many costly and sweet 5 ente!
drugs, honey, balm and bit1men were
used TO Dreve It an diaagrccaIle odor.
Tie funeral pile itself was opposed o.
fir or pine wood, generally in the form
Of an altar Pitch, turpentine and
other inlammab'e substances were
spread over the pile, and cypress trees
were set around at Il CERTAIN d stance.
Then the eyes Of the corpse were gca-
orally opened. and if IL wind arose it
was considered a favorable omen
When Il | was cOnSumcI ihe caicined
bones and ashes, soaked IN costly
ne, We're gathered together and
placed in the funeral urn, which was
consigned to the sppulcher. The Ro-
mans inferred their deal, III the .irst in
stance, and adopted the custom o.
burning them from the Greeks but not
to 4 very great extent until toward the
end OF the Rcpubi'. Ii was most GEN
eral under the EmperorS, and gradual
" fell INTO d:suse about the end
o the forth century, when Christ
anlty became the prevalent creai.
But the Greek and Roman laws
alike prohibi Ell The burning or bury mr.
Of the deaf within any city, both from
san tary and civil considerations. Tn.
Greek kOimctcrion, or led Of slum' cr.
was generally at u cons dcrable dis
tance outside o the towns The Ro-
mans lreaue .tly made their tombs bv
"
the latter were not burnt they were in
closed in stone collins. SO sacred were
e t)mbs that they served often as a
place uf re.ure i'll times Of persecution.
The resting place of the Jews was Beth
q M For the most part they buried
their dead, burning sweet spices on the
couch where the corpse rested. Gre
nation WAS, however. not entirely I'M
used among them. rs reference to the
books OF the O Il Testament will show.
OF Asa. King of Judar, it is recorded
"And they bur ed him in his own
sc, u cher, which he In made Tor him
sell in the Clty OF David. aud laid him
in tie bed which was filed with sweet
o!ors and divers kinds of spices pre-
pared by the apOthccarics' art, and
they made very great burning for
him & ChrOn. Xvi:lD. "All the val
ian men arose and went all nirht and
took tac body of Saul and the bodies OF
his son from the wall o. Bethshap, and
came to .iabesh. and burnt them there.
And they took their bones and buried
them under a tree at JabeSh, and lasted
seven days. Il Sam. NXXi:12, 13).
\ people called Balcari2ns used to
place the dead man in a large earthen
vessel, and carefully excluding the
.me. heap piles of burning wood upon
it unit | incineration was complete. Ger
tan northern tribes buried the boGy IN
its grave aud marked the spot With
white pebbles arranged on the ground
in the form of human figure. The
Chinese We're accustomed 10 place tie
deceased in the hollow of a living tree
and pile heaps Of fuel refund it. In the
Island of Japan and in some parts of
Asia. even at the present Time, the dead
arc burned or piles Of resinous wood
and combustble matter. - brooklyn
Eagle