The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-05-23
ND DEMOCRAT, BIOOMsBURG COLUMBIA COUNTY Pa
Cremation and Burial.

The real question to be considered
in all discussion of the disposal of the
dead is how best to promote, without
injury to the living, that return to
earth which is not merely figure of
speech but a profound fact in the
economy of nature. Decomposition is
the universal fate of all organic mat
ter that has ceased to live and one of
the great problems of civilization has
always been TO reconcile this process of
death with the conditions of healthy
life That is really what we have to
think of in all our concern about venti-
lation and sewerage and the disposal
of organicl waste of every kind, and it
is what we have to think of in the
Jepulture of the dead.
The problem is not new one. 1t
presented itself just as soon as people
began to multiply upon the earth and
to gather together in organized society.
The more population increased and
modes of life became more artificial,
the greater became the need of artificial
interference with the process of nature.
Burial in the earth was the first and sim
plest mode of disposing of the dead.
The Egyptians, whose soil did not ad-
init of burial, adopted the mode Of ar
resting decomposition by embalming.
Further east, burning was resorted to,
and this plan was followed by the
Romans but the early Christians,
compelled TO secrecy, resorted to burial,
the earlier and simple and more gen.
orally convenient custom. In every
case the end in view was the same, the
harmless resolution of the body into it's
original elements.
The practical advantage claimed for
cremation is simply that it hastens the
natural process of decomposition. Now
it is fact worth observation that the
tendency of late years, especially in
this country, has been to endeavor by
every means to retard decomposition,
and that this has been carried so far
as greatly TO magnify the danger to the
living from the near presence OF the
dead. The most serious of the present
objections to our customs of burial, out
of which has sprung the demand for a
radically different method, are really of
artificial and modern creation. Instead
OF laying dead body in the ground.
where dust shall quickly return to dust,
we subject it to processes intended to
retard decomposition, enclose it in a
metallic casket and place this 10 stone
or brick-lined tomb, where the iuevita-
BILE process of decay goes slowly on,
poisoning the atmosphere and causing
variety of evils that were unknown
under the older and simpler methods of
burial.
These evils have become so great
that many thoughtful men have turned
to radical remedy and are urging the
cremation of all dead bodies-that is,
the most rapid possible process of
decomposition in exchange for the
slowest. There is nothing in this idea
that need cause any revulsion of senti-
ment. The end is the same the diff
terence is in time and circumstances.
But to insist that cremation is the only
proper mode is qnite as unreasonable
as to insist that it never can be pro.
per- The point that ought to be in
sisted upon is that any process which
will promote and render harmless tc
the living the final disintegration of g
dead body is much more reasonable
much more reverent, much more II
consonance with respect tor the deat
aud regard for the living, than thu
modern inventions whose effect is II
prolong and render noxious the las
stage Of bidily existence upon earth.
The discussion of cremation will d.
good, though it may not lead to it
general adoption. There are place
and times when the immediate com
bustion of dead bodies would be of oh
vious advantage and propriety and tn
process should be not only tolerate,
but facilitated. In general, however
we have not yet reached point wher
resort to this custom is necessity
Even within easy reach of the larg
cities there are still abundant opportu
mites for ordinary burial, provided tn
one end be kept in view OF promoting
Instead of retarding the processes o
nature. If we could learn to lay on
dead reverently deep in the ground
with as slight artificial enclosure a
possible, the earth, which is the grea
absorbent and purifier, would take car
of all the rest. 1t is the modern un
dertaker, stone mason and cemeter
speculator that have made sepultur
not only an extravagant expense, but
danger and nuisance, and dispose
us to listen to the cremationists whe
they offer us relief Times.