Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-08-30
A Word About Cremation

The idea OF cremation has CO 'sed to be
secuted as ridiculous Cremation societies
exist in nearly every state In the union, and
their number Is on the increase. Compared
with the present system OF burial, cremation
s classic, clean and certain. II divests the
mind OF the thought OF that most horrible OF
osslbilities-b,iSg bsried dLiV.. 1t does away
with the mocSery and pomp OF funerals. 1t
sommends itself from a sanitary point OF
view as the best method OF disposing of the
remains of the dead, and especially OF the
remains OF those who die from infectious
diseases.
Were cremation universally adopted there
would be no need of those MANY cemeteries
located so close a. cities as TO be unhealthful
huisances. Instances defying enumeration
Are at hand showing that small cemeteries
nnwlsely situated In the very heart OF cities
have bees known to communicate disease.
Now and then we hear OF the contents OF
these cemeteries being removed to a safe dis
lance outside the city limits, and such
changes whether due To tho epcroachments
of business enterprise or OF public sentiment
are good ones. In perhaps four-hfths OF the
villages In the United States the cemeteries
are Ia the rear OF By the side OF the churches
the latter generally fronting on the main
street Aside from the melancholy picture
village cemeteries present, even to the most
aevout worshipers, their situation violates
the simplest principles OF hygiene.
Doubtless those who will be the last to ad-
init this advantages OF cremation are the un-
iertakers. 1t must be conceded that the
opposition 10 II OF these "purveyors to the
dead" 10 strong one, and, moreover, they
have at their tongues end several sentime n
al arguments In favor OF the long establish =
Is he'd custom OF burial-srvuments which arc
also advanced by no small number Of people
who are no undcrtakers. On the other hand,
sentiment may be drawn upon largely In de-
fence OF cremation. IL, however. will never
be universally adopted until the prejudices
against it are removed. What are these
prejudicesl Among other things IL Is said
that cremation Is cruel and barbarous Many
protest that they cannot bear the thought OF
having their bodies reduced by fire to few
ounces OF ashes They prefer grave and
filthy processes OF decay. Is heaped up
mound, with a monument bearing a preyari-
eating inscription. any assistance to one s
memory for the loved and losti Is not re-
spect for the dead better shown by prevent
Ing the bodY from being coming decomposed
food for eyeless wormsl
To the poorer classes cremation especially
appeals, because II Is more economical aud
less formal than burial. IL would be well for
each State to try the experiment OF cremating
Its dead paupers instead OF continuing to en-
large Its Potter's fields Certainly cremation
pra cticed under Governmental au spices In
this way would demonstrate its pra cttcal su.
pcrlority. The more the SUBJECTS pondered
the deeper must grow the conviction that
cremation Is the most rational and efficient
means of modifying the grim and CHASTITY
victory OF death.
Grave-yards, and the manner Ia which our
boosted civilization burles Its dead, are re.
sponsible for most OF the superstitions OF
mankind regarding spooks. COLLINS and tho
whole retiuue OF supernatural abnormitiea
The rafting skeleton, exhumed after years
| OF repose In the grave, sets asdr the dreadful
| fances OF the least susceptible witness
Very few people, ] imagine, could be per.
suadcd TO walk through n cemetery alone on
| dark night. don't think I should care to;
not that | would be afraid OF encounterlng "A
convention of ghosts--but the IDEA Of being
the one living man In the midst OF hundreds
OF dead men, women aud children would be
too depressing TO justify the undertaking. =
} L NJ, IN Epoch.