The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-01

wen anu 30 cnnrmingly as 70 cau9o III W
regret that she does not more frequently
favor the public, with an opportunity 10
enjoy the melody Of her sweet voice.
Miss Matte Lou brown, OF Hunts
vile, scored an unmistakable hit,
and was compelled by unanimous accord
10 yield an encore. Mrs Dora DAVIS re-
cited the Confessional with fine dramatic
skill, and Prof. Weinsten held the audi
ence spel-bound with his exquisite music.
DIR. Souneschein,s lecture was learned, e!o-
quent and masteriul The following re-
port Of il is substantially correct;
To dispose OF the remains OF a beloved
friend, child, husband, wife or mother, Is
n matter Of the deepest and hottest con-
Germ, and certainly any question which is
connected with such disposition cannot
fail 10 appeal 10 our best sentiments. In
no other banch Of human habits and So
cial custom, religious ceremony, in no
other field OF human activity, Will people
be more prone 10 cling to prevailing habits
than those which pertain TO the disposition
OF our dead and while innovations in other
fields OF activity will alwaysbe hailed with
reclamation, in matters OF burylng, the
dead we incline 20 conservatism, and are
reluctant to depart from the customs oil
Our ancestors Of the remotost period.
And yet the question OF cremation ought
10 be discussed in an impartial way TO Tree
us from all sentimentality, and right here
the question arises, shall our dead be con-
verted into dust or shall they be converted
into ashes? Shall they 20 through the
n ......II.pfns. Ia.aua
or be suddenly transformed by the highest
degree Of attainable heat into mere ashes?
That is the question which presents
itself, and we shall discuss II with
out fear, prejudice or enthusi-
asm. / cannot overcome certain
sentiment which constantly haunis my
mind when think OF the origin OF bury
ing the dead. Our Talmudic lore tells us
that when Adam and Eve beheld the body
OF their slain Abel. not knowing what
death meant, looked about them in per.
plexity, al loss what to do, and revolv-
ing IN their minds different methods Of
disposing OF the body, when their aiten-
ton was attracted by a raven burying its
nesting in the ground, and 1t occurred TO
them that that was the readiest solution of
the problem which confronted them.
| cannot overcome feeling Of repulsion
that our customs OF dispOsing OF the dead
should be reflex Of animal life, and so
/ consider the fact that to have our dead
consumed in a funeral pyre which cannot
be reproduced by animal agencies il a
commendable innovation. To have our
bodies destroyed by fire, an element
stolen from the gods, aud that always
points 10 Heaven, is a sentiment which
appeals to all that is elevated in my ma
turc. realize fully that there is deeply
rooted in all OF us a sentiment ofreyerence
for existing customs Of burying the dead.
There is something indescribably touching
and poetic in the idea that We may visit
the graves Of our departed and drop our
tears upon their ballowcd remains. And
there is a sweet consolation in the thought
that they lie undisturbed, peacefully slum-
lering the sleep that knows no waking.
Tut, nv iriendA II we should uncover the
ground that conceals from our view those
cherished remains and see the awful result
OF decomposition aud decay that has been
concealed there, we would turn from the
sight with an utterable shudder, all ouI
senses but that OF hearing would be morti-
fled and offended and our natural impulse
would DO 10 flee from such a scene.
Poetry has crowned our cemeteries with
a halo Of sentiment, but poetry can do Ear
more for the elevation Of the human race
by advocating the disposal Of the dead by
cremation. Self-prcservation Is a very
noble instinct In matters that touch our
daily lives, and a. FAR as appertains "a
measures for the preservation Of the body
appeals 10 a commendablc motive, but
when the instinct OF self-prescryation
aligns itself against the preservation OF q
race and the teachings OF sanitation, then
comes that higher sentiment OF self-pre-
seryation which ought 10 prevail"
Tho speaker then briefly referred "a
the burial customs OF the iindoOs,
the Egyptians, the Parsecs, Greeks,
Romans aud lIebrowA lie proved, by
citations from holy scripture, that
cremation was customary even In
remote periods Of ancient history. but con.
fined. ol course, b arisiocraiic and wealthy
classes, who alone could bear the expense
involved.
Cremation" continued tho learned
lecturer was well known 30 the Jews,
but here comes in the influence OF the re-.
ligion Of Christ, the daughter OF Julaism,
the religion which breaches the doctrine
Of resurrection. The idea OF resurrection
Is sustained by the prevailing mode Of
burying the dead. II IA claimed We have
no right 10 destroy the dead, M
right 10 interfere with that grand
principle Of old. II u destructive ol
the very theory Of resurrection they aay.
hut what about martyrs to religion who aie
at the stalker Are they b. be declared the
blessed heritage Of rcsurcction2 Il no,
God all-poWcriul and cannot lie restore
/ the constituent atoms Of n mans bod,
even In ashes as we'll ~ his body resolved
into dusl7 We certainly have no right q
interfere with established religious beliefs,
| but We have u right 10 interfere with the
supcrs,ilous side OF religion. shall con
fine my remarks 10 the jewish side Of that
| superstition.
Il isa question Of restitution, aud rcsti.
/ tuition which involves the restoration O
every atom Of the body. II ID wcfo per
sonal matter | might decide In favor o
| the prevailing system, because when
visit my ancestors graves Il b assuring Il
know that am before the right grave. II
their remains were stored with olhofs Ia 4
/ collection OF urna thcre might be q aues.
tion Of Identity or the particular urn wa.
/ looking i0r might be- stolen, but nobody
| has thus Gar been mean enough
10 steal grave, although Il 1,
on record that 81 Louis man stole .
crcmaioy. tlanghtorl Hut personal
considerations aside, And looking only e
the interests OF tic, human race. should
bc inclined To throw my voice ia favor oil
cremation. Tagcing by stage was ono,
considered tho, pfopor thing. Now W,
/ rush through Hpaee by steam. When tho
human race IL ri,Ac Tot The conviction that
Il h hciior 20 burn the dead than bur,
them, then Il VII b. done.
/ Did IA ever occur 10 YOU that II Won