The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-05-02
WAS ONCE OPPOSED TO IT
rhs ssIe Of Sentiment Conduct Of tu'
ssrsis -exstrissse- T~esty
Years.
(From Mondays Daily)

an cremation, substantially as follows:
"The majority of the race is con
trolled by habit. fashion or sentiment.
We boast OF our God given reason,
yet few are led by II. Like the Chi
nese. who for generations have worn
ths queue we go on doing many things
that our fathers did, with no more rea-
son for them than the Chinaman has
for wearing the appendage to his head;
yet like the Monaghan. we cling as
tenaciously 20 them as though they
were necessary 10 our life.
4 am thoroughly convinced the prop
er way TO dispose of our dead Is by
Incarceration but a large number Of in
telligent people are opposed 20 II. The
opposition is not because OF any sub
stantial reason they have against 1t
but because they are Influenced by
habit. fashion or sentiment, at leas.
hose are the things which for years
caused me TO oppose cremation.
when II was first proposed to es-
tablish crematories in the United States
1 condemned II because ! believed in
1insrstion to be horrible II not I'M
christian. To me, as TO many others
sho have not carefully considered the
subj ct, the thing seemed hideous and
terrible.
Some years ago ! superintendent the
removal OF the bodies Of some OF my
friends from family TO a city cemete-
yy. had previously thought, in an in
aiffeent way. OF the slow decay OF the
body and its consumption by worms
but when saw the condition OF those
remains, which had been in the ground
from six to thirty years, the horrors OF
cremation seemed very insignificant
compared TO that Of a casket filled with
thousands of loathsOme worms feeding
upon the decaying flesh.
IF the disposition OF our dead Is a
matter OF sentiment, then a careful
consideration OF the facts will certainly
make that sentiment favorable TO in
cineration.
If we consider the responsiveness OF
the two ways Of dispOsing OF the dead,
there is much the same difference as
between the different ways Of disposin &
Of criminals condemned 10 death. In
al ptgh I'D
mlnistcrod by cruciiXOn, burning at
the stake, etc. The modern idea is TO
sNtinguish the lie as quickly as pos
sIble and in a way TO cause as little
pain as may be. Why should not the
game principle he applied to the body?
let II be placed in the carefully and
scientifically prepared chamber OF the
crematory where the dissolution occurs
and ashes to ashes" takes place with
out the assistance OF microbes and
worms through years OF poisonous put
,efactlon.
During an experience OF more than
twenty-five years in conducting fun
erals, / have noticed that the most
heartrendlng scene in connection with
those sad occasions is when the body
is lowered into the grave and the work
men, often OF the mos. uncOuth and
lncanny appearance, cast in the earth
as they would bury the body OF a dead
dog. The dlsagreeableness OF these
bur!als is often augmented by the swell
tcring of a tropical sun, storm OF rain
or snow. or a freezing blizzard.
During the time ! was pastor In
San Francisco conducted several fun
erals in the Odd Fellows Crematory.
The distressing circumstances neces-
sarily surrounding the ordinary burial
nave no place there. The congregation
~ seated in q comfortable and com
nodlous chapel which Is furnished with
organ and organlst The friends OF the
departed are seated around an opening
IN the floor that Is surrounded by a
railing and covered with drapery. The
easket Is taken into the basement. plac-
I'd upon an elevator and nolselessly
Afied into the open space In the cha.
pei All the services may be conducted
shere II desirable, but II the sermon
mas been delivered at the house or IN
ahe church, only the committal SER
an"s are engaged In, Before the Ser.
~nss begin, the caske, Is uncovered and
~ che conclusion, with ~ decorations
81 noral tributes. II IL covered lowered
'nto tho basement and the congregation
dismissed A small room Ia provided
hsar tho furnace, whore the special
ffiegds may assemble and witness the