The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-25
THE RULINGS OF ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH ON PRACTICE Of CREMATI ION

regarded % gone by and out OF date
There Is then Only one way 20 ex-
plain proceeding apparently so
strange: 1t is 20 admit a disciplinary
ordinance OF the Apostles, enjoining
upon Christians % bury their dead in
stead of burning them"
The enormous toll 10 which they lad
to give themselves UP In order not TO
abandon this custom is considered an
othes incontroyertible proof. II was a
vast undertaking involving great ex-
pense and the labor Of a large corps of
men TO keep up this custom; and the
fact that IL was preserved during the
centuries is only 90 be explained by a
mandatory regulation from the Apos-
ties. To the immensely and the diff
ficulty of the undertaking IS 10 be added
the risk of life, the risk of the viola
ton Of cemeteries. and the risk of the
most infamous calumnies against the
religion itself. This triple risk would
have disappeared II the Christians had
cOnformed TO the custom of cremation.
On the contrary. they preserved the
practice OF earth burial with so much
constancy and with so Jealous a care
that in the eyes Of their prosecuting
judges one OF greatest punishments
which could be inflicted upon them was
to refuse to their dead Christian
burial
In the course OF the centuries. the
Church has continued 10 practice burial.
IL has not only maintained the
custom intact among its oldest chill
dren, but it has also imposed IL upon
barbaric peoples who have been con-
verted. The motives which determin-
ed the Christians. from the origin OF
the Church, TO render solemn hOnors TO
the bodies OF the faithful. were, one
readily diyines. sometimes OF human
ity toward their likenesses. sentiments
Of affection toward their parents, and
especially the belief in the resurrection
and the desire 90 confirm IL by a pub
lie testimony" II We burn bodies in
stead OF burying them. all the sweet
and consOling images OF the resurrec-
ton disappear. The human body. II
you reduce IL 20 cinders. loses the
character OF seed and no longer cor
responds TO the divine conception of the
apostle Furthermore. the funeral
liturgy contempaltes earth burial. The
: cremationists. then. throw down an
apostolic usage. destroy the liturgy,
and deny the solemn affirmation Of the
dogma of the resurrection.
The article from which the above Is
I translated goes on to refute the objec-
I tons adduced by the cremationists.
I Their arguments are said 20 be: J.
I Cremation has been In honor In ancient
\ times. even among the Jews: 2. Earth
burial is very expensive: 3. Health de-
mands cremation. because the exhala-
/ tons OF cemeteries have an injurious
I effect upon public health. and because
| the cemeteries infect drinking water
/ The first argument Is characterized as
| exaggerated. Comparisons are intro
/ duced TO show that the cost Of earth
burial 20 the individual o. not greater
/ than that Of cremation. and that the
I loss 81 productive earth 20 the public
. Is very small in the aggregate. beside.
which there are large uncultivated
areas. The two clauses I'm the third ar
gument are denied outright. with refer
I ences 20 the Clarifying and purifying
character OF the soil through which
I the water must filter before Il Is taken
out for drinking purposes; and they
are described as attempts 20 lead public
opinion astray.