The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-04-25

Great interest is manifested in the
attitude of the local Catholic authori-
ties toward cremation. The circular
letter of the Bishop of Panopolis.
stating the Church's objections TO ere
nation is further explained by an au-
thoritative article in L'Ami du Cierge.
of June 13, 1899, which contains a
fairly full and complete account of the
Roman Church's legislation on crsma-
ton. BY a decree dated May 10, 1886,
il was enjoined upon all Roman Cath
olics that they must not encourage
cremation in any way, or ask for II
themselves or help TO cremate others.
The decree sets forth that the practice
of burial in the ground, which has al
ways been admitted by the Church
is in accordance with the Christian
idea and that it is praiseworthy. Gre
nation on the contrary Is declared an
"abus detestable," an abomination that
is not TO be endured, against which
the faithful must struggle energetical-
~ IL is forbidden TO ask for crema-
ton, either for ones self or for 9th
ers. Ii is not permitted to the faith
full 10 give their names to societies In
! which cremation is practiced. The
Church regarded this as very grave
matter; and later decree, dated De-
| cember 10, 1856, ranks among public
sinners, unworthy of burial, those who
have asked for cremation for them
selves. The Church does not. hOwev-
| er. cast off utterly those upon whom
cremation has been inflicted with
] out their having asked for it. The
question was asked OF the Supreme
| Congregation whether or not priests
| ha oil Iii "A
| body designed for cremation.
! The reply was that If an individual
| to the knowledge OF the public. has
asked to be cremated, and has died
/ without having recalled his wicked
/ act. he must not be accorded churchly
burial. II the demand emanates from
another person, the clergyman can e
to the house to seek the body and per
form the funeral ceremonies at the
| church, but he is forbidden TO conduct
the body TO the crematory.
| \ disciplinary ordinance assuredly
imposed upon the early Christian.
earth burial and earth burial alone
Since il is said 10 be proved by tn,
fact that, ever since Apostolic days
the Church has practiced earth buria
and that she has continued 10 practic'
II without interruption to our day. i
is an incontestable historical fact tina
this usage was permitted by the ApOs
ties, since we find Christian cemeter
les going back to the time OF the Apos
ties. IL Is also asserted that this prac
tice Of earth burial presented sucl
difficulties for the Christians that the!
would certainly have renowned II,
they had not seen an Apostolic pre-
cept. In the first place. they had q
struggle against the practice fOllOwe'
in Rome at that epoch. II was general
iy regarded as obligatory. or at leas
as much more suitable. that bodies
should be, in some manner or other
purified by fire. The great families
il Is true. conserved faithfully the an
cient usage OF burying their dead. bu
between bodies buried and bodie
burned, at the period of the coming o
the Apostles to Rome, the proportion
was one to fifty" NOW" CONTINUES
the writer i'm "L'Ami du Clerge." ate
Christianity was preached, all the dis
lciples OF Christ, breaking sharply with
the custom OF cremation, went back e
! earth burial, which was despised snC