Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-08-31
believe ROME FIRM
AGAINST CREMATION
Churchmen Convinced Vati-
can Will Not Permit incin-
GRAFTON of Catholic Dead
HAS ALWAYS OPPOSED
1T. SAYS CHURCHMAN

wer-informed Catholics in this
city 60 not believe that the Vatican
will accede to the request from the
Cremation Society of America to al
low cremation for the Calhoi,o (
dead. At its convention in buhalo
last Friday, the association passed
resolution calling on the Sacred Con
gregation of the lnquisiton TO aDFo- /
gate the DEGREES OF May and Decen-
Der. 1856, which prohibit cremation (
as a method of disposing OF tne poo (
les of Catholics, in place OF burial |
An eminent churchman snlieu
when shown the resolution. ne /
DEGREES of 1856 referred to are not
the earliest nor the latest utterances
of the Catholic Church against crema-
ton" he said. Some of the leglsia-
ton on the subject. dates back 10 me
year sos of the Christian era Inc
church has always opposed crema-
ton as an unohristian mode OF as
posing of the body And yet there
is nothing opposed to any dogma OF
the Catholic Church in the practice
Of cremation.
Conditions of an extraordinary
character might develop in some
country where it might be deemeo
absolutely necessary to resort to ere
nation for the prevention OF plague
or pestilence as in time OF war. II
was only under such circumstances
that the Jews resorted to cremation.
The Catholic Church commands
that respect shall he paid to the hu-
man body even after death, because
the body is the house Of the soul and
the temple OF the Holy Ghost. With
the Church it is rot a case of SAM
tation. but of something higher. In
time of war. where it might become
necessary TO dispose Of the bodies OF
thousands of slain soldiers, the
church might permit it. But the cues
ton is whether cremation. being
pagan custom. would be best for hui
man society. The Catholic Church
says it is not.
Cremation of dead bodies is "a very
ancient custom II dates back more
than 1000 years before Christ. il was
practiced among the Greeks and Ro-
mans but had died practically out
by the fifth century Of the Christian
era. The early Christians did not
burn their dead. but followed the Gus
tom OF the Jews by interring the bod
les. In the year A. ID. 1900. Pope Bon
iface VIII promulgated a law cXcom-
municating those who disembowelled
bodies OF the dead or boiled hem 10
separate the flesh from the bones for
the purpose Of taking or sending
them for burial to their native land
The church has always insisted OIL
a decent burial for her children. and
through the DEGREES of the popes il
has continued its opposition TO ere.
nation.
"The decree of 1ss6-there were
three DEGREES on the subject that
year-all take this stand. Those re-
ferred TO in the resolution adopted by
he Cremation Association of America
at its Buffalo convention, forbid mem
bership in cremation societies and
declare that il is unlawful 10 demand
cremation for ones own body or tha
of another cremation is associated by
the Catholic Church will a public
confession of irreligion and material
ism.
"One Of the earliest instances. i
not the very first in the United State
where a person gave instruction
that his body should be cremated wa
that Of the Baron de Palm who diet
in New York in May, 1876. He nat
been for a long time in the German
diplomatic service and also chamber
lain to the King of Bavaria. He ha,
come TO this country in 1862 and nal
spent some time among the Indians II
the northwest Later he resided II
New York. His direction before dealt
that his body should be crematet
was a novel one at the time in thi
country and created something of
sensation He had joined the Thee
sophical Society and left his proper
ty to that organization
"A few years ago in this city Their
was somewhat pathetic instance q
a girl who was a Catholic. but ais
a firm believer in cremation. She wa
.orced TO make a choice between re
sewing the, last rites of her churc
in the funeral service or of havin
her ashes disposed of without rite
Of her religion. She chose the lat
ter and in accordance with her wisf
IS her body was burned. But ther
was no priest at her grave to sa
ashes to ashes. The Catholic Churc
is not alone in its opposition tc or,
nation The clergy of several othe
denominations have voiced their di,
approval of this manner of dispoi
ng of the Christian daad