Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-06

and ceremony, carried under cover
of night across the Hudson River
to New Jersey and secretly Gre
mated
More surprising even than the
cremation itself and the heavy veil
Of secrecy which was SO carefully
thrown around il. is the fact that
1t did not take place. as is usually
the case. within a few days OF the
bishops death. but after his body
had lain in its tomb nearly eight
years. II was, according to the
surprising revelations made few
days ago. not until 1916 that the
bishops remains were stealthily re-
moved from the cathedral tomb to
a New Jersey crematory and re-
duced 10 ashes.
Why was Bishop Potter cremated
when no other bishop of his church
has ever been?
Why was his cremation delayed
for nearly eight years after his
death?
Why was Il done with such great
secrecy that until the other day no
more than a score of persons knew
OF the strange midnight trip which
his remains had made?
And why did 1t suddenly become
necessary 10 divulge The secret that
had been so jealousy guarded for
moro than three years?
All these are questions which
cannot yet be satisfactorily an
ewered and which may always re-
main mysteries.
The news OF Bishop Potter's Sc
cret cremation came as distinct
shock 10 everybody who knew him
personally or by reputation. The
many who had visited the chapel
erected in his honor at New York's
Cathedral Of St John the Divine
were amazed 10 learn that its mag
nificent marble tomb held. instead
Of the bishops Wondering form,
only a handful OF ashes-all that
was left OF the body after being sub
iected 10 the fiery heat Of the
crematory furnace.
The Protestant Episcopal Church
has never taken a definite stand
against cremation, but despite this
fact Bishop Potter is the first
bishop OF this faith to be cremated.
To all members of the Roman
Catholic faith. however. and doubt
less 10 many OF Bishop Potter's
own church, cremation Is little
short Of sacrilege-a practice not
to be countenanced by any good
Christian. According to their be-
lief interment OF the body as death
left ii is the only reverent way OF
disposing of the dead
Bishop Potter died on July 81,
1908. at Cooperstown, y. Y, where
he had long maintained an extern
sive country estate. His body was
prepared for burial in the usual
way and after simple services at
Cooperstown was taken to New
York and placed in the receiving
vault of Trinity cemetery to await
an imposing public funeral in the
Fall.
AS is now recalled there was. so
far as the public knew. no sugges.
ton of cremation made in connec.
ton with the elaborate prepare
tons for his burial This was con-
sidered strange at the time by lead
ing advocates Of cremation, for
they had long believed that Bishop
Potter favored the practice. Sew.
eral years before he had been
quoted as saying:
81 have long been in hearty SYM
pathy with the effort to promote
the practice Of cremation. which
the growth Of population and the
growth Of cities OF the dead in the
neighborhood Of large communi.
ties. makes in my Judgment n SAM.
tary precaution OF great value; and
! heartily agree with the Bishop OF
Manchester in his view of the utter
irrelevancy Of any so-called Chris
tian objections to It,"
In October, 1908, the Bishops