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Show J CREMATION- 1 I lnacentLof,cmttAV0'wo set forth, at somo length, the proposed pro-posed change from the usual i.,UT. mentof tho bodi.s of the dead, to that mode nilnp. hy ,e no, nations of ancient e:v,h,Uion--, -mcimcratinn," or the destruction of the dead by fir.'. Tho reasons now ad-tluced ad-tluced for this change, and tho modem mod-em tnoJus operandi proposed for cremation cre-mation arc deserving of consideration. consider-ation. i It is n-suniel by the advocated of 'cremation that tho interment of human bodies in the cemeteries near to populated cities gives rise to noxious noxi-ous vapors, which burst the bands of clay, and mingling with the air be-como be-como pernicious to the health of the living. The reports of Health Commissioners Com-missioners aro cited to show that epidemics have always been uioro destructive in tho immediate neighborhood of "church-yards" than they have been elscwhero, and Eomo writers go even far enough to affirm that, in very many places, theso noxious vapors and gases permeate and filter through tho 6oil lor a great distanco from the burial places, and in time mingle their deadly poisons with tho flowing waters of daily use, and thus carry disease and death into tho cities. With persons who hink back from effect to cause, there can be but little , argument against such Affirmations, for it must bo evident to all that the presence of decaying and putrid bodies anywhero exposed must he very -deleterious nnd injurious to health, and the soil of many graveyards, grave-yards, so frequently disturbed, is little better than open exposure. It i-i, thcrefure, on sanitary grounds ehiil ly that the question of the adoption adop-tion ol cremation will bo favorably considered. In tho discussion of such a subject, whereiu the leuderest sentiments of the living for the dead are touched, the innovation upon a long estab'ished usage awakens some eombativenesy, and much that is creditable to tho heart is thrust into the argument. The artie'e of faith and religion is a'so invoked to confront theculd logte of the men of science; but beyond modern usage, and a very little ol Christian faith to contend with, the advocates of cremation seem to have readied effectively a host of ready and listening cars. Sir Henry Thompson, a distinguished distin-guished English surgeon, a F. R. C. 5., is the most prominent advocate of cremation in England. He boldly storms the citadel of red tape, with a dash of recklessness perfectly Quixotic, Quix-otic, and is determined that a thousand thous-and years nt' prejudice shall vanish before his array of facts and .figures. Conlronting Sir Henry is Mr. Phillip II. Holland, tho "Medical Inspector of burials for England and Wales to the Homo l.'cartment," who os strenuously contends for interment iu the ground. Mr. Hollan-t pr !t m . sepulchre io luvo'y gr.ivt , with tlowcra and gurlands, and towering ' wi-,,v.Ju,Hvailivc,i)!K,m ' elms consume th o poisonous vapors from the tombs, and in their richloli-ageand richloli-ageand blossom "rob death of half its terrors. ' ' But personal preference aro of little moment beside the array of faets.and in this theoristic ago the more daring the proposition, the more ready arc the disciples and the more ir.imeio is the advocates of a new sensation. By the latter, it is claimed, that with the continuance of peace in Europe, and the absence of great battles where so many bodies are consigned to the ditch or trench of tbe battle field, theie is a certainty that the usual interment in-terment of the dead would bo so greatly augmented in number, by ordinary deUh, that some other means Ibr the disposition ot tho dead would bo noeecsary. That means is now claimed to be burning. Iu o'.ir previous aiticlo on cremation crema-tion we gave tome idea of the gorgeous gorge-ous pageantry of the funerals ot the wealthy of ancient times, whose bodies were committed to Llio fire, but in thn utilitarian age, whero tho evils complained ot have to be mt in the great cities of London, Paris, Now York, and a thousand other places overburtheued with crowded graveyards, grave-yards, tho proce;vi of cremation has also to bo considered in the light of economy and thn facility with which it can be reached by the poor as well as tho rich. It is, thereloro.proposcd to erect furnaces in every cemetery throughout the land not with great high chiinnied to mark disagreeably their uses where tho dead cm bo taken, the same ns if the ordinary mode of iiiteniHMit was observed. To these furnaces the body is taken, and instead of lowering the coffin into the grave, it slides through an aperture of the furnaec building and there enters a powerful reverberating cylitidrieal vessel seven feet long by six in diameter, diam-eter, ) 1 cated to a temperature of 2,000 lahrcnbeit. The bo.ly placed in this polished cylinder is soon consumed, and in an hour's timo the ashes of the deceased can bo gathered for pre servation iu an urn, or in any vessel seleetod for the purpose. The opposition of creeds whs expected ex-pected to this "veritable agitation," , but so many adherents havo already been found among the clergy, and thoso interested in ceiemonials of jc , ligion, that thej-e neenis really noth-, noth-, ing necessary to the insbillation of cremation but tl! education of the people up to tho idea. At a meeting recently held in New York city for tho purpose of cllecting a permanent organization of those in favor of cremation, with tbe view also of disseminating general information upon the subject, hoiho of tho most prominent men of that city were present pres-ent and took active part in the proceedings, pro-ceedings, and letters were received from many distinguished absent gentlemen, gen-tlemen, expressing their entire concurrence con-currence in the proposed reformation. Among tho number of writers was tho now well known Henry linrgh, who has labored so much for the proven-lirm proven-lirm ol cruelty to animals, giving in his fullest adhesion to cremation, anil in advance of death disposing of bis body lor tbeexperiment. An organization was eflcctcd, and tho society of cro-matiouiHts cro-matiouiHts aro now at work endeavoring endeavor-ing U con veil tho world to tho adoption adop-tion of the ancient pagan rites of disposing dis-posing of the dead. Up to the present time, the German Ger-man speaking nationalities are foremost fore-most in Hi is work and it is more than probable that America will oul-diKtaneo oul-diKtaneo England in i(n curly adoption of cremation; but whether 0110 nation be iirat or lust Id another, nothing seems more certain than that in all countries tho facts of Bt-ieneo will; ultimately prcvnil over traditions and . usage, and whatever may hoeomn necessary for tho preflcrvatbn of the living will most certainly bu adopted. |