Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999Bird, Arthur
Science
Looking forward : $b a dream of the United States of the Americas in 1999
Bird, Arthur
Twentieth century -- Forecasts; United States -- Civilization
It was at first thought that cremation would destroy the sacred
memories and observances [Memorial Day in 1999.] of Memorial or
Decoration Day. In a few years, however, it was discovered that these
fears were unfounded. People in 1999 were loyal to the sacred memory
of departed ones, and on Memorial days the interior of the mausoleums
and doors of the vaults were garlanded with flowers, presenting a most
beautiful appearance. The old graves of the nineteenth and preceding
centuries were still cared for by loving hands.
These were decorated as in the good old days of 1899 and were not
in anywise neglected. Many families in the twentieth century took
up the remains of their ancestors and caused them to be cremated in
order that their ashes might rest in the same vault. It was conceded
that the ashes could never perish in a vault and another supreme
advantage in favor of the cremation system arose from the fact that
they required no care.
The abominations of the old fashioned burials were apparently without
limit. Under that barbaric system of the 19th century, it might truly
be said that after death a man had no where to lay his head. [Ejected
for Non-Payment of Rent.] One would think that after death a person
had severed his connection with the living world. Such was not the
case. It often happened that men were taken out of their graves for
non-payment of rent. That is, the lease or care of the ground not
having been satisfied or paid, the ground or cemetery lot reverts
to the Association, who dislodge the body of the tenant and offer
the cemetery lot for sale to other parties. In the 19th century,
especially in European cities, it was a common practice to lease a
grave for five years, at the expiration of which period the grave
was opened and the skeletons deposited in underground catacombs or
left to the tender mercies of medical students. The barbarity of such
practices, sanctioned by the civilization of the 19th century, need
not be dwelt upon. Cremation removed the stigma of such unholiness
from civilized nations. The ashes of the dead required no material
space and were easily disposed of. No grave rentals or purchases were
required in their case.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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