The cremation of the dead: considered from an aesthetic, sanitary, religious, historical, medico-legal, and economical standpointErichsen, Hugo
Religion
The cremation of the dead: considered from an aesthetic, sanitary, religious, historical, medico-legal, and economical standpoint
Erichsen, Hugo
Cremation
The board organized immediately upon the adjournment of the
stockholders’ meeting, and chose D. G. Eshleman, Esq., president; Dr.
Henry Carpenter and Rev. J. Max Hark, vice-presidents; J. D. Pyott,
clerk; H. C. Brubaker, Esq., corresponding secretary; Geo. K. Reed,
treasurer. Mr. Middleton was placed on the committee on ground and
building in place of Mr. Hensel, whose engagements prevented his acting;
and this committee was instructed to report June 20, at which time the
site now occupied was selected and the committee ordered to purchase. On
the 30th of June, the stock subscribed was called in, and building
proposals asked for. On the 11th of July, bids were opened; on the 14th
of July, the contract was awarded to Mr. Dinkelberg, and the building
was immediately begun. On the 10th of September, the building was
completed; and the retort builders having failed to come to time, the
committee were authorized to construct one on plans of their own. This
was done; for Dr. M. L. Davis devised and built a furnace from his own
designs, and on Nov. 1 the board met in the crematory building, and
provided for the improvement of the grounds.
On the night of Nov. 4 or the morning of the 5th, the furnace went to
white heat, despite predictions of experts to the contrary, and
justified the plan of construction. On the evening of the 17th of
November, the body of a sheep, two ox-heads, and several sheep-heads
were enclosed in a wooden box and placed in the retort at red heat, the
company present being unwilling to remain later. Some smoke, of course,
was made; but when white heat was reached, the cremation was perfect, as
specimens of the residuum amply proved.
The crematorium was dedicated on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 2 P.M., when the
body of a lady from Jersey City, N. J., was incinerated. It must be
remembered that this society was organized on May 27, 1884, purchased
land, erected its building, and had its first cremation within the
period of six months, while several other societies organized much
earlier had not yet advanced much beyond laying the corner-stones of
their respective buildings.
The dedication exercises were opened by a prayer by Rev. Geo. Gaul, of
St. Paul’s Methodist Church. Thereupon, the building was delivered to
the society by Dr. M. L. Davis, chairman of the building committee, who
discussed the subject of cremation from a sanitary standpoint.
The next oration, preceding the benediction, was delivered by Rev. J.
Max Hark, pastor of the Moravian church, one of the vice-presidents of
the society, who treated the subject from a theological standpoint.
The benediction over, the participants in the dedication ceremony
dispersed. The incineration that took place on this occasion was
entirely satisfactory.
The whole ceremony was solemn, and produced a profound impression upon
the intelligent and thoughtful audience, among whom were many guests
from other cities.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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