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keep our dead so long before burial ; but that the secret dread does 

 exist in some I am fully convinced ; even in my short experience in 

 this colony I know of a case where two doctors were called in to 

 certify that death had actually taken place. The deceased had many 

 times expressed a fear that she might be buried alive. 



With cremation, and a proper inspection of all cases after death, 

 there need be no such fear. And, again, what is the history of our 

 graveyards? It is this — and this is the common history all over the 

 world — they are placed on the outskirts of the city and used for the 

 burial of our dead for a generation, or it may be two. Then it is 

 found they are too near the city and its dwellings, and also that they 

 are becoming overcrowded. An order is issued that they be closed, 

 and no more burials can take place in them. A new cemetery is found 

 again on the outskirts, which will serve for another generation ; but 

 what has become of the old ? Those who have relatives or friends 

 buried there have passed away or ceased to take any interest in it. 

 The graves are uncared for, the tombstones begin to crumble and tumble 

 dowD, and sooner or later we find the " last resting place of our dead " 

 being dug up, the remains removed to some other cemetery, so that 

 the ground may be built upon, or it may be, as we find it in our own 

 city here, converted into a sheeprun. One has only to look at some 

 of the burial places, such as the one at the top of Campbell-street, 

 Davey street, or Trinity Hill, to appreciate the full meaning of what I 

 lay. ' 



With cremation and urn burial all this would be changed. The 

 ordinary burial ground would then be able to accommodate the remains 

 of our dead for many generations, and the neglect and desecration of the 

 resting-place of the dead, inherent to the present system, would give 

 place £to unremitting and loving care, for the simple reason that each 

 living generation would be as much interested in the preservation of 

 the cemetery as those that had gone before were at any previous time 

 in its history. We should at once have what is so much to be desired 

 from artistic and other points of view — a permanent resting-place for 

 our dead. No one can admire the art displayed in these disused 

 cemeteries. Consider how different it would be with urn burial. Here 

 all tombstones will be done away with, and instead we would have 

 artistic urns, carefully placed in well - designed columbaria, or, if 

 desired, in family tombs. These would protect all memorials of the 

 dead from the weather and the ravages of time. In Rome tombs may 

 be seen with urns in them as good as when they were placed there 

 some thousands of years ago. Such, then, are the advantages of 

 cremation over earth burial. What are the objections? 



The first objection raised is that it shows a want of feeling and 

 reverence for those whose memory we ought to cherish. 



It must be admitted that ancient custom and the lcng standing 

 prejudice ag&inst any other than earth burial, which has always been 

 associated with re'igious rites, will make people very slow to adopt 

 sny other than the present mode of burial. 



With many whom I have discussed this suVject it is a matter of 

 indifference what becomes of their bodies after death, but they shrink 

 from the sudden destruction of the body of those whom they have 

 loved and honoured in life, by the process of burning. I am proud 

 to think our nation does respect the memory of its dead, but 

 would not cremation and urn burial tend rather to keep the memory 

 of those we love ever fresh with us ? Is it not a fact that after a grave- 

 yard has been officially closed, that the graves become uncared for, and 

 the memory of those lying there has faded became, forsooth, we are 

 never reminded by anything in the church vault as we would be with 

 urn burial ? Admiring sentiment up to a certain point, we must be 

 careful L not to allow it to dictate to science, and what does chemical 



