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never do, so we bury people deep down and fondly imagine that which
is out of sight will not disturb us.
Now the rapid growth of cities is making the finding of room for
cemetery extension a very difficult matter, and nowhere is this more so
than in London. I have already told you that earth burial is not
without danger to the living. Under the varying conditions of ordinary
burial, bacteria live and thrive for years; it has been proved beyond
the shadow of a doubt that germs come to the surface, but we have not
been able to prove to what extent disease is or may be spread by earth
burial. We know that contaminated earth carries germs which cause
disease, but we cannot tell you how some of these diseases which cost
the country millions every year are carried from one part of the
country to another. Why did so many non-combatant millions die
during and after the war from a disease which, to hide our ignorance,
we called influenza? I think I know.
Another thing. People speak of the departed as being "At rest."
or "At peace," "Life's fitful fever is o'er." It sounds well and I
would be the last to trespass upon any sentiment of the kind. But is
it true? So far as the body is concerned it is a pure myth. With the
advent of death, changes of a revolutionary character commence with
devastating rapidity and continue until the slow process of putrefaction
is complete, a matter of years.
The question of earth burial versus cremation must be decided by
the living. Which process is likely to be in the best interests of the
public health? On the one hand, the rapid reduction, without offence,
of the body into ashes in an hour-and-a-half; on the other the long
drawn out offensive process which after many years sees the body
reduced to the same elements.
The second argument in favour is the Aesthetic Argument.
Many people have joined the Cremation Society on purely aesthetic
grounds. They deplore the evidence of decay and neglect, the tumbled
tombstones, the ill-kempt appearance of so many cemeteries. How
can anyone prefer a grave to the beautiful cleansing of fire; from the
earliest days it is spoken of—a cleansing fire.
Sentiment has stood in the way of cremation, but sentiment will
yet lead to its general adoption.
Each burial has retained its hold on the people because it has been
hallowed and sanctioned by centuries old tradition, and has been interwoven
too with their religious beliefs. The new generation believe