Bishop and Cremation.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 247, 20 October 1886, Page 4

Bishop and Cremation.

Tiik Bishop of London, in sponking at tho Church of England Futioral and Mourning Reform Association, gavo tho cromationists a lift by tho way, and in all probability intended to do so. Tlioro wero cortain objections, ho eaid, to that practico, arising partly out of projudico and partly out ol tho possibility of its destroying tho ovidoncoa of crime. But, in dealing with this aspoct of tho question, ho g;»vo conclusive proof that be not only undorstood chemistry but theology much bettor than the Rishop of Peterborough. That oloquont prolato yearH age epoko as though tho incineration of human remains would destroy tho body, and thin rondor the resurrection impossible. Ho was probubly not awnro that tho matoriale of the body arc often taken up by plants, and thus pass in tho shaps of food into othor human bodies, and possibly many times ovor. Tho Bishop of London knows those facts well, and without directly rebuking hia right rev. brothor, oponly confuted both liia theology and fiia scionco. Ho was anxious, ho said, for his hearers to got rid of the heathenish idea that it was desirable to koop the body as long as possible apart fioni the earth, when tho truo object of burial was to restore tho corruptible elemonts as quickly as posciblo to thoir native earth. Ho seemed to think that those methods of burial which most quickly perform this nocossary and ultimately inovitablo process aro most to bo profcrrod. Tho cremationists claim it as tho chief merit of thoir syetcin thut it does this in the courss of a fow hours, whilst the quickost modes of burial in practico require years to accomplish it. They will certainly claim tho Ui*hop of London as ono of tlioir most ardent champion?. From tho tone of his speech wo imagine thut he will not bo floiiously disqtiietod by tlioir inforonco.