The Empire County argus., 1855-06-09
From the Home Journal.
What the Doctor Has to say.--Eternity.

The doctor has seen many travellers on the road.
and brought many back who had fairly started on
their way, to renew again the interests of life;
while some, in spite of all his endeavors, have gone
on in the journey to eternity. 1t is a hard thing
TO give up-to set aside all the hopes and aspra-
tons and dissolve all the interests and connections
of this existence to go hence, and commence a
new being in world Of which we know little of
the lights and shadows.
How the heart beats. and the pulse throbs, as
the doctor admits that he has failed in his endeav-
to stay the progress of the car that hasens on
to the unknown world. How much would be Civ
en- at this moment for reasonable hope of life!
How quickly would all that life has struggled for
be given up for the certainty of return to health
to balance the account with death But it is OF
no use; Death is inexorable, and must come out
conqueror with US all at last.
What strangely infatuated being man is! how
he tolls and struggles for this exstence--how much
he lays up for this short life and how little to take
into that future which is eternity! How eagerly
the master grasps the rewards of the hireling'
toll and how imperatively he dictates to those who
live for the present by his sufrages! With what
ordly steps he treads upon the soil he calls his
own, an how independently he refers to the treas
ure under his control and yet the meanest of his
subjects is not more dependent than he Sooner or
later he. too. must own to a master. whose agent is
old Time, and some day he will present his &C
count. when there will be no putting it off Nci-
ther lands nor gold will satisfy him. Then he will
be told that he was but tenant-that his boasted
possessions were not his--that they must be left
behind for those that come after him. Well will
it be with him then if he can look back upon life
of good deedsa life of charity, of benevolence
of Kindness of humility. These are treasures
which transferable to another world He may
have kept no account of them, may have forgotten
all but they have not been forgotten Of him -
Eternity is mental existence, where every thing
is remembered forever and ever, and poor indeed il
he who has no record of good deeds treasured uI
there.
How strangely insignificant do seem "all things
here below" when we come to look back at tia
last hour, when about to emerge into the rnseer
future, and yet how hard it is to realize the fac
until that hour comes
1t is a strange world this! and hard hearted
world to many. Yet it is not the dying man only
that relentS; there generous impulses and noble
deeds recorded of many-of very many. Ofter
the hand is unfolded to the needy. and the hear
yields up its sympathies to the afflicted. Mankind
are not thoughtless of the future, they in
different to the less fortunate, as they to be
Within every heart there is spring which gush
es forth in a stream of good impulses; it may b
bur ed by the outward coverng-hid by externa
circumstances-yet nature has established it there
and it is seldom that it is entirely dried up, bu
that. by proper endeavors, it may be opened afres
The doctor has isen all this many times and learn
e. !, N dying men to be charitable.
The secrets of life may be withheld from al
others to at last be unfolled to him whose duty i
only to minister unto the body. When the fest
is weak the irit is willing then it is that human
nature puts its best robes-clothes itself as bes
it can for eter;i i,y. Would to God that it did no
SO frequdntly put it off to that last hour-till thC
dawn of eternal day breaks upon the vision. to re
veal to the mind the darkness of this day of life