Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-06-17
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Methuselah.

Dlu Metnuselan live on the earth nine
hundred aud ~sixty-nine years? Were
the years in the days Of Moses and the
prophets, as loug as they are now ?
Were days and years. in the Bible times,
literal or f~gurative? These questions
are frequently discussed, but not always
satisfactorily solved.
10 the present short-lived race it
seems to be inconceivable, that, in the
earlier history of the world, men should
have lived so long. But no one has Civ
Ell US a sound reason why they should
not. We have never yet heard a scion
tile reason to the contrary.
DR.. .Alcott, the celebrated vegetarian,
who is so often accused of advocating
: b~ran-bread, and saw-dust buildings"
but who in reality does uot recommend
bran-bread at all, and who is opposed to
puddings Of all kinds. argued that,
as Methuselah out-lived his ancestors.
his descendants might have out-lived
him, had they been as rigidly observant
OF the conditions of health.
And why not? We should like to see
the medical man OF Psychologist who can
give a reason why it is impossible for a
human being to live a thousand years.
we mean OF course. a philosophical rea
son. All the argument that can be ad-
vanced against this position must be
drawn from human experience. This
proves the present average age Of the
human family TO be thirty years, or less.
And If we look into the causes which are
/ 66SfrnuInn fbo hr1,t,n, ~ n n - %1tc n n
ment, as well as abbreviating the natural
period OF existence, we may wonder that
the race does not cease to live at all.
No n will contend that Methuselah
lived almost a thousand years contrary
to the laws of nature. And if the laws
OF nature permits one person to live so
long, why will not the same laws permit
other persons, under similar circumstan-
ces, to live as long, or longer?
1T IS true that millions of children are
born into the world every year without
vitality sufficient to carry them through
the period of infancy. A majority are
born with SO low a grade of constitution
al stamina as to be unable to grow up to
fully matured manhood, even under the
most favorable circumstances. And Of
those who have the reputation Of dying
under old age, their years do not often
number more than three score and ten.
Was Methuselah an old man at fifty or
sixty Was he grey-headed and super
anuated at sixty-nine? Was he known
among men as an old man for nine hun
dred years? No. He was a young mar
at three hundred. . At one hundred years
he was but a boy, and not an sold boy"
either, but a well grown, firmly develop
ed, and wholesome youth.
Methuselah did not live in a densely
populated city nor was the country in
his time filled with the poisonous miasma
of slaughter houses, distilleries, COW sta
bles, pig-pens and grave yards. Nor
were the people continually poisoning
themselves with fiery stimulants and pal
sying narcotics. Nor was the food in
those times adulterated and yitiated in
all possible ways to suit the purposes of
commerce, and insure the profits of deal
ers. Nor did doctors then poison the
people through and through with power
full drugs, if ~perchance they become sick.
Nor did learned men in those days teach
us that lager bier and alcohol were use.
ful and nutritious food and beverages
Nor were men permitted, as now, to walk
abroad and puff the poison of tobacco
smoke into the whole atmosphere. Men
lived in purity /; purity insured health
health gave strength ; strength secured
long life. 20, for the good old days Of
Adam and Eve" and Of Methuselah es-
pecially.-Ljjs illustrated.