Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-09

MEnUsELAH.-Did Methuselah live
on the earth nine hundred and sixty
nine years? We're the years in the
days Of Moses and the prophets as long
as they are now! Were days and
years in Bible times literal or 6gura-
tive? These questions are frequently
discussed, but not always satisfactorily
solved. j.
To the present short-lived race 1T
seems to be inconceivable that in the
earlier history Of the world, men should
have lived so long. But no one has ever
given us sound reason why they should
not. We have never yet heard sci
entific reason to the contrary.
DR.. Alcott, the celebrated yegetari-
an, who is so often accused Of advoca-
ting s'bran bread and saw-dust pud-
dings," but who, in reality, does not
recommend bran bread at all, and who
is opposed to buildings Of all kinds, ar
CUES that if Methuselah outllved his
ancestors, his descendants might have
outlived him, had they been as rigidly
observant Of the conditions Of health.
And why not? We should like to
see the medical man or the Psychologist
who can give reason why it is impos-
sible for human being to live thou
sand years. We mean, of course, a
philosophical reason. All the argu-
ments that can be advanced against
this position, must be drawn from hui
man experience. This proves the pres
ent. average age Of the human family
to be thirty years, or less. And if we
look into the causes which are destroy
ing the human race at this moment, as
well as abbreviating the natural period
Of existence, we may we'll wonder that
the race does not cease to live at all.
No one will contend that Methuselah
lived almost thousand years contrary
to the laws. Of nature ; and if the laws
of nature permit one person to live so
long, why 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 in the world every year, with
out vitality sufficient to- carry them
through the period Of infancy. A ma
jority are, born with so low grade of
constitutional stamina as to be unable
to grow up to fully mature manhood,
even under the most favorable circum-
stances. And Of those who have the
reputation Of dying at old age, their
years do not often number three score
and ten. ia. e .,a Jss4 a7t
Was Methuselah an old man at fifty
or sixty? Was he grey-headed and
superanuated at sixty nine? Was he
known among men as an old man at
one hundred years No. He was a
young man at three hundred. At one
hundred years he was but a boy, and
not an cold boy" either; but we'll
grown, fnely-developed and wholesome
boy. ,sa9~ ri rsr III. i. ..st,
Methuselah did not live in densely
populated city nor was the country in
his time filed with the poisonous MAS
mas Of slaughter houses, distilleries,
cow stables, pig pens and graveyards.
Nor were the people continually poison
ing themselves with fiery stimulants
and palsying narcotics. Nor was the
food in those times adulterated and vi
tiated in all possible ways to suit the
purposes Of commerce, and insure prof
its to dealers. Nor did doctors then
poison the people through and through
with powerful drugs, fgperchance they
became sick. Nor did learned men in
those days teach us that lager beer and
alcohol were useful and nutritious foods
and beverages. Nor were men permit
ted, as now. to walk abroad aud puff
the poison of tobacco smoke into the
whole atmosphere. Men lived in puri-
ty, purity insured health, health gave
strength, strength gave long life
"Oh, for the good old days Of Adam
and Eve," and of Methuselah, espe-
cially.-Lits Illustrated. i .
OLD BAcHELoRs.-" Single blessed
ness'' is rapidly on the increase. 1t
L Ill IL