The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-07-10
Growing Old.

mere Is peTlOu dl HlllCH llcu coue W oe
strangely impressed with the thought " | am
growing old" l suppose there is year or
two III which all have the feeling-it may
not be painful one. but it is a sad one; it
is a tender, minor feeling-"I have passed
my youth | am never to be boy again
am never to be young any more; not only
am man, but as man have signs and
tokens Of the failure of some parts of my
organization" 1t is said of athletes, boxers
and wrestlers, that they have second breath.
After they have gone through what moy be
said to be their first strength, there is ral-
lying of the system; and they are said to
have come to their second breath. When
they are on their SECOND breath they hold
out great while. SO it is with their
thoughts in respect to growing old. We
have sad feeling to get over, which arises
from the consciousness that we are becoming
aged but after we have got over that feel
ing, they never feel old, though they are
eighty years of age. They come to their
second breath in that regard. Now, do you
begin to have a consciousness that you are
failing? do You find that your feet grow
heavier than they used to be? Are there
not persons here that have some difficulty
about the ears? Have you never thought
that persons talked less clearly than they
used to? Have you not thought that people
did not pronounce their words as plainly as
you were taught to pronounce yours in the
school that you attended9 Does it not seem
to you that the spectacle makers are growing
slack ? Are there no times when you feel
that the shadow is turned? All day long,
the sun goes up, and up, till at last it stands
at flush noon-day and then, when it slants
even one degree, you see that the shadow
crt cps down the other side, and grows longer
and longer as it goes down. There are many
of YOU that have seen the shadow run on
the wrong side, and it is growing longer and
longer. Your sun is going down towards
the western horizon.
If man has been accustomed to think of
his life mainly y as centered or fixed here, it is
not possible that he should not feel sadness
at the indications of decaying powers, of
limited accomplishments, of being compelled
to lay down his part of the duties of active
life. But if he feels that these things are
working out for him "a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory in the life that
is to come, he can look upon them with COM
posure, if not with cheerfulness. We do not
l-"e.~ '"h". -,o-"t~;ne, rich with gold.
worth, Till we begin to dig; and the more
we dig the more we become impressed with
its great value. So long as the gold is COW
cred up, and locked in the hard quartz, it is
worthless. 1t is by blasting by rending, by
destroying, thet the precious ore is brought
and made serviceable. Now, we carry in US
that which is more precious than the ore, to
obtain which we blast, and rend, and destroy
the rock. 1t is just this that the apostle
thinks Of when he says, 1--WE have this
treasure in earthen vessels. We are like
a casket made of earth, inside of which is
preciousness, it may be of ointment, or jew
els, or something else The real value con-
sists in that which the casket contains. This
body may be shattered, the casket may be
destroyed, and vet all that is valuable may
remain. Who cares, then, whether the hair
be white or black Who cares whether the
eye be far-sighted or near-sigated Who
cares whether the hearing be poor or good
Who cares what become of the senses? This
is not my whole life. This body is not my
only heritage. | 60 to that bright land where
the immortal part shines up and on forever
and ever. And this consideration take,
away the sadness occasioned by the con-
sciousness of the failure of the earthly fac
ulties.-Hemy Wa1d Beeche,.