Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-04-29
THE BALANCES OF LIFE---HOW THEY
TTRN.

No fact is more evident to the mind of man
than the uncertainty of human life. Yet no
fact is more commonly disregarded. We live
if the young and healthy were certain to out
live the aged and sickly. But oftentimes an
old man, who seems for years trembling on the
verge of the grave, sees numbers of the young
laid in the narrow house while he fingers Of
ten an invalid, evidently approaching the last
hour, waits to see one after another go down to
the tomb before him. Oftentimes the weakly
are Unexpectedly continued, or even raised to
health, while the strong are cut down as in a
moment. Death seems to be baffied in his eff
forts to carry off those who would appear to hu-
man Judgment his easiest victims while he finds
easy prey in those who seem most thoroughly
fortified against his assaults The facts of NOR
tality are such to put at fault our wisest cal
culations in regard to the probable departure Of
almost any man.
At the battle OF Murfreesboro were two Lieu
tenants in an Ohioregiment Both were Young
and healthy men, from the same town. and had
almost grown up together from childhood
mortally wounded. He had been shot through
and through the chest. Who could live with
such a wound? Lieut.. P was reported slightly
wounded in the knee. Why should not
he recover? The next reports represented
F. as recovering, and P as very bad
The third report said F. was still better and P
was decd. So it was l have stood, since. BY
the grave of Lieut.. P. (for his body was brough
home); and I have transacted business will
Lieut.. F., for he has not recovered vigor enough
to allow him to go back into the army. Thu
were the scales reversed. The one that seemed
likely to RISE fell; the that promised to fall
rose. Whether engaged in scenes of war or o
peace the future is all uncertain. Who cal
help thinking of it? Why should wenot thinl
/ of it? The facts show that every man ought t.
be constantly prepared either to live or TO die
prepared both religiously and in his business
! He is III sad case who finds himself in a situa
ton for which he is wholly unprepared. Thi
| is the case of every man who meets death with
out preparation. He who never thinks of tn,
subject cannot expect to be ready to meet tn,
summons. 1t is simply impossible. Then ev
cry man should so live that the last hour car
never overtake him unawares.
But it is not onlyin regard to the concerns o
their souls that men should live as to be ready
to die They should be ready in their business
also OF course they cannot keep their bust
ness constantly settled up, as if they were new
er to do any more. But they ought so to con
duct it, and so to record it that stranger cal
take their books and easily settle it. Many
man, dying suddenly has left his affairs in sucl
aconfused state that it was almost impossible t.
manage them. The result has been that hi
friends have had trouble and vexation, his fam
lily have suffered loss, and perhapsAhard suspi
cions have been cast upon his reputation. Suel
things ought not to be. Every man should ain
to leave his affairs in such state that they vii
be easy of adjustment. 1t is due to his friends
due to his family, due to his own good name-
But no man can have his business in this condi
ton unless he keeps record of it. Indeed, il
no other way can man understand his own af
fairs. Many man has become bankrupt be
cause he did not understand how he stood il
his business relations. But the consideration
that life may terminate any day, and withou
warning, is to every man an additional motiv
to conduct his business life so that it can be eas
lily understood. Certainly fact so serious an
momentous as this should not be neglected. B.