Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-12-10
From the Congregationalist.
OLD AGE.
ny REV. ALBERT BARNES.

The Relation of a Nan Of Advanced years to the
NeT Generdt'on by Dhich he is Surrounded.
In order to usefulness or happiness in
any situation in life, II is of the utmost
Importance that man should know his
place, his surroundings, with which he is
To act, or by what he is to be acted OH |;
what cooperation he can hope for in any
plans that he may form, aud bsw his
views will be likely to fall in with, or to
be contrasted with, the views of others
In nothing is man more likely TO make
Il mistake, or tall into error, than in this !;
from no other source, perhaps, are there
more frequent causes of failure in the
plans of life.
The young naturally fall in with the
course OF events as they find them in he
world, but ale free to form plans of their
own, it they choose, stretching far into
the future. A young farmer will natu-
rally cultivate his farm in the manner in
which his father did but he will ieel at
liberty to change the mode of conduct
ing his farming if he chooses, or to
abandon the business. altogether, and to
select some other calling in life. His
aged father might naturally desire to
see the farm carried OH in the same man
ner in which he himself conducted il,
and may regard every change as SO
much evidence that the world is retro
grading. He himself can now form n"
new plans; he grieves, perhaps, that his
own long cherished modes of doing
things are not carried out, as one gricves
when he sees tree which he has plant
ed cut down TO make room for some ar
rangement designated as an Improve
ment' For all his own schemes, and
plans, and ways of doing things, he has
the fondness which parent has for a
child ; their abandonment or change If
like the laying of such child in the
grave.
1t is probable that no class of men is
so liable to cherish these feelings as aged
ministers of the gospel. A new genera
tion as it comes on the stage of action,
differs materially from the generation
tha: is about to pass away and the
views and feelings of the two genera
lions in regard 10 each other become a
matter of great importance, and are no,
always Of easy adjustment. The new
generation as it enters on its course,
tirds state of things into which it is t."
enter, and in relation TO which it is to
act. 1t enters into world which has
arrived at certain stage OF progress |;
where there are plans and purposes
formed by others in state of develop
nent more or less perfect where there
is a vast accumulation of what is most
valuable tor the interests of learning,
liberty, and civilization, the result of all
the past labors, Inventions, discoveries,
and struggles of the world and where
there are immense vested intert SITS, all of
which are TO be placed in trust in the
hands of the new generation. All that
the world has toiled for, is to pass into
the hands OF that generation from all
| for which they have toiled, the aged gen.
Grafton is to pass away. A new genera
tion enters on its course, with the GER
tainty that there is not an interest of any
kind in the church or the State that is
not to pass into their hands. All the
accumulated wealth OF the world by
whomsoever now held, will be theirs.
Every Office in the church or State will be
soon vacated, and will be theirs. Every
pulpit in the land the seat of every
Judge every position at the bar, in the
Senate-chamber or in the medical pro-
iession every professorship in the col
le yes every directorship in bank, oi
in an insurance office, will soon be AT
their disposal. The highest office in the
gift OF a people will soon be vacated
and other occupants must soon sit down
on every throne, and every Judgment
seat, in the world. All the wealth o.
the world all the offices of trust al
the results of the past conflicts for lber
ty, for religion, and for civilization; viii
soon pass into their hands. Nothing
can prevent this nothing can delay the
Time when it is to be done. There is q
vast trust for each new generation, and
il becomes all the more vast, and is in
vested with higher responsibility, as eacl
new generation comes OH the stage
Now, since this il 70 be so, it is no won.
der that men in advaDcing years, to
whom these appear to be 80 great mat
tiers, should be solicitous in regard to
the character OF those to whom these
great interests are to be entrusted, and
10 regard to their qualifications TO receive
50 great trust nor would il be strange
if they should look with suspicion on
the plans aud measures OF new genera
tion that may seem to them to peril the
great trust plans and measures it may
be, SO much unlike their own.
The first duty of the new generation
is TO guard and secure those sacred trusts
and see that when they leave the stagt
of action. they may be transmitted un
impaired TO future times. But While II