Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-05-13
written for the Pevrysbure Journai.l
OUR DICTIONARY.



kpsT1Rswon. ancient times fasting wss
one of the principal ceremonies Of religion.
Men believed that modification Of the flesh pro-
pitiated the augry doiiy and.procurcd them his
favor. or these moriiAcations fasting fornec
a part AS if God we're pleased whom his chill
dreu starved themselves Modern religions re-
tain this ieatare Of paHanism, but u - tiRor-
ousy observed by few. AS the world grows
older, mon become wisci. Science unmistaka-
bly, teaches us that fasting is fully as Injurious
to the physical system as excess. bnth are 10
be avoided More than one unfortunate has
found an early grave In consequences ot iast-
ing.
Temperance societies arc mighty levers inthe
production of reform, and the upheAval of ini
onity. Alcohol, and all its compounds, has
been terrible curse IN humanity. No nther
scOurgc has ever done its work 40 fully, fear
fully, as this. Young men enticed from the
loyng hearts at home, plunged into the depths
Ofssin and misery, curse TO themselves,
curse to their families, curse to the world
lives Of usefulness thwRrted homes desccrated,
hopes blasted Happiness forever ruined oh tits
fearful to contemplated " your beloved brother
falls upon the bloody field of strife, Won have
the consolation of knowing that he fell while
bravely performing his duty If he Is stricken
down by the hand Of disease, you know that 1t
was the will Of God If he Is lost beneath the
ocean waves, your bereavement can be sus-
tanned but who shall paint the agony 0f that
heart which follows him % the drunkard's sep
uchre This damuing traffic in human souls 1;
| which robs mans life Of all us brightness,
transferred him into a very demon, sends cur
! rent of Ere throughout his veins and blackens
| his immortal SOUL nerves his arm to commit
| crime STILES all the holy aspirations of the
spiritual nature. and finally launches its victims
| into spirit life unprepared which has spread o
| pal Of darkness over the world, filed the land
with graves, made thousands Of widows and
orphans, sent fearful agony thrilling along the
! heart strings of millions, until, reeling be-
| meath the burden Of woe, they have sank, help
less aud crushed is the first stone to be rolled
away from the sepulchie of human nature by
the rclormers Of world of degradation Oh !
| had the power, would burl the internal pois-
| on and its makers into eternal ObliviOni Let
me bescech you, WHO are striving to advance
| the snow-white banner OF reform, TO strike
deeply, powerfully, tho citadel of intempcr-
ancei
| AoE.-Tke average duration Of human life Is
| about thirty. three years. Que fourth or one
| third Of this is consumed In sleep, which leaves
| twenty two Years Of wakeful existence. Yet
J man, pulled up wi h vanity, struts up and down
| the stage Of life as though he were Lord of the
universe aud destined to live a thousand years.
! The Bible mentions several persons who lived
over 300 years. 1t is true that when we con-
slider the condition ot man in the earliest ages,
our reason refuses to believe this, but we must
not always trust IN reason. Ii Is our duty 10
believe and ask no questions.
The youth always looks forward to old age
with n shudder, aud not unfreqaent does age
look back upon youth with similar feeling.
{ Old age has its pleasures and its sorrows, its
Joy and sadness, IA well as youth. Happy IS he
who after a life of usefulness, ripens into q
gondly age, prepared for a change of existence,
undIsturhed bv any recolieclions OF misspent
Years Those who fail TO reach old age do moi
d r.IE Itl,a of hay N rp
the green iruit which falls from the tree be!oic
the harvest Those who become ripe are evi-
IDENTIFY blessed.
The ancients had a fine fable illustrating the
life of man Seeing the shortness OF life he
was in despair "ProlOng my existence" said
he TO Jupiter al am more worthy than the cat
erpllar the butterfly, the peacock, the horse
the fox or the ape; it is just that ! and my
family should live long to command all beasts.
"Wiingly," said Jupiter, but have only q
certain number of days TO divide among the
beings to whom have granted life. can only
give tn thee bv taking away from others for
Imagine not that because | am Jupiter.1 an
infinite and all-powerful-I have NV nature and
nv limits Now will grant thee some years
more. bv taking them from these SIX animals
Of which thou art jealous, on tne peremp"ry
aud Just condition that thou shalt successfully
assume their manner of living. Man shall tirs
be n caterpillar, dragging himself along IN his
! earliest infancy. Until fifteen he shall have the
lghtness of the butterfly; in his youth the van
ity ~ the peacock. In manhood he must un'
dergo the iabors Of the horse. Towards ht,y nt
| shall have the tricks Of the fox, and IN his old
age be ugly and ridiculous like the ape" such
j. the general condition Of man. So fully do I
become like the ape as we advance in years, tba
old age is only ane,her name for old fogyisu
aud mental mbecility. This fact gave rise e
the prnverb. Age robs death of all ITS terrors
for when man reaches that state he would ratheI
die than live.
And men nf age and sense
Pray Gud to take them hence.