Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-02-25
n EVENING NEWS.
THE DESIRE OF LIVING.
Among the natural desires which are

implanted within us, perhaps none Is
stronger than that which Graves con-
tinued existence. The common smile,
Gas dear as life ITSELF" proves how
very precious Is the boon, and the con-
seriousness of each one Of us bears con-
tinual witness to the same fact. 1t
would seem as If such a sentiment, so
universal and so powerful, would natu-
rally lead every n to the most delib-
crate and rational care Of all the means
of preserving health, and guarding life
against sudden emergencies. That
this Is not the case, however, Is a fact
patent to all. Many who cling to life
with the utmost tenacity are yet culpa-
bly, negligent about Its laws, and wan
tonly expose it to needless dangers.
Though shrinking from death as 4 ter
rible enemy, they yet make but little
effort to guard against its approaches,
and, by self-indulgence and other
means, actually shorten the life they
so much love. Others affect to regard
the love of life and the fear of death
equally as marks Of cowardice, and
with a bravado that they mistake for
courage, do not hesitate to put into
needless peril or wen to throw away
that priceless boon Of life with which
they are entrusted. And there are
still Others who will deliberately cast
away their lives, not from any fancied
bravery, but from a pitiable and abject
fear of its dark passages. He who
from any cause refuses to face the trials
and sorrows which have come upon
him, either as the results Of his own
misconduct or as his appointed and
necessary lot, and flies for relief to the
guilt of suicide, proves himself to be
not only unfaithful to his trusts, but
selfish and cowardly in the extreme.
The chief cause why so many who love
life yet waste it in these various ways,
Is that they are yielding to an impulse
rather than cultivating 4 principle.
Every desire implanted within us has
its special objects and limitations, and
it is only rs we recognize these and
strive to work in unison with them
that Its end can be accomplished. The
desire of life, so universal in mankind,
is evidently intended for its preserva-
ton. Without it, the first trouble
would overwhelm Us, and the race Of
man would soon become extinct. 1t
therefore plainly points out to each
one Of US the duty Of self-preservation
in its broadest sense. This not only
requires US to abstain from actual
suicide, but to study carefully and
obey rigidly the laws of health. 1t
forbids all sensual indulgence, all
needless exposure, all unhealthy en-
element. IL condemns the MAJ who,
to increase his gains, or to enhance his
knowledge, or to win fame, denies
himself necessary sleep Or recreation,
and censures him who INDUCES any i'll
c~lination that conflicts with perfect
bodily and mental viSor. 1t incul-
Gates temperance, moderation anu the
regulation of habits, and lays us, in
fact, under a bond to follow out what
ever course the best Judgment approves
rs most conducive to our we'll being.
If this natural desire for life has thus
Its own specific mission, and conveys
its own peculiar lessons, it also has its
own limitation. Much Of the evil in
the world Is caused by running q duty
into the ground, or rather by failing to
see its relation to other duties, and to
observe the limits which they neces-
sarily impose. Every duty holds a
specific rank, and while it limits those
below, it Is in turn limited by those
above. Thus the duty Of se~lf-preser-
Walton should limit the appetites and
the inclinations. 1t should triumph
over unmanly fears and control all
lower and counteracting impulses.
But it must itself be subject to higher
laws and limited by superior duties.
There IRE cases where the desire for
life must not weigh an iota against par
amount claims, and where he only who
loses his earthly life can find life in its
true import. II, in order to preserve
life, we must renounce u integrity,
crush n affections, stille our convic-
tions, or disobey our consciences, then
only a we prove true manhood by
giving up life, rather than accepting
with it spiritual degradation. No
nobler acts has the earth ever wit
messed than those of the men and
women who have laid down their lives
n willing sacrifice to truth, to right
e~ousness, to liberty, or to humanity.
The interests of mankind are greatly
involved in such attestation of princi-
Pile. Truth often lies dormant In the
world until its power is asserted by
such means. The martyrs Of old times,
in their heroic suffering for conscience
sake, were accomplishing n work
for future ages Of which they little
dreamed, and laying the foundation OF
the religious liberty which is now
dawning all over the civilized world.
SO, in our late struggle for freedom,
those who so firmly, bravely and pa
tiently laid down their lives in de-
tense of the great principles that were
in danger of being overthrown, though
to themselves they only seemed to be
doing a simple duty, were, in reality,
accomplishing a work for future gen.
erations, the value Of which none can
ever fully estimate. Let us, then,
honor the desire Of life implanted
within us, both In the duties which it
involves and the limitations to which
it Is subject, never suffering lower de-
sires to usurp Its place, or affecting by