The Osceola times., 1876-01-29
Emerson ON Immortality.

He has always been averse to speaking
on the subject of immortality, save, per
hans. with few kindred minds and he
has only lightly and infroquently touched
upon il in his writings. But, on his last
converse with his follower, he has ex-
pressed himself plainly and without re-
serve. 1t is the vital topic with most
persons, and his confessions upon 1t will
be read with ayidity by those who look
UP TO him and to a higher life than the
present =
Sufficient to to-day are the duties OF
to-day. Don't waste life in doubts and
fears spend yourself on the work before
vou. well assured that the right perfor-
nance of this hours duties will be tie
best preparation for the hours OF ages
that follow IT.
.The name OF death wa. never terrible
To him that knew 10 live
al think all sound minds rest on a
certain preliminary conviction, namely :
that if il be best that conscious personal
life shall continue, it will continue; if
not best, then ii will not; and we, ii we
saw the whole, should see Of course that
il was better so. Schiller said, What is
so universal as death, must be of benefit
"The ground of hope is in the infinity
Of the world, which infnity reapPears In
every particle, the powers of all society
in every individual, and of all mind in
every mind. ! know, against all ap-
pearances, that the universe can receive
no detriment that there lis a remedy
for every wrong, and a satisfaction for
every soul. Here is this wonderful
thought But whence came it? Who
put II in the mind 1t was not !, it was
not you; it is elemental-belongs to
thought and virtue, and, whenever we
have either, we see the beams Of this
light. When the Master of the universe
has points to carry in His government,
He impresses His will in the structure
of mind"
In the midst of this essay on lmmor'
tality, Emerson introduces, to illustrate
the intense desire in thoughtful minds
for sure hope IN life to come, an
anecdote which is most impressive:
There is profound melancholy at
the base of men of active and powerful
talent, seldom suspected. Many year.
ago there were two men in the United
States senate, both of whom are now
dead | have seen them both; one o
them | personally knew. Both were
men of distinction, and took an active
part in the politics of their day ano
generation. They were men of intellect
and one of them, at later period, gave
to friend this anecdote He said that
when he entered the senate, he became
in a short time intimate with one of hi
colleagues, and, through attentive
enough to the routine of public duty
they daily returned to each other, anc
spent much time in conversation on thu
immortality of the soul, and other intel
lectual questions, and cared for little
eke. When my friend at last left con
gress, they parted, his colleague remain
ing there, and, as their homes wer'
widely distant from each other, i
chanced that he never met HIM again
until, twenty-five years, afterwards, they
saw each other, through open doors, at {
distance, in a crowded reception at thu
President house in Washington. Slowl,
they advanced towards each other, a.
they could, through the brilliant com
pany, and at last met-said nothing
but shook hands long and cordially Al
last his friend said, Any light, Albert?
None replied Albert. Any light
Lewis2 p None replied he. The,
looked in each Others eyes silently, gav'
one more shake each to the hand HI
held, and thus parted for the last time
Now | should say that the impuls'
which drew these minds to this inquiry
through 80 many years.was, better aflir
native evidence than their failure t
! find confirmation was negative"