The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1876-02-03
Emerson on Immortality.

lie has always been ayerse 10 speaking
on the subject Of Immortality, save, per
haps, with a few kindred minds and he
has only lightly and infrequently touched
upon il in his writings. But, on his last
converse with his followers, he has tx
pressed himself plainly and without re-
serve. IL il the vital topic with most
persons, and his confessions upon II will
be read with avidity 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
you, well assured that the right perfor'
nance Of this hours duties will be tie
best preparation for the hours of ages
that follow it.
'1hc name III death was never terrible
10 him that knew to liye'
" 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 II
not best, then it will not and we, if we
saw the whole, should see of course that
it was better 70. Schiller said, What is
50 universal IA death, must be Of benefit,'
"The ground Of hope is in the infinity
ofthe 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 APP
%pearanccs, that the universe can receive
no detriment that there is II remedy
for every wrong, and a satisfaction for
every soul. Here is this wonderful
thought. But whence came it? Who
put it 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 impresscs 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 Il sure hope IN a lie to come, an
anccdotc which is most impressive:
"Thcro is Il profound melancholy at
the base of men Of active and powerful
talent, seldom suspected. Many years
ago there were two men in the United
States senate, both Of whom are now
dead. ! have seen them both one of
them | personally knew. Both were
men of distinction, and took Al active
part in the politics Of their day and
generation. they we're men of intellect,
and one of them, at a later period, gave
to n friend this anccdote: He said that,
when he entered the senate, he became
in a short time intimate with one of his
colleagues, and, through attentive
enough to the routine of public duty,
they daily returned to each other, and
spent much time in conversation on the
immortality of the soul, and other intel
Iectual questions, and cared for little
eke. when my friend at last left on
gress, they parted, his colleague remain
ing there, and, as their homes were
widely distant from each other, it
CHANGED that he never met HIM again,
until, twenty-five years1atterwards, they
saw each other, through open doors, at a
distance, in Il crowded reception at the
Presidents house in Washington. Slowly
they advanced towards each other, as
they could, through the brilliant com
pany, and at last met-said nothing,
but shook hands long and cordially. At
last his friend said, 'Any light, Alberto
( None replied Albert. Any light,
Lewis?' None replied he. They
looked in each others eyes silently, gave
one more shake each to the hand he
held, and thus parted for the last time.
Now ! should say that the impulse
which drew these minds to this inquiry
through 50 many years.was, a better aflir-
evidence than their failure to
find confirmation was negative"