The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-02-03
EmersOn on ImmnrfnlItr.

he has always been averse to speaking
on the subject of immortality, save, per-
haps, with few kindred minds; and he
has only lightly and infrequently touched
upon it ia his writings. But. On his last
converse with his followers, he has ex-
pressed himself plainly and without re-
serve. 1t IS the vital topic with most
persons, and his confessions upon it 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 viii be TIE
best preparation for the hours of ages
| that follow it.
The name OF death was never terrible
o him that knew TO Bve,'
q ] think all sound minds rest on a
certain preliminary conviction, namely /:
| that if it be best that conscious personal
i life shall continue, it will continue if
not best, then it will not and we, if we
saw the whole, should see of course that
| it was better so. Schiller said, What is
so universal as death, must be of benefit
! g The ground of hope is in the infinity
of the world, which infnlty reapPears in
every particle, the powers Of all society
in every individual, and Of all mind in
every mind. l know, against all ap-
peaTances, that the universe can receive
no detriment; that there is a 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 I, it was
not you it is elemental-helongs 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 Immor
{ tality, Emerson introduces, to illustrate
: the intense desire In thoughtful mind;
for q sure hope IN a life to come, al
. anecdote which is most impressive:
There is a profound melancholy a
, the base of men of active and powerful
! talent, seldom suspected. Many year
ago there were two men in the UniteC
States senate, both of whom are nov
| dead. have seen them both; one 0
: them I personally knew. Both wer,
| men of distinction, and took an activ,
2 part in the politics of their day anC
f generation. They were men of intellect
= and one of them, at a later period, CAV
} to a friend this anecdOte: He said that
l when he entered the senate, he becam
g in a short time intimate with one of hi
: colleagues, and, through attentiv
= enough to the routine of public duty
4 they daily returned to each other, ant
4 spent much time in conversation on tn
: immortality of the soul, and other intel
!. lectual questions, and cared for it'll
a else. 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,
2 CHANGED that he never met HIM again
E until, twenty-five years afterwards, the
S saw each other, through open doors, at
, distance, in a crowded reception at tn
' Presidents house in Washington. Slowl
e they advanced towards each other, a
e they could, through the brilliant com
D pany, and at last met-said nothing
4 but shook hands long and cordially. A
| last his friend said, ANY light, Albert
, None replied Albert. Any light
Lewis? p None replied he. The.
, looked in each others eyes silently, CAV
t one more shake each to the hand h
I held, and thus parted for the last time
e Now I should say that the impuls
r which drew these minds to this inquir,
2 through so many years..was, better afr
t native evidence than their failure +
, find confirmation was negative"