Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-11-03
TUTURE LIFE IND THE FEfR or
DEITH.

IT must be co-cejed that the doctrine OF a
future lie i by no means as universally
dinusei a. II l. the habit loosely tO assert
II IL not always di>cOyerahle nppg print
tive and savage races. IL cXsteI among
pagan nations IN form SD vague and haZy
as 10 be ascTibabie rather is dream than a
religious faith. II can scarcely be deter
miHed whether the Chinese. wise cultiva-
lion Il perhaps Inc most ancient existing in
The WOTlJ, can be ranked among dis met %
never while The COU>CTlpt5O OF .NTrU1I
which prevails IA the mesiifa-ive minds OF
O,her OTiCntal>, - more n sort Of conscious
nOn-eXistence than a futdre life. Win tn
Jews, mOTCO .er. aS i We'll known, the belief
was no. Indigenous. but ira ported, ana Dy 70
means en- ea IS ampDTi al g. "a. Bat w1aJ
l. not so generally recognized = thar,
even sInOEg ourselves 81 these days,
tie cOnvic fDI Of thoughtful ma lCgs varies
cUTiOuSly in Strength and in Il t'Grss a.
different period Ot life In yCu.u, when al
our scL!ineLt> are most viva .iDIS AMI dog
matte, NOS 81 Us MT only c.lng - IL a. an
intellectual Crt-l out are arrIS.Juei to say
and feel iiIai without ~ a. a Spl1ce a1i hope
10 rest upon thi~ world WOGti De stripped of
It, deepest fac La IONS. 10 il rom III sld OF
this age. whose v-gOr l. uIlm paired, aud
whose relish for the JOYS OF earth II exp an
Sive. that the most glowing deliaga'IDuS OF
heaven usually proceed. and o. VINO N the
thirst for felicity and kuDWle edge can Be
slaked az no earthly fountains, n As ths most
exciting power. Tnen comes TIE busy lur-
nOil Of oar mil Career. vine 4 the pres ent eur
tains oil the future from our thoughts, and
when a renewed existence In different
of bereavement. And, nnaily, il II not tn
case that in our fading yetcs-T1sn sOn9-
thing Of the languor aud placilt1y OF age Is
creeping over us, jd>t when iUiurIty is COM
jng consciously and RAPIDLY more near,
and one might naturally eXpect II 10
occupy us more Iacessantly AMI with
We think OF 10 less frequently, believe In
it less confidently, desire II les, eagerly than
in our youth? such, a least. has been my
observation and experience, especially
among the more reflective aud Inq airing
order of men TIE life of The hour aDSorbs
Us most completely as the hours grow fewer
ana less full; the pleasures, the exemptions,
the mode III Interests the afternoon peace, the
gentle affections of the present scene, 90 Scurs
the future from our view, ami render IT, Gu
TiOuSly eT ough, even less Interesting tea
the past. Today. which may b. our last,
engrOsses us far more than TO morrow, which
may be our fOrsUer. And the grave into w:iicl
we are just stepping down trouJl Is us far less
than in youth. wnen half a century lay be.
tween and ~. " nat Is the explanation o
This strange phenomenon? Il II a nerciiul
dispensatIOn arranged by the Ruler OF
our life to- soften aud to ease cri lis
which would BE- too gram and awful
to be faced with dignity or calm, If
IL were actually reGrized "A: al:
or finally, as I KEO. il true lar oitener than
we fancy, is 1T that threescO-e years and ten
have queLched Jne passionate desire for life
with which at first We stepped upon tle
ending and unprO!i be toll; We are sa,latsd.
Others OF us, with sucu ample pleasures a.
Earln CAL yltlu US we nave Ad1 enough u
ambition alike in Its successes and Its fall
ures; the Joys and blessings OF human af5c-
lion on winch. whatever their crisis and vi.
cissiiudes. no ri ghteouS or truthful man wIll
cast a slur. are yet so blended with pains
which pa.taSe of their intensity; the appetite
for life, in short, is gone. the fran is worn
and the faculties exhausted; anj-pO isi-
bly, this Is the key to the phenomenon
we are examining-age cannot, from
1he very law OF its nature, conceive itself en-
dOwed with the bounding energies OF you n
and without tEat vigor, both OF exertiOl AID
desire renewed existence can offer no tnspir-
ing cha ms. Our being upon earth has ben
enriched by vivid interests AMI precious
Joys. and We are deeply grateful for the gift;
lUt We are wraried with our life and fe 81
secrecy qualified to enter on the claims,
even though balanced by the felicities and
RlOIies OF another. Ii may DE The fat TIE
which comes with age-fatlgue OF the fancy
as well as OF the frame; but, somehow, VIVA
We yearn for most instinctively al last is
rest, and the peace which we can imagine
The easiest, bec4use we know II best, is that
of sleep ". X. Greg, ~ the Nuteef1h Ceatt1y
ar Ol,sT