The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-18
Tie Fear of Death.

The Fear of Death.
There are several elements that enter
into what is called the fear of Death that
ought to be carefully Disseminated be-
| tween.
1t is to be said in the outset that the
contemplation of Death increases as men
advance in years, and grow to recog-
nize that the time of the inevitable
change draws nearer. But it is fairly
open to question whether the man who
has arrived at forty years of age has not
in some one day experienced all the fear
of Death he will experience in one day
thereafter. How much or rather how
little, this is, each man knows for him
self. Men think of Death oftener in q
year, after they arrive ut sixty than
when they were thirty, but from all we
can learn of the inner life of such men,
the fear is not more intense than at ear
lier periods of their lives.
The first element in the fear of Death is
the idea of physical pain. 1t is natural
that this should be connected with the
idea of Death, for in many cases intense
pain precedes death. But the two are far
from being invariable accompaniments.
Intense pain may be followed by life as
we'll as by Death. We must distinguish
between the fear Of pain and the fear of
Death. Death may be painless. The
approaches 10 Death may be compara-
lively painless. Pain and Death do not
stand in the relation OF cause and effect.
One is sometimes the preceding condi-
ton of the Other, but not cause. Be-
sides this, the fact must be recognized
that Death is but point in time, an in
stant second, and that neither the pre-
liminary process nor the immediate dis
solution is constantly attended by pain.
Even at the worst, Death may be vel
coined as bringing release from suffer-
ing. So let US thrust aside the notion of
pain, and keep carefully separated from
it the fear of Death.
Second is the idea of the mystery Of the
change. Let us keep closely in mind
what Death is-it is an instantaneous
change. One moment was life, the next
is not life. One instant was the exercise
of the vital energies, the next their total
stoppage. One second one was with
this world, the next he is gone from it
forever. This mystery, unlike pain, is
inseparable from Death, and tie idea of
Death. One can not think of the mys-
terry of the change, and the louesomeness
oft. Every one has to encounter for
and by himself, and himself alone.
Third is the idea of that which is be.
yond Death. This idea also is insepa-
arabic from the contemplation of
the change. Whether one believes in q
life beyond the grave, or in annibilation,
makes no difference. There is something
beyond, and the dread of that mystery
Puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear the ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of.
All these three ideas are connected
with Death. And yet the change is one
that is being encountered every day.
There are few but have seen one die, and
it is matter of general knowledge that
the number of death-bed where the one
who was experiencing the change has
been unnerved is very small. The dying
Que is not moved by his loneliness. He
does not weep at the separation. What
griefhe does manifest is more for those
who are left than for himselfwho is going.
Whether weakened vitality blunts his
sensibilities, or whether he is prepared
for the last great change by unusual
strength, matters not. There is the fact.
When the dying man comes TO die, at the
real and very decisive moment, he has
no fear of Death. The fear of the living
of Death is not founded on the fear Of
Death of the dying.
Jeremy Taylor said something on Death
that has always seemed to have in it a
weight of wisdom. "Take away" he
says. "but the pomps of death, the dis.
guises and solemn bugbears, and the act
ings by candle light, and proper and fan
TASTES ceremonies, the minstrels and the
noise makers, the weepers, the swoonings
and the shriekings, the nurses and the
physicians, the dark room and the minis
ters, the kindred and the watches, and
then to die is easy, ready, and quilted
from its troublesome circumstances. 1t
is the same harmless thing that a poor
shepherd suffered yesterday, or maid
servant to-day; and at the same time in
which you die, in that very night a
thousand creatures die with you, some
wise men, and many fools; and the wis.,
dom of the first will not quit him, and
the folly of the latter does not make him
unable to die"
In a word, reader, your fear of Death
will not makey you fear Death when Death
comes. 1t is only now when you are liv-
ing that you fear it, and how little time
after all do you spend in fearing it.-Cin-
cinnat Tines.