The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1883-03-09

Of longevity We consider IL great
thing to live to DO an octogenarian. If
any one diea in youth we say, "What
a pity y Dr. Muhlenborg, in old age,
said that tho hymn written in early life
by his own hand no iaofe expressed his
sentiment when IL said -
- would net live away."
II one be pleasantly circumStanced
he never wants TO 80. William Cullen
Bryant, the great poet, at eighty-two
years Of age, standing In my house, in
festal group, reading "Thanatopsis"
without spectacles, was just az anxious
to live as when eighteen ears Of age he
wrote that immortal threnody. Cato
feared at eighty years Of are that he
would not live To learn Greek. Monal-
desce, at ono hundred and fifteen years,
writing history OF bis time. feared
collapse. Theophrastus, writing book
at ninety years Of age. was anxious TO
live to complete 1t. Thurlow Weed at
about eighty-six years Of age found lite
rs great desirability an when lie snuff
ed out bis first politician. Albert
Barnes, 80 well prepared for tho next
world as seventy, said he would rather
be hero. So il ~ all tho way down. /
suppose the last time that Methuselah
was out Of doors in \ storm he was
afraid Of getting his feet wet, lest il
should shorten his days. Indeed, some
timo ago | preached sermon on the
blessings Of longevity, but now | pro-
pose to say something about the bless
ings OF an abbreviated earthly existence.
If were an agnostic would say u
man is blessed in proportion TO the
number Of years he can atay on terra
lirma, because after that he falls off the
dock, aud If he Is ever picked out Of the
depths II il only to DO set up in some
morgue Of the universe TO sec il any body
will claim him. II l thought God made
man only to last forty, or City, or one
hundred years, and then he was to 70
into annihilation, would say his CHIEF
business ought 10 be 10 keep alive, and
even in good weather TO be very eau
tious, aad TO carry an umbrella, And
take oyersLocs and l.fs-prcservers, and
bronze armor and weapons Of defense
lest he fall or into nothingness and OBJ
liberation. But, my readers, You arr
not agnostic. You believe in immor.
: tality and tho eternal residence Of th'
righteous in hea@n, aad therefore
first remark that an abbreviated earth
: ly existence Is blessing. because i
makes ones liie.work very compact
Some men 90 to work at seven o'clocl
in the morning, aud return at seven il
the evening. Others 20 10 work a
eight o'clock and return at tweive
Others 60 at ten and return at foVT
; | have friends who are ten hours day
in business others who are five hours
others who are one hour. They all d.
their work well. They all do their en-
tire work, and then they return. Whicl
portion do you think the more desira
blei Yo1 say, other things being equal
the man who is the shortest time detain
cd in business and who can return hom
the quickest Is the most blessed. Now
why not carry that good sense into tn
subject Of transference from this world
Ifa person die in childhood, he get
through his work at nine o'clock in tn,
morning. IL he die at forty-five year
Of age, he gets through his work a
twelve o'clock, noon. IL he die at sew
enty years Of ege, he gets through hi
work at FIVE o'clock in the afternoon
Ifhe die at ninety, he has TO toll all th'
way on up 10 eleven o'clock at night
The sooner we get through our worl
the better. The harvest all in barracl
or barn, the farmer does not sit Jowr
in the strbble-feld, but shouldering BIZ
scvtha and takin0 hia niteher from nm,
der the tree he makes u straight linz
for the old homestead. All we wan
TO DO anxious about is to get our worl
done, and well done, and the quicke
the better.-DR. TALMAGE, IA Fran
Leslie's SUNDAY MAGAZINE for March.