Western Kansas world., 1886-10-30
Growing Old.

Not long ago l heard lady VINO has
passed the midday of life remark, If there
Is anything in the world that makes me
feel sad is to think that I am growing
old. "Every time," said she, "that I
look in the glass and sec the whitening
hair and care-worn face all covered with
lines, I can hardly suppress ssigh." And
as she paused in her remarks, the
thought occurred to me, why could not
our all-wise Creator have made our poor
weak bodies like the trees of our forests'
the beautiful evergreens, and the annual
blosson4ing plants which put on new
verdure and bloom in the glorious light
of the spring time sun? Why could we
not clothe ourselves with new life and
youth once year just as dame nature
clothes all things yearly in robes of
green, which are intrusted to her care?
But the wisdom of God is far superior to
ours, and we ehould accept the inevitable
without questioning the justice or injus-
tice of His laws. Yes, we are growing
old. Not you and alone, but all. The
rich and poor, the high and low. Let
us grow old resignedly y and gracefully as
possible. Time lays his hand upon
every thing and everyone. There lie no
earthly power strong enough to stay
His course. First, we see the lines be-
gin to mar the fair face, now and then
silver thread in the s1ken hair, the
shoulders begin to bend under their
weight, the step becomes feeble, the
physical part of man begins to show
signs OF decay. But the mind, the i'm
mortal part, usually holds out bright
and shining to the last. This thought
often comes to my mind, when depart
from this life am to sink into oblivion
and be no more, or am 1 to live on and
on forever?
One sweetly solemn thought
Comes to me DER and DER
that Just beyond this life, in the near fu
ture to some of us, is an ideal home of
joy and rest and peace. LIS it because
we are educated in that belief, or is it
through tho influence of that invisible,
subtle Power, the Ruler of the Universe.
telling us that there is life beyond this ?
Let us put our faith in our Divine Faith
O., having the same faith in him that a
child has in its earthly parents. Al
though this casket which he has fur.
nished us grows old and faded and un-
pleasant to behold, what matters it if the
gem which is hidden away in its inner
most 1ecesses be bright and shining by
continual polishing, so that when we are
called upon to lay aside the rusty, worn
body, the mind may soar forth with ad-
ded lustre aud bid farewell to the poor,
frail tenement of clay, saying, "Thou
faithful friend, farewell! Nature calls
thee to her bosom. She hath need of
thee to enrich her soil for the good of
coming generations. Thou shalt moul
der into dust. But I, the soul, the 1em
which thou, o true, kind friend, hast
guarded long and well, shall go forth to
my creator, the source af all life to have
my youth renewed. Imsy be lesser
gem in Gods great jewel casket, but
what matters it if am only permitted to
be in fellowship and sweet communion
with gems Of greater magnitude, whose
radiant light shall shine in splendor, and
continually grow brighter and brighter
in the presence of God farever and ever.
o tried and faithful friend, farewell for
evermore.