Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-06-02
RETREAT FROM THE BATTLE"

When a soldier who faced death
in war grows weary of the struggle
OF life, which has been not near so
hard for him as for many millions
equally deserving, and takes his life
by a form of violence, it has been
we'll called "retreat from the bat.
tle." Such case, in time of peace,
has just shocked the public, and it
occurred, too, so coincldeDtally With
other examples as to justify the be.
lief in an epidemic of suicide. Here
we have man in life's mature
prime, with an honorable past, a
reasonably comfortable present, and
not necessarily dark or unpleasant
future, who deliberately prefers
death by his own act rather than a
continuance of existence which was
frightened by an affectionate family
and troops OF friends. 1t is strange
that a brave man should find, under
such circumstances, no powerful or
attractive motives for living, be.
yOnd the ordinary hold one has on
this earth, and the presumptive fear
OF what may happen beyond. In a
letter left TO his wife, an eminent
New Yorker who severed the cord of
life, gives some reasons for his de-
plorable deed, and follows these ex.
plantations with statements that are
at once perplexing and incoherent.
He says that "life has been strug-
gle " to him. OF whom is this not
trneg To the majority, if not to
all, it is SO much the better because
of that very provocation. Ifall men
killed themselves because life was
not easy for them, the world would
have few inhabitants. The great.
ness and grandeur of man spring
from the very struggle that some
refuse to meet. There are illuStra.
tions where it would seem men really
have dragged themselves or been
dragged to direst extremity, to the
very abyss Of despair; but even in
such instances they have been con.
tent to await the summons to de-
part. There are other instances
where men have lived to thank God,
in comfort and blessed hope, that
they did not yield to the tempta.
ton Of self slaughter.
In the letter we have alluded to,
there are the soundest reflections
upon Christian principles, the mer.
cy of God, His everything provi.
dence, and the relief promised to
the heavy ladened. The poor sui.
eide represents all these saving
truths to another, dearest of all to
him: aud then because he "has not
laid up any money!" proceeds to vic.
late the very laws he recognizes as
sane aud righteous. 1t seems to have
been his own fault if he did not &C.
cumulate money. II appears that
he had enough--far more than the
great majoIity-and that his life
was largely insured. That he laid
stress upon even the outward forms
Of religion, his desire to be buried
by minister proves. These are
very sad paradoxes, and yet they
are not uncommon.
One part of the fatal letter NAV
explain what seems so bewildering.
He was sick man. His mind was
tormented by disease. He was
haunted by imaginary as we'll as act.
ual terror. 1t is possible that what
he took to stimulate his body made
havoc of his brain. And, yet, men
have lived On infinitely more afflict.
ed, like General Grant, like Emper-
or Frederick, like II New York doc
tor who, for twenty years, had not
one fibre or faculty free from an
guish.
Kindly and charitably do we
think OF the man who thus retreats
from the battle," but none the less
do we urge all the unhappy, the
smitten and discouraged, to remain
in the fight, trusting to the Power
that gave life, and patiently await
the message from on high, which,
though it has the taste of death, is
also the signal for victorious deliver.
ance.-BaltimOre american.
Eliza Lynn Linton in the Forum
for May touches so directly on this
subject and its causes, that we quote
several of the most applicable par.
agraphs. 1t is easy to talk Of hop
ing and trusting, and being courage
GUS and persevering, when the mind
and body are strong and healthy.
Hope, Trust and Courage are born
with the birth of sound body.
"The Pains of Fear arise from the
natural causes of an unhealthy or.
ganism, and it takes more than
human courage to resist "retreating