The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-05-24
WHAT is YOUR LIFE'

As for man, hts days arr as SraSs,-psalms,
Z ciit., Is.
To what would you lIken a mans lifes
asked some one centuries ago. 1t is Hike
/ a bird, was the answer, who flies through
the window from outer darkness, then
[ dies through the opposite window into
[ the darkness again. At the very longest.
I life is very short. No man finishes his
( work before he is called. Something
left undone" are words to be Inscribed
on every tombstone. Time may hnger
In our youth. but In our age It's speed Is
breathless We no sooner leave the
cradle than the grave comes into view
To some OF US this is very grave mat
ter: TO others IL is matter Of small
consequence. II one lives In house or
many rooms he does not weep when ask
ed to leave the room in which he hap
pens TO sit and enter another which will
anord him better accommodation. II.
however, the house has only one room
and you are forced to leave that your
tears may be pardoned. II we are only
dust. We shrink from going back to that
from Which we came; but II We are soul
also, We may shake the dust on without
a tremor, for the soul viii iind better
body somewhere when II needs one.
There are periods OF life when these
great facts assume special Importance,
and other periods when they seem to be
dreamy and unreal When We are young,
for example, the near future attracts the
eye. but the far future is hardly worth
a thought We are so busy laying plans
for tomorrow that We seldom cast even
a glance at the day after tomorrow
There is something charming about even
the impulsiveness and carlessness ana
thoughtlessness OF youth II is sufficient
unto itself, is full of resources and II
laughs at difficulties. You speak OF evils |
TO be avoided, but II shakes its head in
doubt-hrst, because It thinks you ex-
aggerate matters, and second. because. |
however great these evils may be, it feels |
itself quite competent to handle them.
Religion seems to buoyant. hopeful |
youth rather an encumbrance than |
benefit And so il would be If it were |
really the dull and sombre something |
which it is frequently represented 10 be.
When you practically tell a young man /
that religion will take all the enthusi- /
asm out Of his Hfe--and this is some I
times done--he very naturally wants as
little Of 1t as possible. one reason why .
young men are loath TO accept religion .
is that it is grossly and grieyously mis-
represented. In very truth, it is their
best friend. and will give them more good
cheer and more ardor and more happi-
ness ard more assistance in the accom-
pIishmsnt of their high purposes than
any other system of thought they can
adopt But when they are told that in
order to be religious they must never do
what they want to do, and must always
do what they do not want to do. We
need not be surprised that during the
years OF effervescence they turn their
faces the other way. This is all the
more pitiful because these years Of effer-
vescence are the years in which the cor
ner stones of character are laid. In my
Judgment, the kind of religion which is
not joy producing is rank heresy.
Youth may think itself sufficient unto
itself, but age knows that it is not. The
most startling period Of life is that in
which the consciousness steals over you
that more than half Of your journey has
been covered. So long as the future is
longer than the past you may cherish
certain Indifference, but when the fu-
ture is compassed by only a few more
summers and winters you become solicit
Gus as to what that future contains for
you. When you say to yourself, Il am
Old now" you add, II must think seri-
ously." II there Is anything in Gods
great universe that can give you hope,
or, better STILL certainty, you reach out
your hands and your heart for il. II it
be true that there are mansions in the
sky" you want to be assured Of that
laLA 4Di DrAHFSlt NDNOL am tdltH LANit
is vast, not to say an awful, differ
ence. II Christs promise to prepare
place for you" was founded on authority,
and not on Imagination, all dread Of the
days to come is at an end, and death
merely transports you to the home OF
those who have gone before.
To advancing age, therefore. faith IS
prime necessity. without which there
can be no peace Of mind. To die, and so
to end 1t all, is a stiletto driven into the
heart by a cruel hand; but to have
heaven TO look forward to, with larger
fields Of activity and more favorable op-
portunites-then we are like the poor
man who has suddenly fallen upon a
large inheritance and who is even anx-
ous to get away from the old that ne
may enjoy the new.
Religion gives US all these assurances.
Their acceptance by the soul adds to it
4 dignity and grandeur immeasurable,
md withal peace, happiness, which
10 words can express When once
Gods hand and yours are clasped lie
may lead you where He will, for the END
of the journey when nlghtfall comes Will
ind you in the holy city, New Jerusa-
EN-" GEORGE II. HEPWORTH.