The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-06-15
STRENGTH In AGE.
Growing Old, And Keeping Young.
SOME WHOLESOME LESSONS.
BY REV. THEODORE cUYLER, u. D.


Biblical Recorder
Since the time when Cicero wrote
his immortal treatise OIL Old Age, IN
Vulnerable creeds have been written on
this venerable topic but as it Is a.. cx-
perimental matter, there is aIwa.s room
for another ones experience.
Some regard old age as a disgrace,
and practice cunning devices to conceal
it. Their wigs and other simulacra
[pretences] wear out and expose their
folly; for Solomon declares that a
hoary heaa is crown OF glory it it
be found in the way Of righteous
ness.
That old age is an lhcurable nalady
Is only partially true, for some vigorous
persons pass fourscore years without
ever having caught it =; or they lave it
SO lightly that no one suspects them.
"Old" is relative term after all. l
have known people who were rather
pitably old at fifty; and when I met
that swift-footed Christian, William E.
Dodge (senior), at the age Of seventy
five, with the brisk gait OF boy, end
with scarcely gray hair on his head,
1 said to him, "You are one Of the
youngest men in New York"
How to keep young-that is the prot
lem and it Is a vitality important pro-
blem, for it really means how to make
the most of life and to bring il the
largest revenue of service for the D1as-
ter.
Healthy heredity counts for great
deal. Longevity runs III certain clean
lived families. For example, that stal-
wart ptiilanthropist, Neal DOW. alert ;4t
ninety-two, told ine that his Quaker
father reached hinety-four, his grand
father eighty-fye, and his great grand-
father ninety. Such inherited vlgor
is capital to start with anl hot to be
wasted. On the other hand, one OF
the most atrocious crimes is committed
by some parents who not only shorten
their own days but make long life an
impossibllity TO their offspring.
Surprising that IL man las fairly
good and unmortgaged constitution to
start with, there are several practices
and methods to ward off the iilfrmiti-
es Of a premature Old age.
The first and most important is-to
keep the commandments. Our Creator
has written certain laws Oh Our moral
bodies-laws as lrrepealable as those
written on the stone tables OF Sinai !;
laws for the breach of which Jesus
Christ made no atonement. 70 squaD
der vital resources by violating these
laws or even by neglecting them, is an
objectionable SIN.
There are suicides in Christian
churcnes-yes, III some christian put
pits Rigid care as to digestible diet
does not mean business. 1t mems :.
clear head, clean blood, and a chance
for longevity. Stimulants arc danger
Gus just III proportion as they become
Indispensable. Hard brain work, Hearty
eating, and no physical exercise arc
short roads to minister's grave. That
famous patriarci, Of the New England
pulpit, DIR. Nathaniel Elnnons, who
was vigorous at ninety-fye, used to
say" "I always get up from the table a
little hungry" The all-comrrehensiye
rule Of diet IS very simpIe-whatever
harms more than it helps, let it alone.
W,lful dyspepsia is al abomination to
the Lord.
A second essential to a healthy long
evity is the repair of Cur resources by
sound and sufficient sleep. Insomnia
IS worse than any OF the plaques Ct
Egypt; 1t kills man or wonan by
inches. How much sleep is absolute
ly necessary to bodily vigor must be
left to nature she will tell you If yos'
don't fool her. Burning the mid
night OIL" commonly means burning
up your life before your time. Morn
| ing is the time for work-one hour
before noon is worth fye after sun
set.
When a man wEo has as much strain
on his brain and on his nervous sensi
b,hties as most ministers have goes fo
his bedroom, LIE should school himself
to the habit OF d!smissing all thought
about outside matters. II he kas diiii-
Guilty il. doing this, he should pray for
divine help to do 1t. This suggestion
is as applicable to hard-worked business
men and to care-ladsn wives and
housekeepers as 1t is to ministers CT
brain-workers in any profession.
That wonderful physical and mental
phenomenon Of this century, Mr.. Glad
stone. once told me that ne lad made
1t a rule to lock every affair OF State
l 11>m.