Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-12-02
TEMPERANCE AND LONG LIFE
In the Light OF Facts IL Has coEs
to BE Realised That the Tive
Go Hand tz Hand

The Sunday school story OF former |
days was hardly considered complete |
unless it taught that the good die I,
young" The climax OF the writer's
slxill and of the readers sympathy cen
tered about the deathbed Of some an
gelic Eva, and scarcely a question was
raised, but that this was as 1t should be
to make literature true to life
1t is true there is something incon-
Rruous In sending a hero or heroine
out into the future unprepared. But as
| q matter of fact, though in those days
of piety did not include Temperance In
an things" and the Rscetsc lives usually
| portrayed were quite sanctihed in many
things, and the stories were therefore
true to life as it was, yet they were
| quite imperfect in their obedience to
/ the natural laws of God If they
had been in harmony with all the
laws of life, it would have been
la contradiction Of cause and eff
feet to have portrayed the early demise
of the good. For we now know with a
certainty that the abstemious, tenn
perate, pure, obedient, righteous life
win not be the shortest but the longest.
This scientific fact has by no means
gained a thorough foothold in modern
literature, and a great many good
Christian people still have q lurking i'm
preston that no amount of physical
/, care will keep the large-eyed, overly
wise, unseltish child out Of Heaven un-
til maturity. Quite forgetful Of the
plain Gospel statement: ut Is not the
, viii of your Heavenly Father that one
of these little ones should perish" they
also fail to match this with ''the Divine
whisper of to-day" prevention. And
| especially when the inevitable is but
: the reaping Of their own sowing, it II
but natural that parents should b.
, | greatly relieved by an appeal to Provi
: dence. This may sound severe, but Il
IL not true2 AS 1t becomes more ap
{ parent that intemperance is not merely
a matter about which we are to pity tn
inebriate and scold society, but thinl
that applies to all our eating, drink
g ing and living. it is evident to ali intel
= Hgent people that long life is largely
o , matter within our owD control.
To the modern world, the problem O
e, ! longevity should not be a matter O
n magic or mystery. With our presen
le knowledge along the lines of life sc
i ence, the average term of human Ri
ought to be both greater and NOR
definitely known. Without attemptin
a TO wrest from Providence the destiny {
= man, we may yet determine the appro'
+ innate length of life in any given cas-
"A by the immutable laws Of cause and e
10 feet. To say, as many do, that 1--WE wi
10 all die, anyway, when our time comes
e. is to express both skepticism and 81
"A perstition. AS If it made no differen,
Va whether we obey the divine laws of n
=. ture. Such statement is but an appe
a. TO blind fate. and an ignorant disregal
-, Of scientific facts concerning the WI
we ought to live. That long life
ponds upon the liver" Is true in mo
p" Ehan one sense. Not less does 1t Deepen
Ter apon the harmonious action Of ever
natural function. Whether We live OF
ed the three score years and ten, we ma
ult reverently say, depends far more upc
me ourselves than upon God. For wifi
God has created us and given us Il
ir- breath of q diviner life than that
oaa the beast, and surrounded IA with Il
ect natural elements Of life. and for the
AL blessings we are continually
Rendsnt upon His mercy, yet up'