The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-06

with a beauteous precision never verified that the
span OF life could be made to cover a century and
from such theory has sprung THE Hundred Year
| Club The belief permeating this organization is
that the scrptural three and ten may be over
ridden and men and women retain their faculties and
their activities until ten decades shall have passed
over them. However Quxotic the scheme may ap-
pear, there is much to commend it. If intelligent
men and women, devoted to right methods of living,
given to investigation, weighing physical and
results, gather to compare thought while they may
not be enabled thus to stay earth long as they
desire they may be enabled to stay longer than other
wise they would and through moderate indulgence in
oeieterious luxures, sane rules to work and food
and rest, enjoy serene old age, retaining strength
OF mind and body until to each the summons NAV
come.
There are many difficulties in the way of arranging
set OF rules. The available instances of longevity
Go not furnish means of prescribing a definite
method In fact, OF the persons attaining great age
every one has fad and fancy whereby the phe-
nomenon is explicable. One will ascrbe his mmun-
ity from the grim reaper to temperance another to
whisky still another to the soothing influence of to-
bacco Some are certain that hard work has preserved
them; Others will speak of long hours of slumber
There is the vegetarian and the lover of meat Out
OF the conflict of testimony, philosophy will scarce be
able to deduce an impressive truth A woman has
just died here at the age of no. 1t had been her
habit to drink much brandy. Her constant solace
was foul and blackened pipe. smelling to heaven
with the rankest brand of the weed Her case is cited
as sample with which the new club will have to
wrestle
But there is another side to all this Why should
any hope to live hundred years? Surely they
who have borne the burden and heat of the day while
the passing have whtened their hair robbed
their step OF its spring and their forms of erectness
must grow weary. They must have seen those dear
est to them pass away. They must have paid to grief
the full measure of tears. Their youthful hopes have
either been fulfilled utterly crushed Why should
they seek to linger amid scenes to which they must
be alien, standing solitary while all around them is
the hustle of generations to the progress Of
which they cannot contribute, whose sympathies they
do not touch and to whom they are either a burden
curiosity?
II the natural law which sets the term Of life at
20 be abrogated and out of the mysteries of
science be conured substitute adding thirty years to
the term, all these conditions would change, and the
centenaran be no longer a melancholy figure link
ing the present with an almost forgotten past But
here and there for individual to reach an extra
ordinary age be to him no JOY. Better and
sweeter that, with his work accomplished and those
of his kin to gently close his lids he sink to sleep
Life has its trials, and in life which covers far less
than century one may have had full share He
has striven and won or lost and there remains for
him nothing more to do. Deep in the heart there is
a faith that beyond there awaits reward and however
may rebel against losing the material existence
it is given to know, at the approach of the dark
angel rebellion ceases, and in the shadow OF death
there is no repining. Therefore arises question
as to whether life is worth prolonging to the cen
fury mark, and many, weighing the question carefully,
will answer in the negative