The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1901-05-04
WIEN MEN MEET DEATH.
THE EASIEST THING IN LIFE IS
F.. THE PASSING TO THE
BEYOND
DYING RARELY FEEL DREAD
nIan Who Has Seen Hundreds Die
Tells His Impressions of an
Individuals Passing
Away.

Philadelphia Press.
If there is such thing as being an au--
thority on death, Thomas II. Andrews,
surgeon to the bureaus of police and fire,
should rank high as an expert. In the
course of thirty-seven years active prac-
tice, he has conducted over 1000 post
mOrtem examinations and has seen at
least half that number of human beings
die.
He talked freely on the subject of death
yesterday, and in a most entertaining
manner, if such a paradox is possible.
He went back to the days when he was
the first medical cadet from Pennsylva-
mia with the sanitary commission; when
he helped to sew up the gaping wounds
of war at Fais Oaks, Cold Harbor and
in the Seven Days Fight; when he was
assigned to the steamer Wilson Small,
on the Pamunky river, a floating char
mel house with 300 cases of typhoid fever
on board. .} r
Later on he was stationed here IL
Philadelphia at military hospital I'M
der charge of the famous surgeon, Paul
Beck Goddard. For sixteen years he
was demonstration of anatomy at Jeffer-
son hospital: was coroners physician
for years and is now entering on his
fourteenth year as surgeon to the bu-
reaus of police and fire. He has looked
into the eyes of dying men and women
and children of every kind and conditions,
and this is the summing up of it all:
Death is as much OF a mystery to
me now as it was when 1 first saw
human being die. H.. s.
Mature is never so kind to man as
when she Is severipg the ties that bind
him to this earthly life. She removes
all fear, ameliorates every harsh sur
rounding, softens every sound and
smooths the narrow pathway to the
grave with kindly hands,. The easiest
thing in life is to de- r.
I'm your experience DR.. Andrews"
] asked, have you ever found q case
in which fear of death rose to the point
where men fought and screamed at it's
approach?' ~. t-. =. .&tt
Never. In severe sickness death comes
In the guise of a welcome visitor. On
the battlefield or as the result Of accident
or sudden shock, when it comes to a
man swiftly, who but moment before
was in perfect health and who half an
hour later will be lifeless, fortitude
which I cannot describe and have never
been able to analyze sustains the vic
tim
q Do men and women Of the hi ghar
grades of intelligence exhibit any differ
ent emotions as death approaches from
those gifted with less mental power?
Does the professional man or the scien-
fist betray any different feelings or emo
lions from those exhibited by the day
laborer, the peasant, Or the most ignorant
of men," - +
No and yes, was the reply. "The scien-
list, the man or woman Of keen intelli-
gence and trained faculties, unless their
lives have been conspicuous for an ex-
hibition of faith in religion and its teach
lngs, are slower to accept mniStratiOnS
OF clergymen and others. The man of low
intelligence yields at the first approach
and calls for religious consolation.
s 1.-The reason for this is, 1 think, that
the vast majority of professional, men,
outside of the clergy, and particularly
doctors and scientists generally are not
inclined to believe or accept what they
cannot demonstrate as scientific fact.
And yet as rule, these men and wom-
en- willingly accept religious ministration
Swhen death is only a matters of hours.
Il recall an instance during the war.
One of the most distinguished men in
the Confederacy was brought to me for
treatment I saw at once that his death
was matter of hours only. He was one
of the most brilliant and charming men
ever met. I told him rnat he could not
live and asked him If he desired to talk
with clergyman. He replied in rather
careless way that he did not feel disposed
to change his views. That death. as he
of dragging religion in at the last hour
That was in the morning He then
felt strong and clear-minded When L
saw him in the afternoon he was
weaker, and referring to our earlier con-
.versation told me that he had been raised
In the Methodist faith, and that it's teach
ings had left an impression on his mind.
He asked me to send for Methodist
clergyman which did, When I saw him
hef0Ta cd a oil Wa y1oA
fort the talk with the minister had given
him and that he now would face death
with a Drawer heart than he could nave
done before.
I merely cite this instance said DR..
AEdrews, Ito show that there is nothing
Wnlch influences man so much In later
life, and even in the death-hour, as the
environment and teachingEof his bovhood
DAYS Jimmy Logue. the notorious burg
lar and criminal. told me here in my
office that night never went over his
head that he did not kneel down and say
his prayers $3.50 =
tion, physical or otherwise, on the part
of all the hundreds whom you have seen
ON the threshold of death which you
of future life?'' q =
Mot one"
Have you ever encountered instances
ir: which dying persons have told you of
visions which. they have seen, of voices
thew have heard?
Eyes, / recall particularly one instance.
IT was that of man who had apparently
he finally passed away. He told me about
the lights and sounds and chaos of
magnificent things he had seen, beyond
the river as he put it. OF course. he
really believed that. he saw them. but
it was the Authorization of his disor-
dered brain. Persons of feryid imagl-
nation and strong religious convictions
may be dominated by some Illusion Of