The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-10-08
THE FEAR OF DEATH
T SHOULD FIND NO LoDeMENT IN
ANY RATIONAL MIND

Yet This Dread of Meeting the In
evitabIe Is So JniversaI That Our
Entire Social Enbric IL Largely
&c Built Upon IL.
Do we dread death on the same
principle that half flock OF sheep
cap through certain hole in fence
because the other half has done sol
For unless the fear be tradltionary
Nlnd hereditary Ii is hard to account
,or IT,
u Death is change occupying mo
ment, from one form OF life TO another.
Il, Whether ii come In the course of na-
ture or by accident or design, It is sell
dom painful; never probably so painful
as a bout OF the toothache. 1t brings
Us from a condition of bondage aud
uncertainty at best to one OF freedom
and security. But often It is n change
? from slavery. both physical and moral,
4, to emancipation comparatively perfect,
or, II we hold the materialist view, TO
. everlasting unconsciousness The spir-
Itual state is emancipated from the
Inertia of matter and the tyranny OF
space; therefore thought will be pres
ence. and mans surroundings as TO
= both thing aud person will be inevi-
tably such as are most desirable to
l. him. The evil will be emancipated
from the opposition of the good, and
the good will not be grleved and ham,
pered by me Vaccinations of the evil.
The whole chapter of accidents which
T here looms so large will there be elm
A. mated. Time, which now makes us
long for the arrival of an appointed
hour and now dread its too speedy
coming. win be no more. But we shall
measure life by it's intensity and by its
opportunities. In other words, we shall
be the makers OF our own times and
seasons.
Death takes us from n world OF eff
IS. fects to one of causes. The soul is
made of will and thought, and, as we
may daily perceive, 1t Is only the OBJ
struction of material conditions that
prevents us from Immediately accom-
|pllshlng our desires and beholdlng the
|l realization OF our thoughts. Again.
IA. death is inevitable to all and to any
L. one who chooses is at any moment at.
n tainable. BY what logic can our fear
| of IT be defended?
Yet we fear it so much and so uni
versally that our entire social fabric is
built largely upon that fear. Our law
makes death the supreme penalty. Our
In. funerals are occasions of mourning
h and the medical profession. one of the
:. most numerous extant, spends its ex'
/ istence in combating death. We seek
eagerly all nostrums or elixirs that
promise us continuance of life. We
ascrIbe supreme merit to the soldier
.. who risks his life for his country or tC
N the individual who sacrifices it for 9th
:, ers. We laud the stolclsm which af
fects to despise death, but which base:
e the virtue of that despislng upon the
acknowledged terror OF the event. Oul
humantarians spend sympathy anC
q money In attempting to proloDg the
miserable condition OF the poor anC
diseased. We shudder to hear of vas
natural calamity like that of Martl
p nique or of avoidable accidents such nj
e are furnished daily by railways anC
Lr other instruments of civilization. An(
all the while II is the survivors VIII,
too, are soon comforted by time or th
+ insurance companies. The dead man
/, the man who has entered upon the new
Id and spiritual life. whom we absurd.
In pity. is free, and his troubles are over.
Suicides. 1t is true. are said to in
crease with civilization. But few
philosophical suicides occur. The ma
Jority are induced by dread of If
overcoming dread of death. 1t may b.
L. doubted IL suicide be ever the act OF
In man at once perfectly brave and thor
oughly sane. The value OF this life
and 1t is real value-is In the disci
pline and experience 1t gives, which
T. is our honest and sensible duty to i'm
prove to the utmost and TO the last
Life may be interesting and arduous
|e It may be disappointing and irksomo
h 1t is very seldom If ever uniformly an
|, positively agreeable. Fear, on the 9th
er hand, is one OF the worst and bases
OF evils, and fear of death the mos
Irrational. 1t must have originated 4
sheer ignorance and thoughtlessness
z, 1t ought to vanish before our moder
|e enlightenment and sagaclty. and wit
h Its disappearance viii appear socia
changes that cannot but be revolution
ary and salutary.-Julian Hawthorn
In Brandur Magazine.
p Dangerous Criminals.