Smyrna times., 1903-11-18
THE DESIRABILITI OF OtATH.
What Dr. W. W. Keen, the Noted Philadelphia
Surgeon, Says About It.

''MOst people, even most Christian
people, shrink from DEATH" write
Dr. W. w. Keen, the noted Phila
delphia surgeon in the "Outlook.
'In sermons and hymns" continue
DIR. Keen, ''and in literature it is gen
orally represented as repulsive. 1t il
spoken of as Deaths cold stream,
the last enemy, the dark valley of the
shadow of death, and the terrors O
death are pictured in vivid terms
For the Christian, at least, this is al
wrong. Death should be in reality
his best friend, welcomed rather than
feared.
$50 far as the physical aspect of
death is concerned, the universal
teaching of physicians is that the pro-
cess of dying is rarely painful or even
unwelcOme to the patient, though full
OF sorrow to his family. A happy un-
consciousness in nearly all cases
shields the uying man from pain. The
weakness, the fever, the parched lips,
the labOred breathing are all unfelt.
"Most people die quietly, and often
almost imperceptibly.
1--WE thought her dying when she slept
And sleeping when she died.
is often true. Even when convulsive
movements occur they are entirely
independent of consciousness; merely
physical in origin and character, and
absolutely unattended by any suffer
ing.
eff, then. death is not an unpleasant
process physically, why should it be
feared from the spiritual side? See
what it does for the Christian:
"It frees him from accident sick
ness and suffering, to which his body |
has been liable all his life, and from
which he has often suffered. some
times intensely and for long periods
of time.
1T frees him from all sorrow. No
one who has reached even adolescence
escapes sorrow. To many, sorrows
are multiplied MANIFOLD and bear
lown @even the stoutest heart. The
weary and the heavy laden make nm
he mass of mankind.
1T oEens the gates of heaven 70
Inn. While we know nothing accrr.
tely OF the details of the heavenly
lfe' we know that there we shall live
eternal bliss; there we shall be in
he presence of God Himself: there wa
hall see and know intimately onr
Iofd Jesus Christ; there we shall feel
ne influence of the Holy Spirit: there
e shall meet the saints of all agos.
lere we shall be reunited to the dear
nes who have happily preceded ms.
lefe shall come in due time the dear
nes we have left on earth: there onr
mas VIII expand beyond our present
'n prem tension; there all the unsolvad I
'oOlems Will be as clear as day; there
shall learn why perplexitv die. I
'polntment and trouble were our LOT {
earth and were needful for the or J
rly and sufficient development of :
If own character, and for Gods laroa !
ans not only for us, but for the race. {
ere' In word, all that is evil shall {
nlsh away and all that is good shall
ours forever.
IL death, then, is not a painful nm. -
'asant process, and if it does for no
much' 1t should be, not the last ene.
> out our best friend; not dreaded #
'ne messenger of evil, but well III
neu as companion who will Iead III
ln'o paths of pleasantness and re. II
i TO us the Joys for which we have II
IN longing all our lives. We sbonId
speak OF the terrors of death. but II
uld feel in our very hearts tba II
erfulness of death" ' II