Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-03-11


Doctor. why did you put that sign
up?" ! asked. why" said he. that
sign has cured more of my patients
than any twenty prescriptions | ever
wrote. Every morning my sick people
would come down and greet each other
as follows: Good morning. How do you
feel? Did you sleep well last night? Is
your headache better?' Then the per-
son accosted would begin to rehearse
all the hours she lay awake and all the
pains she had BY the time she was
through the story her pains would
again begin to gnaw and her nerves to
fwitch and she was on the way To an
Dther sleepless night. Don't talk about
your ailments. 1t is by talking about
the troubles of old age that we increase
those troubles"
But. though talking about the trou-
bles of old age always increases those
troubles. yet most people love to re-
hearse the misfortunes of the past.
They never seem to be happy unless
they are talking about their miseries.
And. Furthermore. they never seem to
be happy unless you are ready to talk
about them also and to expatiate upon
them. Benjamin Disraeli. late premier
of England. well understood this law.
One day he was walking through one
of the streets of London when he met
gentleman. This man spoke to him
as though they were old friends.
'Well.'' said Disraeli. chow is the old
complaint?" With that the gentleman
started off on a long account of his
troubles.
After they separated another man
who was walking with the English
statesman at the time said. "Disraeli,
who is your friend?'' Il do not know
do not remember ever seeing him be-
fore" why did you ask him. then,
How is the old complaint? oh"
said Disraeli. "all old people have
troubles of some sort, and it pleases
most of them to talk about them. l
rarely make a mistake If l say, How
is your old complaint?' 1t pleases them
to recount their troubles. and it does
not hurt me-" Yes. it may not have
hurt Disraeli when that man talked
about his troubles, but it did hurt the
speaker. The easiest of ways to tighten
the burdens of old age is to hide them
from the eyes of others.
Fit Them TO Take Your Place.
But lastly. remark. the easiest of all
ways to renew youth is to try to fit
others to take your place after you
are gone OF course take for granted
that I am today talking to Christians.
Now. as aged Christians. you are near
ing the great dividing line which is GO
ing to bring you to your eternal reward.
Az you are nearing heaven shall you
spend most of your time talking about
heaven and its eternal rewards? Oh.
no. You must spend nearly all of your
last days in fitting the young men and
women by your side to take your place.
You must be to your son and your
daughter and your friends what Paul
was to Timothy. and Elijah was to
Elisha. and Christ was to his disciples.
In the anxiety to fit others to put on
your own armor you will find your own
heart throbbing with the ambitions Of
youth You will then find old age TAX
ing on the beauties of youth. even as
in the Indian summer the flowers of the
late autumn start to grow again after
the forests have incarnadined the leaves
with their life's blood
Old age should pass its twilight hours
as / would pass the few intervening
days prior to making a long journey
away from home. If / was to go to
Africa or Europe or Asia as an Ameri-
can soldier would spend my last days
here in weeping? Oh. no. would
spend the few days before sailed in
preparation. I would say to my wife:
my dear. you do this or that or the
other thing after l am gone. l must
put enough money in the bank in your
name to meet your wants." If was a
merchant. would say to my son: son,
you are now to take charge of the store.
do not want you to run into debt.
Keep the business going along on its
old lines" If l had one boy who was a
Maynard son l would talk to him about
God and his future. l would try-oh.
Try 50 udTu-tO Iestu uiui W tuIlSt. E@stCH
moment of my life would be spent in
the best way l could for those l would
leave behind. And in looking after their
interests l would find my life growing
in beauty and in JOY. Aging men and
women are we spending our last earth
~ days like this? Are we trying in ev-
cry way to fit those who are to take our
places to do as well as we have done
or even better? AS old doctors are we
helping the young physicians? AS old
ministers are we guiding the young
ministers? As old Christians are we
trying to make every one with whom
we come in contact Christians? All.
this is the chief way and the happiest
way that we can renew our youth and
prepare ourselves for the eternal joys
of the never ending youth of heaven.
When my father made his last visit
to his old classmate. DIR. Suydam. he
said: well, Suydam. we are coming
near the end of our earthly journey.
How do you feel about it," Some of
us are not as old as was my father
when he asked that question at seven