The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-03-14

q
must be left to nature; she will tell you if you
don't fool with her Burning the midnight oil"
commonly means burning out your life before your
time. Morning is the time for work; hour be-
fore noon is worth five after sunset. When a man
who has as much strain on his brain and his
nervous sensibilitfes ministers have goes
to his bedroom, he should school himself the
habit OF Diminishing all thought about outside mat
tiers. If he has difficulty in doing this, he should
pray for divine help to do it. This suggestion
is as applicable to hard-worked business men and
to care-laden wives and housekeepers it is
ministers to bran-workers in any profession.
That wonderful physical and mental phenomenon,
Mr. Gladstone, told me that he had made it q
rule to lock every affair of state and every other
worry outside of his bedroom door To this ez-
cellent rule he attributed his sound Sleep and to
his refreshing sleep he largely attributed vigor-
GUS longevity. Paddy's rule is a good one when
you Shape, pay attention it, Personally L may
remark that it is a full quota of slumber at night
and brief nap after a noon meal that mainly
owe sixty years of steady ministerial work.
To keep young, every man should
deavOr to graduate their labors according to their
age After three score and ten, tighten up the
load 1t is overwork that out life just as it
is the driving of horse after he is tired that
hurts him and shortens his days. But while e1-
cess of labor is injurious the old entire ces-
sauon of labor may be still worse. A voorhees,
life is apt to be worthless life. a minister
lays off the burdens of the pasorate, let him keep
his tools sharp by ministry t-arge with tongue
and pen. When merchant tradesman retires
from business for himself, let him the pub
lie or aid Chrsts by enlsting in enterprises
of philanthropy.
Rust has been the ruin of many bright intellect.
The celebrated Dr. Archibald Alexander, of the
Princeton Theological Seminary, kept young by do
ing a certain amount of intellectual work every
day, so that he should not lose his touch. He was
as full of sap on the day before his death as he
was when a missionary in Virginia at the age of
two ana twenty. He prepared and often used a
prayer that beautiful that 1 quote a portion
of it for my fellow disciples whose life-clock has
struck threescOre and ten:
"Oh, most merciul Cod cast me not off in the
time of old age; forsake if my strength fail
eth May my hoary head be found in righteous
ness. Preserve my mind from dotage and i'm
becty, and my body from protracted disease and
eXcruciating pain. Deliver me from despondency
IN my declining years, and enable bear with
patience whatever may be thy holy Will I humby
ask that my reason may be continued to the last;
and that may be so comforted and supported that
may leave my testimony in favor the reality OF
religion, and of thy faithfulness in fulfilling thy
gracious promises And when my spirit leaves
this clay tenement Lord Jesus receive it, Send
some of thy blessed angels convey my inexperi-
enced soul to the mansions which thy love has
prepared; and oh, may have an abundant entrance
minstered unto me into the kingdom of our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ" This beautiful petition
flooded his closing years with sweet peace and
strength unbrOken to the last
sore temptation to the aged is a tendency TO
righteousness and pessmfsm. Losses are unduIy
magnihed and gains are not rightly appreciated
While we cherish and cling to many of the things
that are old and are all the better having been
well tested, let seek to put our eyes in the
past. Keep step with the times; keep sympathy
with young hearts; keep in touch with every new
born enterprise of charity, and in line with the
marchings of Gods providence. A ten minutes of
chat or play with a grandchild may freshen you
more than an hour spent with old companion
or over old book
Above ALL keep your hearts i'm the love of God
and walk i'm the sunshine of Christ's countenance