HOW TO DIE 



What matter if his eight-hour term of oblivion be 

 lengthened out from time to eternity? 



The logic of every age has answered that for the 

 individual himself it can nothing matter. Sooner or 

 later his long sleep will come, and for himself it can 

 matter little whether it be the present night or another 

 that is lengthened beyond its fellows. For himself 

 aye; but what of his friends, of the dear ones perhaps 

 dependent upon the fruits of his daily industry ? What 

 man lives solely for himself? The average man falls 

 asleep to-night to gain strength and energy for to-mor- 

 row's task, which must needs be done if his family is to 

 be supplied with the necessaries of life. Shall we say 

 that for these dear dependent ones it does not matter 

 whether it be to-night that he enters on his long sleep ? 

 It would be but a visionary philosophy that could make 

 that affirmation. 



For man the social animal, then, it does matter 

 and vastly matter when death comes. Whoever has 

 dear ones dependent upon him for bodily support and 

 for mental and spiritual stimulus and comfort, is not a 

 mere individual, but rather a component part of a 

 social organism from which he cannot be prematurely 

 withdrawn without injury to the remaining parts. 

 Such a person may rationally shrink from premature 

 death; nay, he would be irrational if he did not fear it. 

 But, on the other hand, knowing that should the 

 "inexorable summons" come his fears and his desires 

 will avail him nothing, it is the final test of his ration- 

 ality that he waste no time in idle lamentations, but 

 strive to the utmost to make such material provision for 



