The Fear of Death.

Manawatu Herald, 12 October 1899, Page 3

The Fear of Death.

There is one fact in connection with this subject which, though well known to medical men, is perhaps not sufficiently recognised. It is that when there is absolutely no hope of recovery the desire to live, or rather the fear of death, disappears. It seems to have done its work in the economy of nature, and therefore ceases to exist. Of course there are other ways of looking at it, but the fact is not disputed. Father Vaughan, writing to the Spectator, relates the following anecdote, which is to the pomt :— " How," I asked him (Cardinal Manning), " do you account for the strange circumstance that when death really comes people seem to fear it so little ? It seems to me that however good a man may be, the mere notion of falling into the Great Unknown, and of meeting God face to face, and of having one's fate definitely and irrevocably settled for all eternity ought to cause anyone on the brink of the grave the most indescribable apprehension and the most acute anguish." " Well, dear fellow," replied the Cardinal, " the vast majority of persons do undoubtedly die calmly enough, and my explanation is briefly this : So long

as God intends a man to live He wisely infuses into his soul a certain natural dread and horror of death, in order that he may be induced to take ordinary care of himself and guard against danger and needless risks. But when God intends a man to die there is no longer any object for such fear. It can serve no further purpose. What is the result ? Well, I take it, God then simply withdraws it." — 11. B. Herald.