HOW TO LIVE TO BE 100.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 22 October 1907, Page 4

HOW TO LIVE TO BE 100.

GENERAL BOOTH'S RULES. 79 YEARS "YOUNG." Rules for attaing an active old age by adopting a rational scheme of living were given by General Booth recently in discussing the subject, "How to live to a hundred." The General, just completing a 1500 mile motor tour in his seventy-ninth year, gave his views to a correspondent at Chichester. '"The possibility of prolonging one's lift; by living rationally is far greater than most people suppose," he said. Anyone with t-rmal health by making an effort can live if not a full century at least much longer than they otherwise would.

"I agree with the TUr'jy street physician who said that a man was as old as hisjorgans. I totally disagree with another comspohdenf that life beyond fiftr is not worth while. "Take myself. Had I died at fifty half of my life's work would have been left undone. People call me old, but 1 deny it. I sometimes say I am seventynine years young. At any rate, I don't feel old, and I expect to live a great many years yet.

"What is the secret of my vitality? I will tell yon latei on. First, let liie say, I dislike the conventional notion of associating old age with helplessness. When a man gets to sixty or seventy he thinks he must quit work, and sit in a chimney corner or go out into the garden and play with the children. He thinks he is old just .because his family regard him as such. "I deplore this idea. I believe every old person who is not physically disabled should lie profitably employed. For my part, if I live to lie 150 I shall keep on working iifT my dying day. "I myself have not lived long and active without preeoutions to preserve my health. It isn't merely luck. Xow what do I call a rational way of living? We don't know vflien we shall be struct dead, but how can we promote our chances of living to an active old age in ease life is spared to us? I might put my ideas in the following series of suggestions which have in a measure guided me:— "Avoid doing these things which will calculate to wear and tear your mind. Many people are broken down in health and old by bad consciences.

"Cultivate cheerful spirits. It is an evidence oT youth in an old person to be cheerful.

"Eat only as much as is required—wholesome food and not poisonous luxuries.

"Sleep regularly a given number of hours in every twenty-four, and don't get- in the habit of missing rest one night by hoping to catch it up the next.

"'lf you are single and can alTord it. get married, or if you are married and your wife is cross, buy her some ribbons.

Take recreation. By recreation I don't mean such things as golfing and cricketing, which become hard work, but rather something more simple, as romping with children. "Live within your income.

'Have a purpose: and to give you any genuine pleasure it must be a purpose which will lienefit others.

These rules I believe have helped not only to prolong my life, but to keep me active, and 1 am sure they can help others."