Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 January 1877 — Living in the Future. [ARTICLE]

Living in the Future.

There is perhaps nothing which mere plainly shows the progress of civilization than' the increasing power of forethought exhibited in all the affairs of life. The savage thinks but little of anything beyond the supply of his immediate wants. Hunger urges him to labor, and when satisfied he resigns himself to repose with scarcely a thought of future needs. As, however, he emerges from a state of barbarism, the future becomes more and more vital to him. It opens up a longer and longer vista; to-morrow, next week, next year, ten, twenty years hence, now claims from him thought and preparation. His plans and arrangements are upon an extended scale, provision is made for coming changes, for mature life, for old age, for the next generation; the pressing desires of to-day are forced to give place to those of to-morrow, and life is largely made up of anticipation. - ■ This habit of forethought is undoubtedly one of the most important elements of human elevation and happiness, and yet we are in these days not entirely free from danger of carrying it to excess. Some of us live so exclusively for the future that we allow the present to slip from us unnoticed. In climbing $ mountain it is well to lift our eyes often to the eminence we hope to reach, but we must also look to our feet, and see that they stumble not over the rough places. So in life it is the path of wisdom not only to look ahead to the future, but also beware that every step in the present is well secured. The danger of neglecting present time is especially manifest in the schemes that are laid for acquiring a fortune, or even a moderate competence. The ultimate ends may be most worthy and desirable—comfort, culture, liberality, power to diffuse ainess. Meantime, to obtain means ese ends, what frequently becomes of the ends themselves ? Too often they only exist in dreams of the future. Present comfort is sacrificed; there is no time to rest, to recreate, to enjoy the family and the home—all that is postponed to by and by, when a certain sum shall have been amassed. Now, turmoil and anxiety, and strain of nerve and muscle, absorb and exhaust the powers. So with culture. How can the eager, driven man of business pause to read or study ? how can he command the calmness ana quiet necessary to form habits of thought? how can he acquire a love for literary pursuits when engrossed constantly in far different matters? Here, again, he admits he 1b not living now, but only getting ready to live in the future. In the same way he postpones liberality. He cannot afford to be generous now; every dollar is needed to support and extend his business ; after awhile, when he is rich enough, he will devote his weH-eamed gains to the good of his fellow men and the promotion of beneficent enterprises. So he drifts on from year to year, letting slip hundreds of present opportunities of doing good, in the mistaken idea that thus he can better embrace those of the future. The habit of postponing the benefits and happiness of life is not, however, confined to the business man. We are all liable to the same excess.. Perhaps there is not one of us who can sincerely declare that he is now living in a satisfactoiy manner, though most of us intend to do so presently. The scholar is waiting till his school-days are over, the youth till he is of age, the artist till he becomes more skillful, and the clerk till he efin claim a large salary, the sailor till he can command a vessel, the physician till he can obtain a practice. Home are looking forward to a change of place or occupation; some to assuming new rospoa-

sibillties, some to enjoying more leisure. Then they will begin to live In earnest; but now, life is a kind of makeshift—a time to be passed through as an avenue to the future, to be valued not for that to which It leads. Meantime life itself is fast flitting away, haoits are being formed, character for good or evil is being built Who can tell which part of life is most important, which is the fullett and richest, which will offer the best opportunities? Or, rather, who can declare any part nnimportant, insignificant or meaningless. Each day is a life in itself, full of vital import to him who seeks it. If it is despised, ignored or wasted, so much of life is lost: nothing can make up for it ; no future, however brilliant, can ever compensate. Let us, then, while planning for the future, beware how we slight the present. The now is all we can be sure of. We may not live to see the future of which we dream, or the plans we lay for it may be frustrated; but the good we do to-day can never be obliterated.— Philadelphia Ledger.