"The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness."

Dear friends, do you believe it possible to grow old, gracefully?' How many old people do you know who are agreeable, not touchy, nor talkative, but mellow-hearted and interesting? I hope a great many.

It has paid me to dress like a clergy man. While on shipboard I have been asked to conduct "Divine service", while other preachers who looked like sports or business men were left unnoticed; they were shut out of a, golden opportunity. More than once have I felt led to lay my hand upon the shoulder of the ship's captain and pray God's blessing and guidance upon the voyage. Gray hairs, coupled with sincerity, seemed to touch him and he thanked me heartily.

I have prayed this prayer frequently: "Good Lord, let me live as long as possible; as long as I can be a blessing and bring glory to Thy name; as long as I can build up more than in my awkwardness I knock down. But when, through infirmities or old age, I am no longer an asset to Thee; when I do more harm than good; when I grieve rather than gladden; when I scold rather than soften; in short, when I am in the way rather than in demand, please, Lord, kiss my life away quickly and take me to Thyself, I ask in Jesus' name. Amen."

Brother, would it not be a good thing for you to go home, and after thinking over these things, write your own epitaph for your tombstone and tack it up on the wall where you and your family could read it occasionally? It might have a salutary effect on your life. Write something like this:

"Here lies an old man who in his declining age had learned how to grow old pleasantly. Children loved him; young people sought his counsel and company, old people eagerly desired his friendship and no one ever called him a bore after he went out. He knew how to be silent at the right time, and when he spoke everyone stopped to listen and do him reverence. He was never disturbed because he was not noticed, and maintained his serenity when his opinion was set at naught. He loved God and thought of Him more than of himself. He lived to bless others and died happy, at a ripe old age, loving God and all men."

Say, if you do not quite measure up to this, begin now to amend and, if need be, do some apologizing so that those around you will have respect for your sincerity. You cannot afford to start out well, build up a good name and then in your latter days be looked upon as a contrary, covetous, unsympathetic, self-centered old man.

When thou the work of faith hast wrought,
I here shall in thy image shine,
Nor sin in deed, or word, or thought;
Let men exclaim, and fiends repine,
They cannot break the firm decree;
All things are possible to me.