p. 208 | A Living Death

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jul 3, 1879

A Living Death.

A YOUNG man who wanted a place in some government office, asked a cabinet Minister for his assistance.

"My young friend," said he, "do not apply. Saw wood, drive cows, do anything honorable, but preserve your independence. I have a man in my department who has been in forty years."

"Forty years?"

"Yes, every day of it. He came in in 1826. Well, he gets about the same salary he had to commence with. The other day he came to me, saying, 'I ought to have died forty years ago.' 'You don't mean that,' I said. 'Yes,' said he, 'I mean that. I have been buried in this building forty years, and I had just as well been buried in the grave. What is the difference between tombs? Of what advantage have I been to myself in here? I had nothing when I came in, and have nothing now. I am disqualified for anything. If I was turned out to-day I would starve to-morrow.' So much for a government position that young men are so anxious to get. They had better let it alone."