After 75 Years

To the Editor of The Journal:

Having passed the 75th milestone on life’s journey and realizing that the sun of life will soon set, the question naturally arises, what will the record be?

Looking backward,  I see so much that should have been done until it will be hard to say as Paul of old, “I have fought a good fight;   I have kept the faith, henceforth there is a crown of life laid up for me at the end of the way.”

Though we have been cast down many times we have not been forsaken but have lost much joy that should have been ours.

I have always had two great ambitions, one was to be a good writer and the other was to sing.   As to writing, I have been fortunate in getting some letters printed and I have had some folks to tell me that they enjoyed them. If I have helped anyone I thank the Lord for it.

As for singing, well, the following lines express my feeling:   Out of my heart I sing a song,  O world so great and grand; But hearts are weak and hands reach out For the touch of a kindly hand. O song I sing, I pray you bring To some sad soul thy balm; Fall soft, I pray, like the breath of May Or the touch of a loving hand.   I sing for the hearts that ache and break;   I sing for the hearts that are true;   O world, so vast, O world so true, I sing, my song for you.

Yes, singing has brought joy to my life and with all my mistakes in life, my greatest hope is that I may be able to sing in Heaven and as a parting word I wish to beg our young people that they may never take up the habit of drinking alcoholic beverage whether legalized or not.   You will never regret it.

—B. C. MONEY Yadkinville, N. C.

Jan. 29, 1951.