Mortals are prone to circumscribe the joy and usefulness of life within a limited number of years. After the period designated as "middle life," there is supposed to be a recession of powers until such qualities as alertness, assurance, perception, poise, business acumen, and physical vigor are irreparably impaired, if not wholly destroyed by reason of the flight of years. Under this mistaken belief, many a business man of mature judgment and demonstrated integrity has been discharged because, according to mortal reckoning, he was not "as young as he once was." Professional men and women have been crowded out of positions which they have filled with honor and distinction, all because mortal belief insists that the swiftly flying years must in due course spell inactivity for the children of men, and in some cases senility.
Confronted by this unhappy belief, men find it refreshing and comforting to turn to the teaching of Christian Science relative to the true man's infinite capabilities. On page 246 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes: "Life and its faculties are not measured by calendars;" and, "Chronological data are no part of the vast forever. Time-tables of birth and death are so many conspiracies against manhood and womanhood. Except for the error of measuring and limiting all that is good and beautiful, man would enjoy more than threescore years and ten and still maintain his vigor, freshness, and promise."
Inspired words these, and fully sustained by Holy Writ! In Deuteronomy we read of Moses that at the age of one hundred and twenty years "his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated." Again, in the book of Numbers, we are told that when Caleb was forty years old he was one of the men sent "to spy out the land of Canaan." Forty-five years later, Caleb again came forward with undaunted courage, keen mental energy, unshaken poise, and physical vigor. In the book of Joshua he is recorded as saying: "And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said. ... As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now."
