“Will you make God less reasonable, considerate, and just than yourself? Does not He also regard the motives which influence his children?” “Why—yes—I suppose He does. But—we ought to be very sure that our motives are right.” “I grant you that, with all my heart. We must take care that we are not consenting to the death of the saints, under the mad hallucination that we are doing God’s service. But, with reason and revelation for our guide, we need not be in much fear of going wrong.” “No; I suppose not. Still, I can’t get away from the idea suggested. I feel as if to insure my life would be trifling with a solemn matter.” “And that life might fail you in consequence?” “Such is the impression, I must confess.” “You must, then, think that the providence in regard to the time of a man’s death is arbitrary and capricious?” “I don’t understand much about the matter; and my very ignorance makes me fearful,” replied Mr. Lincoln. “It must be plain to you, on reflection,” said I, “that, in a matter so important as the fixing of a man’s eternal state by death, the divine wisdom and mercy of the Lord must be exercised in a most perfect manner, so to speak. That, in fact, no one is called to pass from a natural into a spiritual state of existence, except at the time when such a change will be best for him. The mere circumstance of making an insurance upon the life, with a view to providing for those left behind, who would, perhaps, suffer great evils but for such a provision, could not precipitate this time; for the act could not foreclose a man’s state and prevent his further regeneration.” Lincoln admitted that there was some force in this view, but said he could not see the subject clearly, and was afraid to act in the matter. Six months afterward, on meeting my neighbor, his serious face induced me to ask after the cause of his trouble. “Worried about my affairs, as usual,” said he. “The fact is, I have but little peace of mind. Every thing is so uncertain. By this time I ought to have had a neat little property laid up, but am not worth a copper. My family has increased so rapidly, that it has taken every thing I could make to feed and clothe them. If I were certain of living, I would not feel troubled; for I can earn a comfortable support. But no man has a lease of his life. It makes me heart-sick to think of the consequences if I were to die. What would become of my wife and children! I have not a cent to leave them.” “Why don’t you get your life insured? Take out a policy of five thousand dollars, for, say seven years. It will cost you only about ninety dollars a year; and you can easily save that much from your income by a little extra economy. Your mind would then be comparatively easy.” “Five thousand dollars would be a nice little sum to leave,” said Mr. Lincoln, “and would help a great deal.” “You could pay the premium easily enough?” “Oh yes.” “Then make the insurance by all means.”