Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-01-23

WHAT'S ftmet Ids IS very 0ilncuit /
question. We live in lime. act in fine,
breathe in time; time is ell srpund US and
ia Us; and yet who will tell a v hat il iss
Ye wise ones. come. tell Us something that
will give US clear ideas on this subject
Now don't all speak at once, nor be has
" in your definitions. But let Us hear |
you one ala time. We'll, then, says the /
man OF business. Time is money. So
said Franklin. Time waits for no man
says the loyer Of proverbs. 'Timefs eve
~ thing. says The man Of punciualiiy. |
Tine co6quers5all lhiags. SAYS the truly |
pereveIing. Time is up. says the rail-
road conductor. Time ia past, says the |
traveller who arrives 10 late. aTsmpus fI. |
.glt. says the scholar. Time is short.
sSYs the preacher. Time enough yet.
say the giddy youth. Time shall
be no more says the angel who stands
with Cne foot on the land. asa she other
on The SEA. But what do we gsin from
ali this that wiz tell Us what time really
lis, Just nothing. So we'll try again.
Mr.. Webster says, Time is a particular
lpof,ion or part Of duration. whether past
present, or future Another equally as
wise, says Time is fragment OF eterui-
lty, broken off at both ends. With this
very nearly agrees Dr. Young. Who says,
4, From old eternily's mysterious orb.
Was lime cut %, ard cast beneath The skies
| Still another wise one says, Time is e
mite and successive duration. Distinguish.
ted BY past present. and future. and meA-.
lsCred BY the revolution Of the heavenly
bodies, which God has appointod for this
lend. After all this we are left 10 con-
cluJs that time is-is-just what you
have mind % call it. Il is anything or
everything as you may like 10 have il.
Every man has q far better diniiion Of
time In his own mind than he can give to
another. We will. therefore, lie. every
man supply a meaning 10 the word, while
| we offer few thoughts which suggest
themselves on tbis subject.
The traveller who tolls bard 10 ascend
high bill which lies before him in his
journey, is often ab. 1ndanily rewarded for
all his labor, BY lhe view which il affords
him, after he has gained lis summit. He
can look over the vast extentof country
, through which he has pursued his weary
/ way, and mark The objects OF lnteress
which had attracted bis attention as be
, passed. Again be lives over the Joyous
moments which he had experienced, and
, again he thinks Of the danger he had 0s9
, capped, the sorrows he had felt. .and the
miseries be had experienced on his way.
From the same elevation. loo, be can cast
his eyes in the opposite direction and see
far ahead into his future journey. But
though be can see quite as .far 10 this d.
, reclion as be can ir the way be has come.
he cannot, as in that case, bring one sin
gle event home TO bis feelings. Here is.
Indeed. The SIssx. Rsi9r n R P 8at eao b.
he can have no feeling. But his view in
TO the past is foil of events which reach
his heart. SO il is with man 10 his jour
ney through life be sometimes gains 40
! eminence from which he may find il pro.
iiiable. il not pleasant, TO take at least a
retrospective view, that lessons borrowed
from the past may aid him 10 bis future
. course. The close Of the old year, or the
: commencement Of a new one. is one Of
. these favorable positions from which we
can look over the scenes through which
we have passed. We have Just arrived
, at the height Of this observatory. Here
( we may do well TO notice the events Of
y the past year, which hays affected socie !
h nv generally some OF them have been
Ola character 10 call forth gratitude, and
: othets should humble US all 10 the dust,
Among the various agents who have beeH
\ busy in g fleeing changes. death has been
most active. Thousands have beer swept
/. loft. apd have learned the Difference be-
1 tween time aud eternity. The beloved
i companion. the dealing parent, the affec-
: tionate child and The endeared brother
and sister, have all AID often dropped
!. their warm tears over the open grave Of
the dear departed ones. But the kind
/ hand Of indulgent Heaven has sustained
/. thsm! and the cup Of sorrow has been
/; sweetened with mercy. 1hesame hand
, has kept dangers from our path and sup
piled all our wants.
= Our view of the past. too, should ALSO
5 De directed 10 our condnct. How many
s sins aed errors may the recording angel
b nave wrltsea down 10 these books from
f which we shat be iudgedl The wear
E jus; closed has brought Us twelve monfbs
+ nearer TO eternity; bot has ii brought Us
8 nearer TO heaven. Or hssit added 10 tie
milestone weight Of guilt which crushes
the peniients Is the world any belief
! for the past year of our lives What
goodness have we abused What mer.
cies have we slighleds What grsce.hars,
We resisted These questions Call Or The
/ past in way that should make US wiser
and better. The experience gained from
the past. and the lessons borrowed from q
review Of il. should De CARED with usI
into The future. 10 avoid the same errors,
and 10 lead Us 10 The only source q true
happiness.
when - ~s.1menced this sentence. il
4 eone- .s1e forever. It's uncutein y we
i Low not where 1t will end, nor what q
single day will reveal. II is short !; ii
will end with many Of US before this year
4 will close. II Is iMporfant: omit hangs
our dearest interest, mol for day, q month,
year,-bot for eternity. As We use or
abuse time. 50 viii eternity be one Of veal
or of woe. Then let Us redeem the
lime, and devole this year on which We
have just entered, IN Eay which wilIre-
dOund to The glory OF God aud the hap.
|piness Of our fellow men. That. too. Is
The only way TO secure the happiness oil
our own souls. - Boston Oiirs Branch.
Il