Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1852-01-01
hRRALD OF THE TIMES.
TEURspAY, Jan. lst 1851.

its conspicuous events will live, for they
have been written on the page Of lllsio.
ry, and will be read by coming genera
tions. But the other and by tar the
greater portion OF its characteristics and
its very items are registered only on one
scroll, the unerring record book of
Heaven. They may be forgotten here
some of them, at least, but they will ar-
pear fresh and familiar hereafter and
will come up in memory with strange
and unwelcome potency. AT time
like this, il is well TO settle with the
heart, TO adjust long-slanding accounts,
or thy final reckoning, o Time, will he
fearful one During the past year,
how many unholy desires have been
gra,fied, and yet how many brilliant
hopes have been cruelty AMI forever
biightcd What fond aspirations have
arisen in gorgeous beauty, aid gone
prematurely down in darkness and con-
fusion! How many true hearts have
been swelling with extatic hope, and
were then blasted bya disappointment
which shall never be removed! The
Ubiquitous wind, ever restless with lis
own organic fires has graspcd after de-
lusive phantons which appeared in the
gaise of valuable substances, but they
vanished by the ligh, OF Reason. These
are all the litilc romances of life, ms they
are termed, but they will ultimately
be found to have been the stones OF the
temple Of human existencc-the pillars
that fell and thus demolished the fabric,
or, at lea,t threw it into an uncomcIy
and useless de'ormi'y.
low many hundred thousands have
gone home during the last year! Yes,
gone home TO the grave, the welcome
refuge from storms and Affections - the
receptacle for broken hearts HAT this
earth has no consolation for, and that
humanity can offer no balm to console.
Many have gone down from the battle;
field, admidst the din and confusion Of
contending armies, and been thrown pro-
miscuously into soldiers hurried grave
Others have been called from the iasci-
nations of the gay crowd, and the stir OF
the bus,ling world; others still have gone
from the quiet and peaceful calm OF the
domestic hearth, surrounded by all It's
comforts and in the full enjoyment Of IL
the uxuries OF home, sweet home.
The death h-angel Of Almighty God
has spread the white panoply of hls
destroying wing, like poisoned cloud
in the air. over the earth, and honored
age, sterling maturity, bu"yant man
hood, blooming youth, smiling AMI inno-
cent infancy, all, have gom hurricdIy
down TO the graves quiet 'lumhrr.-
The record OF their worth siaLds silent.
ly in the church-yard, and their in lcl.i-
bic impress has been left upon human
hearts which were more closely allied
to them by the ties OF consanguinitY, or
by the alliances Of "A holy faith in Gods
decree OF love. These have Lecn thy
deeds, Old Year, stern in their nature
and fearful in their memory.
Will not the living pause "A moment at
this marked milestone on lilies pilgrim
age? Shall we not make Il note IN the
book Of Memory? Shall we not review
ths. past, and make atoncmcnt for It's err
rors, as well as decide upon better rcso-
uuons for the future, with detcrmina-
ton to live more honestly and more ac-
ceptabIy in the sight of lin who will fl
naIly judge us, not 10y Il warped stand
ard ofcarth. but by a high and holy meas
urc of Justice regulated at the throne OF
Eternal Omnipotence.
We can settle with our hearts better
now than at any future time, better |
now than when in liic's declining vale. |
when the mind will be pascd by the in
frmties of agc,-or when upon fever
ed bed, the brain in Il ircuzcd f:e, ahd |
the mind almost wild with the dcIrium
Of rapidly dlssolving nature. Man an
nually adjusts all his earthly accounts
nj the close OF the year, and begins his
dealings anew; how much more ncces.
eary is II that he should settle his life
deeds, his ycardcbts with his God, and i
obtain from Him full discharge from
all liability. five could not Iiquihat"
the obligations Of lifetime, and settle
the transactions of our earthly career,
0f pecuniary nature, on the verge Of
the grave, and which are of no compare
ative Importance, as death will soon can
eel them all, and consign both debtor
and creditor to the same dark prison
house, how much more important is it.
thcn, that we should not postpone until /
that fearful and busy moment, the al.
justment of the whole dealings Of the
heart here on earth, and its final recon h
c,Iiation with its God, against whom it
has ever been warring, amid the { H.
ten,ions Of humaniiy's field of hope and
tear, peace and strife, love and hatred, I.
and adversely, success and
despair. Lies last day should be one
Of melancholy beauty and solemn reposc,
mot in warring with devils and fends
but in calm and no, eful waiting Tor the
bsuatiicd angel whom God.w iII,commis
sion to attend us from His wild iootsiool
10 His perennial and dazzling Throne.