The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1856-01-05

joicings over the birth of new year and
the requiems and funeral honors which COM
memorate the death of the old. Another
sepulchral stone has just been planted in
the vast cemetery of which we have spoken
and on it has been engraved the figures
lately SO familiar-hereafter so seldom to be
written or seen-1S55.
We envy not the feelings of the man who
can without emotion contemplate the depar-
ture Of year. Each one comes to us
freighted with so many blessings, bringing
to us so many nights of peaceful security,
so many days Of rational enjoyment, and hal
lowed by so many cheerful associations, that
we naturally regard it as friend whose
presence gave us joy, and whose departure
awoke our grief.
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY-FIvE has
been a memorable year in the history of
Virginia. Memorable for its long train Of
blessings, civil, social, providential-for the
general prosperity which prevailed, for the
abundance of the fruits of the earth, for the
rich remuneration which has repaid the la
bors of the farmer, and for the unexampled
healthfulness which has excited the notice
and the gratitude of nearly every section
&c o,r commonwealth
But it has been memorable also for the
unparalleled affection which has visited two
of our Seaboard Cities. We have not been
unmindful either of mercy Or Judgment, and
even on the day appointed by the executive
authority as day Of thanksgiving when
impelled by a sense of Gods bountiful deal
ings to the vast majority of our fellow-citi-
zens, we came to present to him our grateful
offerings, we also remembered with deepest
sympathy the sorrows Of our sister cities,
and our tears fell upon the altar beside our
gifts, and our sighs and suppications as
cended with the incense of our thanksgiving.
We're the daily newspapers Of our cities
during the months of August and Septem-
Der, 1885, collected and bound together,
they would form a volume of heart-rending
details, such as has no parallel in our an
nails. The faithful narrative of the ravages
of that pestilence, when written, will form
the saddest chapter in the history of Vir-
ginia. Though this season of calamity is
overpast, let us not forget the solemn les
sons which we trust were impressed upon
our minds during its continuance.
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FTFTY-FIvE, has
not been memorable year for the extraOr-
binary spiritual prosperity and progress of
the churches of our Southern Zion. True,
no open or gross corruption has spread dis
astrous eclipse over the glory of the church
no general apostacy has desolated its ranks,
but few and unfrequent have been the dis
plays of Divine power in those extensive
revivals which have made other years me-
morable. Here and there indeed a few
beams of light have shone through the
darkened heavens, and there were eager
watchers who sprang up to hail with JOY and
thanksgiving their first appearing-but how
rare have been these heaven-descended rays,
how far from universal the greeting song!
The fault has been with the church and
not with its adorable Head. He is not only
a shield, but a sun, all glorious and mex
haustible in light and blessedness. The
sun shines clear and strong in the heavens,
pouring forth floods of glory liberal enough
to enrich and bless the universe, but our
sins have risen up as a thick cloud, inter-
cepting the beams, and shrouding us in
Winter and gloom. Faith and prayer will
remove the clouds and restore the sun. The
Church may keep silence and fold her hands
in guilty inactivity, and if sinners are not
converted, it is not because Gods ear is
heavy that it cannot hear, or because his
arm is shortened that it cannot save.
But the year itself is no more. With all
of its bright hopes and stern realities, with
all of its pleasures and pains, with all of
its DAYS of secular activity, with all of its
Sabbaths of hallowed peace, it is gone for
ever. None of its opportunities will return,
none of its privileges will again invite I'M
provemeut But though departed to return
no more, the year need not be lost to us.
We may profit by its experience-we may
derive instruction from our very failures,
and be encouraged by the example Of others
whose noble use of opportunity we have
witnessed. And thus though the departed
year be ike treasure house which has
been burnt, yet we may find some pure gold
and precious jewels, if we rake and sift the
ashes.
Doubtless the Sabbath lately passed, the