, 1858-12-31
The OId and the New Year

stFelCheu btlOIt us, sttihlHSil du ihNSimE
nable vista, to be toiled and labored
through with diligence, if not with anxiety
and care. The cloud of an inscrutable fu-
turity rested upon it, and we neither knew
the path before us, nor could see the goal
whittier it might lead u.s. We felt sadly
that we might step aside and be no more
seen, and others occupy our places in life's
course. Joy and sorrow, laughter aud sad
ness, good and evil, we knew were blended
in our destiny, whether we reached the end
Of the year or not; but how much of either,
or which should preponderate, we knew
not. Had we known, perhaps we had been
less happy than we were in our ignorance.
The shadows cast by coming events might
have damped eur hopes, and discontented
US with our lot. There is true philosophy
in the declaration, sufficient for the day
is the evil thereof" And so perhaps is the
good. The year would be comparatively
proftless that had no trials. Monotony
does not suit humanity.
We have nearly reached the end of 1858,
Pardon us, reader kind, if still we moralize
for o moment. 1t is q momentous leap,
this stepping from year to year, however
lightly and easily We may seem TO effect it.
With the race it ought to beget feelings
akin to those which are awakened in the
mind Of the thoughtful individual when the
anniversary Of his birthday arrives. 1t is
another stage in life's journey. The silence
aud even the continuity Of the steady pro-
gress are broken for few brief moments
The man refreshes himself, conVerses
briefly with the bystanders, looks hastily
up and down the road, springs again into
Times car, and with irresistible certainty
is again hurried onward So with the
masses. They "take no note Of time" !"
until tho end of the year, and then the hol-
day and the social greeting Of friends,
break for an hour the monotony Of the
journey. But with to-morrow's close all
will be again hurrying on their way with
the same apathy respecting the speed at
which they travel and the goal they are to
attain, And how few reflect upon either
the past or the future? Query, is there
wisdom in this? Would not the past eoun-
sci the future, did We but give it oppOrtu-
nifty?
But truce to this vein. New Years
duy will dawn upon us tomorrow, and we
heartily wish that it may be to each of our
readers one Of pure and abiding happiness.
The Infinite Wisdom has decreed that time
once spent can never be redeemed. Were
it otherwise, life would be but q series Of
experiments and blunders, for mans finite
Z capacity would be altogether incapable Of
restraining his natural appetites were he
allowed the privilege of recalling and OBJ
literating the past, and commencing anew.
The wisdom Of the Creator has given boun-
dOries to each year by creating the Sea
sons, which compel man to suit himself to
their requirements, enforce his reflection
and exercise bis understanding. The yis-
dom Of man has divided Time into epochs,
each epoch embracing the Seasons, and
enabling him to stand still, as it were, and
take a retrospect of the past, as his only
guide for the future. Experience is the
fruit OF opportunity, aud wisdom is the
daughter of experience. Wisdom, under
f Standing, reason, are the qualities which
: alone ally US to the Creator: which give US
dominion over the fowl aud the brute:
which make us lords Of the creation: ena.
/, ble us to plumb the oceans depths, to
measure the glorious armament, and ana.
lyze all material objects within the scope
/ Of eur capacity. Let us then pause npon
5 the threshold of the opening year, arraigu
ourselves before the tribunal of conscience,
and hearken to its still small voice" Be.
fore rushing headlOng into a dark, uncer.
tain future, let us revise the past, ard
gather wisdom from its experiences. We
, possess no gifts that are not the property
Of the Holy One. Wo are but the custo
dians Of His bounty, the servants to whose
5 care He has consigned certain tnlents, and
it is His commandment that we wrap then
not in napkin. The last football of the
c retrsating year has sunk into silence; it is
lost amid the mazes of eternity; but we
have been permitted 10 witness the reful
= gent dawning of another, with its untold
; hopes, its fears, its aspirations, its regrets
for the past, its stern resolves for time to
come This, then, is the season TO throw
: off the shacklcs of former error, and free Us
b from the yoke of folly. Let Us begin life
y of-,sb al