The weekly Butte record., 1867-12-28
IS65-1S6s.

Silent, but grand, majestic and interminable is
the march of Time, Though famine, pestlence
and war may sweep over the earth and infict their
dire calamities upon mankind; though earth
quakes may convulse this solid globe to its center :
though some of the bright orbs of heaven may rush
madly and darkly from their appointed spheres !:
and though even chaos itself may come again.
Times march cannot be impededl Like that of
the fabled Wandering Jew-to compare the circum-
scribed with the unbounded-his step IS onward :
still on. How brief and Insignificant, therefore,
appears the space of time during which oar earth
is performing its annual circuit around the center
of our solar system and how incosiderable also,
is even that portion which the great Author of all
things has allotted to man-his three score years
and ten. But however brief and inconsiderable
the latter may appear, when contrasted with the
eternity of the past and future it is important
being mans all of earth-the period during which
be struts his brief hour upon the stage of ac-
tion, accomplishing much little. of veal or woe,
for himself and for humanity. II his heart retains
a goodiy portion of that purity with which il was
created, and which is an emanation from Divine
source if it has been kept unspotted from the
world uncorrupted by its intercourse with immo
rality and vice,-he can do much both for the ben
eft of himself and posterity-can perform deeds
which will be bright exemplars for all coming
time, and which will emblozon his name high on
the proud Temple of Fame. If, on the contrary
his " original brightness and purity have become
soied, and he is entirely" of the earth, earthly :;
if be has no aspirations for the true, the beautiful
and the good if he has quenehed the celestial
spark of Divinity within ; and if, in word, his
actions are prompted solely by the most sordid and
groveling motives which actuate the human heart,
his existence, however brief, will be all too long,
either for his own good that of humanity. He
will perish 50 the brute, whose spirit goeth down.
ward" and his name be forgotten or, his
evil deeds will receive the execrations of the wise
and good, and go to swell the long catalogue Of
those with which our earth has been cursed.
Another step has been taken in the grand march
of Time! Another year has been added to the IN
told and buried centuries of the past Another
year has passed away passed with all its joys
and sorrows, with all its hopes and fears! Is it
not proper, therefore, that we should all take
Prospect of our conduit during that time, and sec
what there may be to approve-wEat there may he
to condemn what hereafter TO imitate-what to
avoid If we conscious of errors-social. moral
or political which we have committed duriag the
past year. let firmly resolve TO shun them, if pos
sible, IN the future. By so doing, we may become
not altogether unworthy of the many blessings
which we have hitherto enjoyed as well as of those
which may yet be in store tor US and if our fu-
ture pathway through life should be oyershadowed
by the dark clouds of adversely sorrow a heart
conscious of its integrity. and g void of offense,
will enable to bear the aiiction and to plod
way to the '' dark valley" with commendable de-
gree of frmneas patience and trust.
Reader with fullness of heart we wish thee
A Happy Nt,c Year