Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-01-05
Nrw YEARS REFLECTIONS.

To-day we enter fully upon Ihe uutles
and business of the new year. The old
has buried its dead and its disappointed
homes. The record is made up past re-
call and the great pulsatory world
nresses on as though the words fail or
die had never been written. Men lay
plans as eagerly as if they held the
reins of destiny in their own hands and
oould forever attain success. To
great degree some such feeling is neces-
sary to compensate us for the trials
mishaps and defeats of life. The ant
that lugged at the grain Of wheat ninety
nine times unsuccessfully tried again
and conquered. So it is with man.
Year after year he lays deep plans and
fails, but at last perchance he wins the
battle and snatches victory from the
very jaws of relentless fate. We are
all given to castle.buildiug more or less,
and. as we enter upon new year, more
than any ether time are we apt to scan
the horizon-of the future and make some
good resolutions. The latter, however,
had better never be made than broken
or forgotten. The man who breaks
faith with his own conscience and ex-
cuses himself because the world knew
nothing of his vow, will do the same
with his neighbor next year, and lind
some pretext to put off the still, small
voice within. The road to perdition is
paved with good intentions and broken
vows. How many of us in the face
of some great calamity or danger
promise ourselves, if spared, TO make
better use of future opportunities, and
vet how prone we are, in the day OF
prosperity and health, to break such
PROMISES and neglect to bring forth the
proper fruits Of repentance. Men iondly
imagine that money, power or vast
knowledge will give them peace OF mind
and happiness, and in the struggle to
acquire these they often use questions
BILE means, under the delusion that sue
ces will satisfy them, which it does not.
True, the world as it goes is quite in the
habit of judging man by his success,
and all are anxious to enjoy fair degree
Of popularity with their fellow-men, but
the plaudits Of fame or the possession OF
wealth can never compensate any one
for the loss of selfrespect, however well
concealed, and these things are liable to
turn to ashes on the lips at any time,
and leave the most bitter regrets to echo
the chidings of conscience. 1t is better
TO make few promises and fulfil them,
than ever so many to be broken. This
is so in reference to ourselves, and it
applies to all the obligations of life. 1t
is similar to the principle of keeping
out of debt. We all see the Importance
of paying as we go. The credit system
is a great bane to individuals and COM
munities which all should earnestly
strive to avoid. Better to have little,
and Herewith be content, than live like
q prince and have to hear the clamor OF
creditors within or without. Let us all
learn lessons of economy, discretion
and conservatism from the dead embers
of the old year, and enter upon the tasks
Of the new with enlarged views ..
humanity, and make such promises to
God and man as Nc can reasonably ex-
pect to carry out. And when the bal
lance sheet Of each day is made up, nay
the good greatly prepOnderate over the
evil, and continue TO increase even
until the end Of life.