The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-01-06
The H0fstsays.

are again Ia toc harness ready Tor the pOd
ding seasaa of work. The turkey gobblel
las ceased his gobbling. filled his destiny aud
we arc happy over the gustatorial recollec
ton. Old folks have merrily sung the good
wishes of the season and have been made
happy by rendering the wee BARNS more
happy over the receipt Of the gifts which in
the years agQne dlnd even our hearts with
Joy unspeakable and glorious even in the fond
recollection IF amid all we have thought of
;be poer, the sick, the lame, and the halt
if while enjoying ourselves we have admitted
even single ray of light into the hearts of
these eur fellow mortas, whom God has
given to US as wards, then indeed have We
done our duty according to the light within
Us, and made our holidays days of perfect
work SO far as lies within the range of poor,
weak, frail humanity.
Yes, the holidays are over-Christmas and
New Year have come and gone-thesc days
OF firm resolve aud ofhuman determination
earnest in their expression, but, alas how
frail and brittle in their keeping But few
pass these days without seriously adopting
resolutions of reform-all have habits to lop
off and cure and all, to greater or less de-
gree, determining to go about the work effec
tually; and yet how little of success follows
the effort, or, rather, how puny the effort
made TO assure success. The d2y Of our
stern resolves is hardly gone ere the discarded
tobacco pouch, cigar case, meerschaum, beer
glass is first thought of, then looked at, then
coveted, then, as an old acquaintance,
''sheck hands with, and then INDUCED
merely as treat TO good resolution, until, in
very forgetulness of our reform resolves, we
20 on plodding in the old way, only more
than ever, if anything, a slave to what we
enormously rank among lifes creatures com
forts, This is probably not a criminal weak
ness, yet It must be confessed to be phase
of humanity to overcome which is worthy OF
"a more than common etfert. But are nortals
capable Of such effort? The experience of
the world points to Immortality as the State
alone Ia which the evil can be remcdied
The best and most perfect among Us are full
lar short OF the accomplishment Of even
mojety Of the good resolves formed-and
when we contrast the strength of these with
the weakness OF the thousand of those who
fail altogether, We do not see that any single
one is prepared truthfuly to proclaim look
upon me as an example. 1t seems natural
therefore, that there should be failure, be-
rauSe, more particularly, we resolve too
much.
But Of the year past and gone Is it worth
s9h,kc 70 indulge q retrospect? 1t numbered
sts moneats aud days Of reioicings and, as
yUpil r. moments md 1o,-1 r L; ;t
well to recall these? We took them and bore
their burdens as they came; and time, that
great undertake., has buried them deep in
=he past. They were not without their uses,
aud If The teSssBS taught by them were right
ay applied they fell upon Us not in vain. IF
however they were received az matters of
course and passed over IN q spirit of careless
turgettu!nesS, resurrecting them at this day
will prove Of little avail. They were lessons
for the passing hGUr, and by this time have
become rotten in their graves, where We
would let them rest But there is much Of
,he past year that remains with Us yet
abundant harvests, peace with all mankind,
year Of comparative health, q ray of light
Desmiag upon aud illuminating our business
3lorizon, aGd the decision by the people,
without strife or discord, OF questions affect
lng our political prosperity-there remain
ia the grand march through the may tangles
ri our glorious Centennial 1876. In these
sSe have abundance for tEaHkfuness abUnd-
ant reason to look upon the year just closed
as year IN which blessings prove paramount,
and evils we're indeed, and in truth, the cx-
ccpt:on.
But what Of the future? That is to US as
q sealed book. The past is goue from Us for
ever, the future is beyond our vision, aye,
even beyond oar conjecture, the present only
: ours and as We use il so viii our end be
shaped 1t would be well, therefore. each
one for himself to recall past experience, anu
by the line Of It's travel so regulate his foot
steps that If 1877 still fudS him on the shore
of time 1t will be as ore walking in wisdom s
ways, whose ways, as the good book informs
Is7 are ways OF pleasantness and all whose
paths are peace.
DONATIONS. The friends of Rev f. L.
Msrtin, viii make him donation visit at the
house Of Mr. John Albert, near Boy School
House, on the evening of the 9th of January,
Crhursday) Should the evening prove very
sr,rmy it will be on Friday night. By
order OF Tn COMMITTEE.
The friends an, merbers of Hamilton
Church, will make the i'estor, Rev. G.
Roth, donation visit, at the Parsonage, onI
Taescsay evenies, January II, Io..6. I'M
case the weather should prove stormy, he !
next fair evening. All are invited to attend I
4 Festival and donation will be held at the
M. Z. Parsonage at Spragueville, on Thurs
day Eve. Jan. l3, 1876, for the benefit OF elle
Pastor, Rev Z. L. Martin. Should the
weather prove very stormy, it will be the
next fair night