Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-01
Don't Look Back |!

Christmas is gone again! The
great festival occasion is once moro
thing Of the past; but we would ad-
wise our readers to forget it, If they
can. It is true, that if these festive
days were not sprinklel into the years
of our earthly existence, our hard
grinding litc would soon wear us all
out. \ .a
But still our advice is, not to look
back, for there are numbers whose
liyes have no happy seasons i'll them,
no carnivals Of joy, no mcrry-mak-
ings, no hours Of uninterrupted happi-
ness t,In all the three hundred and
sixty-fvc days, which go to make up
ayear, there are hundreds who cannot
look upon one Of them which did not
have its sorrows, its leartburnings, its
achings, lis dismal moments, which
did not carry with it its own stings, or
forebodings Of those to como. Life,
with such as these, is a continuous
struggle-a burden, that thcy would
willingly lay aside. Sickness or.
poverty, OF that "dcep midnight Of the
soul". which makes this wor! 4 hell !,
or the three combined, conspirc to
snatch from their existence every ray
Of earthly sunshine, every hope Of
earthly comfort Although Christ
mus is celebrated rs Christ's ,lny, yet
there can be but little appreciation Of
his mission to such rs these. He has
said 'comc unto me all yc that labor
and arc heavy laden, and will give
you: rest:" II is hard for men whose
]ahtp. Of life cmits no ray oflight or
hope. to believe That II Higher then
they,:cnrcs for them = hard 10 believe
and act upon his promises. And yet,
VIC arc told that Christmas means tllt
Christ is the friend ofman-a sympa-
thizer and sharer i'll lis sorrows; that
men honor him only when they
trust him; and that in trusting him,
they throw off all corroding care and
anxiety athat is a pervcrsion 7 o6'f life
TO :allow tito DO wasted in a continu.
al ,'%Q;fry; that If, every body Nero
rich. .ifs wsild exactly fc}ucvaittnrt
TO cvcryb611ys being poor; md That
10 be poor is neither disgraceful nor in
itself, !. .dcplorablc. But the poor say
that such reasoning ns this may do for
those W'ho have never felt the sharp
arrows ofpovcrty, Of starvation staring
them in the face, Of going to the
grave uncarcd for and unwcpt! Such
reasoning docs not suit their cond-
ton. E..
But, 5br all this, Christmas is essen
tally. @rigt's day, and should be SO
regarded. OF course, the rich enjoy
it morc then those who are pcnniless;
and when it is gone, it leaves with the
former the, most pleasing rocollections
Of its. duration. Not SO with tho poor,
however: o.tllcm it leaves Il heritage
Of bii|!sr memories ofthcir insignih.
canoe III the worlds space; Of tieir
rhysiral AUD mental offerings; Of the
hcarIlcssnes; of those whom the world
has favored; Of al existence akin to
death; :ef days usclessly spent in pull
ing lniifl against the stream. Hence
our injuii!ction-,-Don't look back Ii
will only imbttcr the futnro, and
make The. poisoned chalicc, which it
has III store for tie lips ofinany, only
the hardAatoYaalr.
These thoughts ,"*cro su uggcs.cdi 10
us by Il conversation we overheard the
other day Between q gentleman Of this
place ami. The keeper Of tho County
Poor House. An inmate Of thut
Institution had requested the gentle
man referred to, to SEQ the keeper, and
enquire " whether or not ho would per
nit him to be carried home TO hia
mother; that although she was aa poo,