The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1881-12-30
NEW YEARS DAY.

NEW YEARS DAY.
To all Of our friends and neigh
bors we send greeting this beautiful
day the compliments of the season.
1t is truly the time for social greetings;
"a time to renew the friendship of
other days "a time to bury in the
oblivion of the past all chickering's
social or political "a time to extend
the right-hand of fellowship to our
fellow men, and to greet with smile
each brother and sister Of our race
a time to be men and women in that
higher and nobler sense, which con-
stitutes the true dignity and promotes
the welfare Of our common humanity;
a time for self examination;-a time
for new resolutions; Sd time to begin
anew the great task Of meeting, with
fidelity to the requirements Of society,
the general and special duties that
devolve upon each of us as we journey
on toward that other and better
country, in which is conferred all our
hopes and expectations which reach
beyond the confines Of time.
Is not the new year, to each Of us,
theme for contemplation worthy Of
the purest thought and most careful
consideration. To-day we enter on
new period Of time to-day one
year hence, where shall We be How
solemn the thought that no being on
earth can answer that question. To-
day we live and move rational, think
ing, responsible beings, answerable to
good conscience and God for our
actions. To day is ours, given for
the good we can do; tomorrow be-
longs, alone, to God, to man it never
is;-no human being ever has or ever
will see any such period Of time. To-
day is all there is of life; noW is all
the time man has on earth. Ought we
not then to improve the PRESENT. If
there is not any man on earth who
can assure himself that he will live to
witness the return Of another new
years day, and surely there is not,
how important it is that we discharge
the duties devolving upon us to day
in such manner, that should we die
ere the rising Of another sun, we could
leave the scenes of earth with the full
conviction of duty done; and with
the full assurance in our hearts, that
there is laid up for us treasure in
Heaven, which cannot fade away.
If each Of us z0ouAa, for we all can and
ought, SO live each day, that to die
would be gain, how different a new
years day this would be to each of us;
how different would be our reflections
concerning the past, and how much
brighter our hopes for the future.
But, dear friends, it is not our
purpose to infict upon any one of you
unpleasant reflections on new year. S
day, as this season Of the year has,
for ages past, been devoted to social
| joys and Kind remembrance, to festive
scenes, to mirth and hilarity, but
rather to extend the cordial hand Of
fraternal brotherhood to each of you,
and, with the compliments of the
season most heartily extended, wish
each of you ample prosperity in every
noble act, in every just and honorable
undertaking during the year we are
this day entering upon. Our prayer
that health and prosperity may be
vouched-safe to each of you by Him
who holds worlds in his hand, and at
Whose disposal are all things in
Heaven and on earth and, that,
should our lives be spared to witness
the closing scenes of this year, we
may all be enabled to look back on it
with oy,conscious that we have done,
as far as in us laid, our whole duty.
Should we do this, and we ought to
do it, then, to those who live see it,
this day twelve months hence will be
HAPPY New YEAR, in a more truth
full sense than any past anniversary
has been. Let us then ponder well
the obligations resting upon us, in
whatever department of life it is ours
to act, and do our whole duty, in the
fear of God, leaving consequences to