The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-12-28
The New Year.

All Observation-Disclosures alone ex-
cepted-starts out upon New Year on
the first day of January. N Russia,
New Years Day is the 25tli of March
This date was also the beginning of the
year in England, up TO about one hun
dred and thirty years ago. In 1851. the
famous Lord Chesterfield secured the
passage OF a measure in the English
Parliament which set the New Year on
the first of January. Thus the legal
year was made to correspond with the
solar year.
The first of January first became New
Years Day in Europe three centuries
ago. In 1882, it was so ordained by
Pope Gregory Kill, and was adopted
by all Europe except England, Russia
and Sweden.
Another change, besides altering the
date of the New Year. was male hy
Lord Chesterfield reform OF I75I Up
TO that time, in England, the calendar
was eleven DAYS behind that of The rest
of Europe. That is, when is was the
first OF March, or April. or July, in En-
gland. IL was the twelfth of the month
IN continental Europe BY Lord Ches-
terfeld's act the English calendar was
advanced eleven DAYS
Thus was brought about in our mother
country the change from what was
called the sold STYLE to the New
Style" Russia still adheres. alone
among European nations, TO the Old
Style; and when it is the twelfth of the
month with us, it is only the first of the
month in Russia.
AS America was, in 1881, subject to
the mother country. our calendar. rs
well as that of England. was altered i'm
that year in the manner described.
We have become so accustomed to
the first OF January as the date of the
New Year, that it seems very strange to
think of its ever having teen at so awk-
ward date as the 25th of March But
this only serves to emphasize the fact
that these divisions of time are artifi-
cial, and, in a sense. merely the creation
OF mans ingenuity. Still, we are now
guided by the movements of the sun
and moon in our calculation of time; so
that it has been brought into harmony
and fitness with the physical scheme OF
the universe.
There are, happily. few human beings
to whom the coming of the New Year
does not bring, to greater or less de
gree. the pleasures of hope" On set |
ting out upon another year, Just rs on |
setting out on long journey CT voyage, |
or beginning new enterprise in bust |
ness. or building a new house, the faces
Of men and women are turned towards |
the future.
Memory of what has been seems most
natural and most fitting for reflection
in the latter days of the dying year. The
threshold passed into another, every one
is impelled to cast his glances forward,
TO wonder what is coming. to enter with
fresh zeal and fresh plans into the
schemes of life.
And corresponding with this feeling
is the kindred moral impulse 20 build
anew, on the foundations of the new
year, better and higher life. It is a
good thing to make large number of
good resolutions even if it turns out
that they are not all kept There is
something highly beneficial in the econ
omy of time and mems affairs. in the
regular recurrenee, once in every
twelyemonth, of q date when mankind,
instiEctively, as well as by custom,
takes a long glance over an extended
period, and turns its thoughts seriously
to moral self-iInprovement as well as
material advancement. - Yotth's COM
Pgni04,