West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1883-01-06
rms on rEaR AM rms NEu.

IL is not the teaching OF Christi
anity alone, bet 10 less OF olviliza-
tion aud culture. which bids us to
look backward and eeusider the i'm
perfection behind us. aud forward
and ooutrive how the future can be
mad more useful aud succeesfu, than
the past. Every new invention.
every fresh application OF Old iuven-
lions TO untried uses. every mile OF
new railway and every virgin acre Of
prairie wheat field is humauity's con-
tessloR that the past is not good
enough for It and That We are resolv-
el that the ia,ure shsll be fuller Of
happiness aud profit. Il Ia only rude
baIbariem that ia sstieied with that
winch is behind. and looks not for
ward for something better in the TO.
tuIc.
1t Is eilthai the ear should close
with festival which mar ks tue end
OF the old order OF tbiugs and the be-
ginning Of the new, Christmae reana
that the religion Of the future has
come upon the stage. The old year
OF darkaess ia out and the
new year OF light and hope has coma
IN. Christ looked forward. Hls re-.
ligion always ssks: What Improve
ment can be made for the race 2 what
in each eoul's inner lilt2 AS the civ
ihzanon iuspired by Christianity
keeps ever in view an ideal of a per-
feet government, 80 Chrislianity it
self sets before each poul its highest
steudard in the ideal life OF jesus
Christ and in the character OF God
himselI; and it ever cries TO the die
dlssatiefied heart BE ye, therefore,
perfect. even as your Father which
10 in Heaven is perfect. And 80 it
bids us look back at the end of the
year and count up our regrets, and
look forward at tho beginning oithe
year aud note down our better reso-
lutions.
What else is Christianity but this,
the conscious aspirations Of the soul
to fulfill in its own spiritual sphere
the periectness of humanity, even az
civilization would perfect humanity
IN the mat spherep As Christ-
lars, it is our Ion ging, 6lst, to have
that perfect mind within ourselves
which was In CHRIST Jesus; anCi IL 10
our further longing that the whole
world may be converted TO the same
longing. What we shall seek for this
new year, thep, is to correct The fail
ings of the year psst, to gain the
complete Chiistly character, and to
do what we can through the Church
to bring the whole world to Christ.
IL this new resolution o. the new
year nothing more, then. than the
old once more repested 2 Nothing
more. The new resolution ia new
only in that it ia made anew. 1t is
only one more step forward added to
the thousand already made, Only
by tire repeated effort OF hand or
mind, made in the same. way, do we
earn,,at jast, the easy habit in labor,
or study; aud it is the repeated res
olutioD, the old one made over and
over again every morning, every
Sabbath. every new year, which f.
nally fruits in the noble life. It is
enough, then, that once more we
ask the divine help that we may this
year follow closer to our Masters
Steps and that we may increase the
fellowship Of his disciples.
The centuries are Gods day and night
Their slow and solemn dawns haye never
ceased,
Nor will. Behind the darkest age, with
light,
Thoughtful len, never by one ray decreased,
Shine morning stars. eternsl, 10 the r 4st.