Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-01-03
A MEMORY OF NEW YEARS EVE.


gave service of song on New Years
eve.
They began it with that beautiful and
comfortable prayer of the ages. whose
brief and simple petitions embody the
needs of all souls, ..Our Father who arr
in Heaven
They chanted it in a tender minor
key, each word distinctly articulated,
and falling like the dew Of Heaven into
the hearts bowed there. At a certain
place in the melodious recitative they
repeated:
Forgive -us-our -trespasses AS
we forgive those who trespass-againsi
| u.s.
A man sat in prominent place there.
on whose silvered head the soft blended
light from the stained glass of the chan.
Gel windows fell like rays of glory. As
the choir, in that sweet soft monotone
of harmony, repeated the petition of
the prayer, this man s proud head sank
lower and lower, until it touched his
breast in an abasement of anguish OF
humiliation, for to him each simple
word was an arrow of conviction.
"Forgive-us - our - trespasses - as
we forgive those who trespass-agains
u.s." He called himself Christian,
yet at that very moment his own flesh
and blood was perishing for want OF
help, which he could give. He called
himself Christian, and gave literally
to the cause of Christ, but here he failed
to do one of the first of His commands.
He had spurned from his door in this
tima of paaoa ap5 roooo a;l;. t;oY, b;c owl,
child, who few years ago had left him
to marry the man of her choice. He
had closed his door and his heart
against her, and when she humbled
pride as strong and rebellious as his
own, which indeed she had inherited
from him, with her hair and eye, and
begged for help for her dying child, he
had spurned her from him with these
cruel words:
go! you have made your ped-now
lie in it!'
He had said to himself that he was
right; he had recalled high. sounding
examples to aid him-had written on
the fly leaves of the books she had left,
How sharper than a serpents tooth il is
To have thankless child!'
Poor Nellie! as if she had not suffered,
too!
And now all other thoughts all vim
dictive resolves-were overwhelmed in
that softly surging sea of melody.
''Forgive-us-our treSpasses-as-
we = forgive = those - who - trespass
against-us-i'
1t was New Years eve In a squalid
~ ri of aittr int ha
able room of most miserable tenement
house, lay little dying child. Its
white and wasted face shone among the
few dark rags of poverty, like the even
ing star, and the dark eyes, soon to
close on earthly trouble, were fever
bright in the eyes of the Pickering
candle. A woman, young. pallid, d.
shevelled, with sort of reckless resolve
dawning in her set face, knelt by the
baby sufferer, and now and then wet
the parched lips with all the nourish-
ment they had tasted for many hours,
drop of cold water.
Mamma! Mammal rang out the
little voice strong and shrill with pain,
81 tan't see 'ou
I'm right here, darling; no one shall
separate u.s." With fierce SILVER the
woman added: Mot even in death!'
A peal of bells rang out, it was mid
night. All the good church people ,9ere
getting up from their knees, shaking
hands and wishing each other happy
New Year!
"Rfng out the want, the care, the sin,
Ring out the grief that saps the mind.
Mammal cried the little quivering
&c At So
payers before | die
The mother took the waxen-hand in
hers, and knelt by the miserable bed and
soon the two voices blended in their
nightly recital of the loved petition.
| They neither of them noticed when the
door opened, and they had reached the
clause, forgive us our trespasses as W.
forgive those who trespass agains us, >
when loud, firm voice respo nded,
"Amen" and Nellie rose and was
clasped in her fathers arms.
/ hope the - Street Church choir
will chant that prayer this New Years
eve. Indeed, have good reason for
knowing that they have been privately
advised that it will be expected of them.
For Nellie and her father and that sweet
child will be there, the happiest trio in
the city, and when the wild bells ..ring
out the old, ring in the new" they will
be on their knees, hand clasped in hand,
to welcome in their new year of peace,
forgiveness and prosperity, but above
all to join with thankful hearts in silent
response to that pathetic and remem-
bered petition, so dear to both:
''For- give-us-o our tresspasses-
as-we-forgive those who trespass-
against us. "-Detro1 Free Press
The Ostrich as Kicker.
DR.. Sketchly, who has charge of the