The Cecil Whig., 1886-01-02


of God, and the altar, and them that
worship therein. The 10 weeks (4Oo
years. is the line that measures the
temple, altar and worshipcrs. Haggai
in 2-IS, tells us to put the measuring
line on the foundation of the temple,
which was laid on the 24th day of the
9th month, according to the command
ment of the God of Isreal and accord
ing the commandment of Cyrus and
Darius and Artaxerxes, king of Persia !;
ezra 6-I4) and in just 23oo years
froh: that day the God of Heaven will
shake the Heavens and the earth, and
will overthrow The kingdoms. See Hag
gal 2. 2I-22 also Heb. H. Is to 20.
Now, what next shall we measure? The
altar. Where was the sacrifice taken
off the altar? In the middle of the las t
week of the 90. When was that done !?
July 5th, II. What is to be measured
next? The worshipers. How far do
they 60 beyond where the sacrifice was
taken away? g. years. Where did
that end? January 5th, IS. How many
years were determined Cor cut Off
upon the Jews 400 years, which take n
from 1900 would leave 1910. Now,
add 76 to 1910 and where does it take
Us? To January 5th, 1886. Where
did the Advent church look tor the
Lord to appear? On the 10th day of
the 9TH month. On what day did tn at
come? October ED. Now, Haggai
says the shaking of the earth shall be
on the 24th day of the 9th month.
Now, add two months and IS days to
October 22d, and it will take you to
January 4th 1886, which is the first
Lords Day in the New Year
He would have us believe indeed
that our midnight bells are destined
this time for sure to "ring in the Christ
that is to be-
There is not among all the list of
festivals, an anniversary possessing such
wide and general import as New Years
Day. 1t is the season Of. what might
be called,-domestic reform Every
member of every household either in
communion with the hearth stone circle
or in the solitude of his chamber, re-
counts the deeds and actions of the
twelve months past, and builds noun.
tains of resolution upon Saharas Of
doubtful certainty. In Every depart
ment of the moral constitution a gen
eral house cleaning takes place; the
criminal forswears his dirk, the topper
his flask, and all, sometimes alas but
for the passing moment, are as pure as
the new year itself in its dimpled in
fancy is supposed to be. The business
man who has met with misfortune, the
author who has lost the laurels of his
reputation, the lover whose suit has
failed, the afflicted with disease and
poverty, all tread the memory of the
year just gone beneath their feet look
ing for brighter rewards to the younger
time. But the brave hearted Jean In
gelow exclaims Loyalty againt such an
action:
81 took a year out of my life and story
A dead year, and said, | will h"w thee
tomb.
All the kings OF the nations lie in glory;
Cased in cedar, and shut in sacred gloom;
Swathed in linen, and precious unguents
old;
Painted with Cinnabar and rich with
gold.
Silent they rest in solemn s..!vato:y,
Sealed from the moth, an! the owl ard
the tlitter-mouse-
Each with his name on his brow.
All the kings of the nations lie in glory,
Every one in his own house:
Then why not t!iou"
Just so let the old year and the les
sons it has certainly taught be preserved
handily for daily reference, "sealed
from the moth and the owl and the
fitter-mouse.' The scenes Of the first
day OF the year touch more closely that
sublimer chord of life than do those Of
any other period of the rolling calendar :
The mother ia es her boy, who has be
came a man to others, to her heart for
the last time in the old, old way of nur-
sery and cradle days, as he steps bravely
forth to conquer in his little world at
other doors the prodigal returns to
crouch beneath fathers imprecatio MS
and to implore his forgiveness. \ |
manners and modes of human life
plead for permission to try the rugged
path again with the advent of the year,
the season of beginnings. In the de
sign of creation eighteen hundred and
eighty five of these patriarchal years
haye died since the first one made holy
by the birth in Bethlehem. The brain
attempting to chronicle in few gra-
phic sentences even the more promi-
nent incidents of these eighteen cen
turies would crack ; their history is
written by Time on the pages of the
universe. America, among the primally
discovered nations SO comparatively
young is beginning to assume the lean
and slippered aspect of respectable,
hale, old age stored with wisdom, from
past and contemporary, lessons, She
sails forth in the good ship, so" no
longer a novice to the wide worlds sea
of life, but -willed, strong minded,
able, competent to pilot the sacred
craft.
GLADSTONE AT SEVENTY
SIX