The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-12-30
Thursday. Dec. so, 1886.
New Years Day.

New Years Day.
The year
Has gone, and. with it, many glorious
ltsshadow In each heart. In its swift course
1t waved its scepter DER the beautiful,
And they are not. 1t laid its pallid hand
Upon the strong man, and the naughty
Is fallen, and the flashing eye is dim.
1t trod the hall of revelry where thronged
Tie bright and Joyous, and the fearful wall
Or stricken ones is heard, where erst the
And reckless shout resounded. 1t passed
DER
Tie b@atile;pl bait where sword and spear
Flashed in the light of midday-and the
strength
OF serried hosts is shivered, and the grass
Green from the soil of carnage, waves above
The crushed and mouldering skeleton. 1t
came
Yet. ere IT melted in the viewless air,
1t heralded its millions TO their home
In the dim land of dreams.
The first day of the year. for
ages In many portions of the
world, has been celebrated as a
religious and social festival.
With the post biblical Jews.
the New Year commenced with
the autumnal month, Tisri.
The Romans made a special
holiday of New Years day and
offered sacrifices to Janus. They
took care On that day that all
they thought, said and did should
be pure, since everything was
ominous for the occurrences of
the whole year. This thought on
the part Of the pagans in that re-
mote age, has followed along the
course of time, and there can be
found hundreds of men in every
community to-day who resolve
at the commencement of every
new year, TO quit drinking, smok-
ing, chewing. and, in fact, TO quit
all their evil habits. We note
this fact, because it illustrates
how even one Of the ideas of pa
ganism has kept pace with the
spread Of the gospel 70 revor 1900
years.
The bestowal of gifts upon New
Years day was not peculiar to
the Romans. The Dfuids dis
tributed branches of the sacred
Mistletoe. The Saxons observed
the festival with more than ordi-
nary jollity and feasting. Henry
III. of England, it is said, extort-
ed New Years gifts. The En-
gIish and Scottish peasantry, as
we'll as those in many other coun-
tries, observed the day with fes-
tiyals.
The feast Of the circumcision
is kept on January Isl; in COM
memoration of the circumcision
of Jesus, ii being eight days af
ter Dec. 18th, which has been
fixed to be observed as his ma
tivity.
In this country it has been the
custom for years in many Protes
tan. Churches 10 hold watch
service, extending from eight or
nine clock in the evening until
after midnight and advent of the
New Year.
While the day is recognized as
holiday 1t is not so general OBJ
served as Christmas in this coun-
Try.
In many Of the larger cities as
we'll as towns of the size of Lo-
gan, it Is the practice of the la
dies to KEEP open house and
serve refreshments TO the friends
" 10 may call.
In the year just closing there
have been many notable changes
not only among the great men of
the nation, but among those who
have been more intimately con-
nected with us here at home.-I
Many Of our Oldest citizens, as |
we'll as not a few of our young
people, have answered the last |
call and passed away.
Their number has beeasfar ex-
ceedsd, however, by the new
born children that come as pre-
cious charges 10 hundreds of fam
lilies.
In business way our people |
have been prosperous. and it is
the. will of the Divine Ruler that
the people of the Hooking Valley
should be happy.
The SentiRel, we are moved to
remark. is still alive. lis sub
scription list is much larger than
it was one year ago and IT is not
harrassed with debts. 1t stands
against WRONG; it stands for right.
1t is the guardian of the Demo-
cratic battle Ak and is always On
q war footing.
TO all our readers we wish a
Happy New Year, and hope
they can say with us:
4 year to-day! God grant each year
As rich gifts may bestow,
This day may ever be most dear
OF all our days below.
Ackn0WieCi9 Nlenf.
The Editor desires to thank the friends
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