Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-01-07
THE NEW YEAR.

the oirth or our Lord, mas come and
gone; and as If once more the heavenly
host were lowering Ger US, singing their
immortal Christmas Anthem, the seDti-
ment of peace on earth and good will
toward men," has been diffusing itself
abroad and finding expression in public
and private acts of grace.
We could not do without Christmas
time and its genial Influences. Its glamor
and its glow are spread over the year.
There is long taste of the blessednsss
of the giver, in our planning and plot
ting for the surprise and pleasure of our
friends, and afterwards their appreciat
ton of our little, loving, fond device"
warns and cheers us for long time.
Then. if ever, ''the man that hath friends
must show himself friendly"
Another year, and our opportunities
may be narrowed. Some of them may
be "far away" and what would we not
give to recall the past, and proffsr the
'little service which had proved how
tenderly we watch'd and lov'd." Oh.
Let love antedate the work of death
and separation"
What diverse home histories the by
gone year has ssenl Chapters of joy and
grief, tears and laughter. Some family
circle has been widened, to let in new
members through the sacred portal of
matrimony, or within the silent grave
yard dear one has been laid away, "to
be rained and showed on, which is hard
thing to do for those whom we have
cherished tenderly." Perhaps some pa.
tient, unselish elder sister, whe has
been all her life mother, caretaker, and
provider for others, suddenly finds her
self the object of love. thought. and ten
der care, which shall compens ate her
an hundredfola in this life, and pass over
with her into the life beyond. Or has it
been that
4The hand which, like staff, was one
For mine to lean and rest upon,
The strongest on the longest day,
With steadfast love is caught away
1t may be that sweet little child life
has been let into the midst of some bar
rem, mechanical household, a joy in the
present, and the object of thousand
fond hopes and plans for the future.
Has some prodissl returned to be for
given and rejoiced over, and to ebliter-
ate the past by loving service? or are we
shedding bitter tears over one "forlorn
in chimes afar, or who past the bar hate
and shame have set, no mere shall
Gomez" The tale Of the months is told.
And as the mighty cylinder, Time, un-
rolls the coming year to our gaze. one
moment is enough for US at once. If
! 'ss--oo..ij reat; the fasafs,- -sSs.l1=HOt
bear the knowledge. joys would pail on
US ere they were tasted, and sorrows
would crush US before the time.
One thing we knew, that while much
of our ceming life Is beyond our regula-
tion, much lies in our own hand, through
the control of our minds under our va
rious experiences.
Resignation under disappointment, pa
tience in trial, industry, which gives a
satisfied and steady tone to the mind.
and cheerfulness, which has been called
"the bright weather of the heart" and
of which Dr. Smiles says, "the true basis
is love, hope and patience
The same wise writer says: "The rest
less, anxious, dissatisfied temper, that is
ever ready to run and meet care half
way, is fatal to all happiness and peace
of mind. How often do we see men and
women set themselves about rs if with
stiff bristles, so that one dare scarcely
approach them without fear of being
prickedl For want of little occasional
command over ones temper, an amount
of misery is occasioned in society which
is positively frightful, Thus enjoyment
is turned into bitterness, and life be-
comes like a journey barefooted amongst
thorns"
These anniversaries are like stages in
a journey, from which we can set out
with renewed courage, prodting by our
experience in the past to correct mis-
takes, and with bright hopes and purt
poses fer the way before us.-Philadel-
phia Saturday Evening Post.