The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1890-12-27
For the Democratic Advocate.
NEW OXFORD, PA, JOTTINGS.
The New Year.

The New Year.
There is an inspiration in the word new. 1t is in
uature Of things 10 like 10 burst bonds. break
the sheils % move out and on into untried ways
There Is q charm in the unseen We are alur-
ed constantly By what we cannot know We
NAV enter the season with q painful sense Of
days wasted and irreyOcabiy gone, yet there Is
q cheer in the thought OF e New Year unfold
ing, day by day, its opportunity 10 redeem the
time We may even have reached the sad period
OF existence when we find ourselves looking
backward and never forward, save 70 the eternal
year; when, our treasures being in the past, our
hearts linger there also; yet even then the new year
brings this comfort that sorrows already borne can
not repeat their sharp surprise. Things must some
times be better simply because there Is no room for
them to be worse-sO even 10 the saddest the bells
have sound Of cheer. They ring out their note Of
inspiration and courage for every good effort
whether directed against the wrongs that blight
human hope or the hardly less pernicious though
less aggressive influence ofignorance and want and
pain-the season offer promise Of time for Drawer
conflict, for truer work. and more steadfast faith
more earnest prayer. The good cause 70 which our
hearts are given, whatever 1t may be, seems to re-
ceiye a new lease Of life in which we may hope for
time to correct all mistakes and TO do the things we
have left undOne. And not for outward work only
do we rejoice in the great and blessed gin OF time,
but all the more for the work to be wrought within.
Inasmuch a. being is infinitely more important
than doing. human hearts should welcome the
milestones by which they eau mark their progress
along the way OF inward profit and peace.
Tired Of it, old garments Of discomfort, this Is a
time when the soul may arise and, mantled with
purer purposes. wrapped in more sacred hopes, go
on its way Zionward. having received garments Of
praise for the spirit OF heayiness. 1t Is time 10
leave bel :ud the old habits that ettered the SOUL
the old harlness that resisted the spirit OF good
the old enlnity or prejudice or unbelief, and to
cutter fully into sympathy with His work who
maketh ali things new. The soul must have Its
period OF reimbursement its solemn times Of discovery
as 10 its own relations 10 truth and TO God when ii
seeks 10 bring itself into harmony with the divine
purposes ard plans. To pause long enough 10 md
ones selfin the hurry and whir Of life Is surely
blessed thing even If we only do it when we hear
the bells ringing the knell Of dying year. Happy
the soul that amer such pause moves in the line
offs highest usefulness which is at the same time
always its line Of highest development and highest
joy.
IASUARY-THE HISTORY OF THE NoSTH.
There is pleasing poetical sentiment in the old
Roman idea OF naming the fist month Of the year
after the two-faeed Janus. The conception Of the
looking back to the past while looking forward To
the future is one of those happy ideas for which the
great pagan minds Of old were celebrated.
This, the frst month CT the year, is named after
Janus a son Of Apollo. and, though native OF
Thessaly the most ancient king Of Italy whittier he
emigrated and planted the Colony OF Jauiculous on
the Tiber The word Janus. sgnifyng gate, was
considered by Numa Pompilius applicable 10 the
rS month Of the historical year as the gate or en-
trance of the new year Janus is generally represent
ed with key. and with the number 30 in one hand
and the number Is in the other implying presidency
over the year After his death Janus was worshiped
as god, his temple in Rome only being closed in
times Of peace. II was closed only once during the
existence Of the Republic, after the first punic
b. C., al, and only three times under the empire
two Of which occasions were during the reign Of
Augustus.
The opening Of the new year was considered By
the Romans a suitable day for healing enmites and
making new friendships, and, Saturnalia we've
still going on, there was much feasting and ex
changing Of presents. The custom Of offering gins
on the 1st Of January was always observed in Eng
land. Mr. Hone tells that lin the year 1904. upon
New Years day Prince Henry, then in his tenth
year sent TO his father, King James l. short poem
in Latin hexameter verse, being his first offering Of
that kind" There is also quartO volume in the
British Museum library entitled, "a New Years
Gift dedicated to the Popes Holiness, 1759;' and
another. "a New Years Gift to be presented TO the
Kings most excellent Majestic, with petition
from his loyalc subject 1916"
NEW YEAE
A happy New Year 10 our old friends of westmin-
ster, yes, thrice happy to them all. What if the
wish does come morning or two in advance of the
day? 1t gives them time TO contemplate its coming
But forward Is the word in America-never stop to
look back. Well let us take peep into the future
What is before us? aye. there's the rub.
How many fair lilies-daughteR of Eve, will be
drawn by the matrimonial bride bride into theiI
natural spheres" ere another New Year greets ouI
homes and We were almost OH the point Of asking
how many expectants will be left to travel the
blind road OF single blessedness," alone?
The mails tmales) too, very irregular sometimes
but mean to say, young men, why don't they
walk in? Why stand at the door waiting? One
would almost suppose there had been no war, Il
see such ilushness in the community.
With them ito be ornot To be" married, "is thu
question: but as we have already intimated that g
portion of the fair Will may be, it is TO be pre-
sumed that fair portion OF the gents Will sacrifice
themselves on the blssful altar for 1t most invar
ably happens that two persons are married at one
| wedding
| Take our advice aud walk in. for young man
though you be-remember that young man is the
stuff procrastination works into old bachelors.
| By the time these items have gone forth to tho
| many readers OF the ADVOCATE the old year may
have passed away or may not, and the new one
ushered in, by many with joy and rejoicing forget
full of the fact that time is passing away and thei
pilgrimage is drawing nearer the end, as well a,
ours. But how true It is that the great mass of
humanity live but for today, forgetu Of the future
and what It may bring to them and u.s. As the AID
vocATE goes forth on its mission, we wish the Edi
tors and the many readers happy returns of the
day, and may the paper that bears this message
continue to prosper in the future in the past, ad
vocatng right and justice in all things. J. ). g.