The record-union., 1891-10-05

plague spot. The character must be re-
viewed, the soul must be examined. We
ourselves must perform the operation,
and the new year therefore comes with
its present messages to all sections of the
congregation.
1t has a message for young children.
1t asks them to remember the frequent
promises, to be more loving, more earn
est at work, more truthful, more kind,
and hundreds of others. 1t asks not If
all these are fulfilled, but it wants to
know If there is improvement. Not to
improve is to be like brute beasts. They
always live and act alike, and have done
so since the time of Adam. If then, as
time goes on, no improvement is made,
ii to-day finds little ones no better than
they were twelve months ago, they are
degraded to the level of animals who
have only to be born, eat, grow and die.
Two children are sent out into the
fields to CLEAN among the reapers. One
comes home with an armful of ripe
golden ears of corn, happy with his work
and that he has done his duty. The
other has played and idled, chased but
terflies all the day, and comes home
ashamed and afraid, with a few faded
poppies in his hand. Like which child
will you be, little ones? Will you per-
form or neglect your tasks, asks the new
year? Childhood is the time for fun and
trollc! But laugh and be merry at the
proper time. Work earnestly when at
work, and you will play happily when
at play. The end and aim of life is i'm
provement. Don't delay! Let to-mor-
row already find you better than to-day.
You have life and strength and energy;
all you want is will. Be strong-willed
enough to progress in this right direc-
ton, and when l am old, says the now
new year, | hope you will make better
showing than you now can, however
good it may be.
1t has a message for men and women
who are fathers and mothers, hopeful of
the future of their young ones. 1t tells
you that as you bent over the loved form
of your little babe you vowed to train it in
the ways of God, if he would spare it to
you. Your example should be it's guide.
For the sake of the beloved one you
would live perfect life. In infancy, in
childhood and in youth you would watch
over it and keep your darling from evil
associations, so that it should find grace
in the sight of God and man. What has
been your children's education, asks the
New Year. Book learning? Some. Ac-
compiishments? Nothing to speak Of
instruction in religion? Much less. You
have made them worldly animals.
And your example and vigilance, your
temper and your tongue, your truth
and your charity, your justice and mercy?
Have these been practiced?
Your child grows every day more like
yourselves. Your voice, features, COM
plexion are seen in it. Shall not your faults
and your sins be imprinted on its soul,
too?
You pray for life for yourselves and
your loved ones, and surely when you so
pray you pray for the blessings of the
higher life. Remember that when you
put up this prayer to heaven the actual
response must lie with yourselves. Edu-
cate these little ones. Guard them from
scotfers at religion. Don't smile at their
petty sins, and above all teach them by
example the lessons Of religion and mo-
rality. Then and only then will your
prayers have meaning.
And there is message to adult men
and women who are in the pride Of youth,
in the spring-tide or early simmer of
life. The New Year tells you to reflect
on what is and what ought to be, morally
speaking. 1t tells that year by year goes
and you are greater only in self
importance, better only in clothing and
ppearance-greater only in size. Is it
true, the message continues, that spare
hours are almost invariably spent in
pastimeS that are not good and in occupa-
tions that are decidedly bad? Is it a fact
that, though living in republic, you
still worship kings and queens, and
spend night after night in paying them
homage? Is it possible that vast pc
riOd Of time is spent in fellowship with
knaves, while scarce an ace of time is de-
voted to higher and better and purer oc-
cupations? Is it a fact that those who
have such excellent opportunities for
spiritual growth, who are endowed
with good brains and clear heads,
and high intelligence, are held captive
by filthy pelf and low pleasures
as Samson was held by Delilah, as the
Northern Chief whom fifty men could
not conquer, but who was held in bond
age by single golden hair of woman? :?
Is it true that now, when you have
grown in manly and womanly beauty, in
energy and strength, and in knowledge
and wisdom perhaps, the former simplic-
ity, holiness and purity of life are dwind-
ling away. Thank God, all better feeling
is not yet dead, and that in the lamp of
your spiritual life there is still left little
ola little love for the old faith Add to
it; let not the little flame flicker and
splutter and go out. 1t is now I,
friend, one who loves you, that add per-
sonal appeal to the New Years message.
You will be tried and tested Let not the
test leave you rejected as base metal! Let
not the sentence pronounced upon YOU
be, Weighed in the balance and found
wanting"
One word more and am done for this
evening. There is one more message
lates to the future. 1t is well for us that
we are not prophets, that we are not
cursed with second sight We should be
powerless, paralyzed, hopeless, old ere
we are young. Ii we knew future events.
and knew not how to avoid them, we
should sicken and reel, and grow blind
with pain before it's ghastly face, as men
in ancient days were spell-bound before
the loathsome visage of the Gorgon's
head.
The future may seem laden with golden
promise, it may appear big with glowing
hope. 1t may bring US the fulfilment OF
our dearest wishes, it may come to us
with the realization of our fondest hopes.
1t may whisper to US words of encourage
mept and good cheer.
But it may startle us with its message.
1t may be that the new year tells us what
jeremiah told ''Set thy house in order.
for this year thou diest." The great ma
jority OF mankind die before they are 20.
Everyone who has passed 50 has gone be-
yond the average of human lire. This
sad message OF the future may be the
words that Will strike the ears of any one
of us. Ii this be the message sent to me,
| only pray that / may be fitted for
eternity. But if they apply to you; if, in
the new year, the words used by Nathan
to the guilty king be repeated, and Thou
art the one," be said to any of you. Oh,
/ beseech you, brethren, that recognizing
the possibility of such stern message,
you at once begin TO lay up something for
the journey whence there is no return.
something may live after your body Is
turned to dust. | pray you at once be-
gin to act, so that if at any moment dur
ing the year death comes and say, Are
you ready?' your reply may be, "Ready,
ay readyv
[ know not what your dying words
may he. Lord Chesterfield prided him
self on his politeness and died just hav-
ing said, give the gentleman a chair"
Ihe last words of Eootn Mern .snrnn