The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1892-01-06


more wonderful than any IN the Won
derful narrative, and the recording an
gel SITS his seal and turns the page. II
Is story that 1t is granted to none to
see its conclusion, and few indeed are
there who rightly read It's past. Its be-
ginning was when the morning stars
sang together over the order that was
create alt ofehnos, and the plot, with
It's threads Ia lirht and shade, sublime
courage and ei.i.al cawariicc, hate and
love, joy and fear, no man can compre-
hcnd and no man can alter. He may
delay the contamination Of the Divine
plan, but there is all eternity for its
completion.
The year Of our Lord 1891 has wit
messed marvcls in the arts and sciences.
The dcaths of the earth and the heights
of the clouds have been called upon TO
yield their secrets, and the whole realm
of space is now virtually the kingdom
of the mind. In a year the world has
made giant strides toward the perfec-
ton OF civilization. andevery one of the
last City years has witnessed discoveries
and inventions that have put to shame
those of as many centuries, until, paus-
ing in amazement on the threshold OF
the future, we are forced TO exciaim:
"What wilt thou bring forth. oh, mex
plieable voidl The browning Of mans
dreams or the end Of material great
ness? The summit Of perfection or the
return OF formless chaos?r
Great rs has been the progress Of the
world, the high water mark has only
been reached In certain favored spaces,
and vast continents arc still reserved
for the maturing u Gods purposes.
To our nation II hns been year
whose bounteousness and peace have
been unparalleled in the history Of any
country. The seasons have poured
from their laps their garnercd treas.
ures, and north, south, east and west
rejoice In abundance, The faces Of ma
turc and the elements have been pro-
pitious. and the smile Of Proyi-
dence seems TO rest in benediction upon
the land. In the social world too, the
fruitage has been abundant. Never be.
fore in the history Of our country has
so much good been done by earnest in
diyiduals and society for the reclama-
ton Of evil. the reform Of abuses, and
the amclioratiun OF the condition Of the
deserving poor. The harvest Of good
deeds in that has been great in spite Of
the fact there are still fallow fields, and
that much has been left uninterrupted.
There are those, Of course, who take
gloomy views Of the times. who see the
evil, but fail 70 recognize the good. and
declare that moray tie world il grow
ing weaker and mare degenerate with
eachyear. But truth. the mighty leayen,
Is terminating, dropped In the dark soil
Of ignorance and error; and bidder
away from sight, folded IN the bursting
sheath, is the sprout which shall one
dag become the giant oak, meath which
our nation shall be sheltered from
storms and noontide heats.
Not in the spirit Of the Pharisss. but
IN that Of reverent humility. should we
view our blessings Of the past year, and
have a fraternal sympathy FOR the fam
ishing peasants whose cry goes up from
the banks Of the volga. and from the
slopes Of the Ural mountains: for the
exiled race, whose wandering through
the wilderness Of prejudice and inius-
tice Is as cruel as their forty years pro
baton in the desert: for the poverty-op-
pressed masses Of our kindred nation.
whose mother tongue Is ours. and with
whom we claim common ancestry, and
for those nations who SIT in darkness,
or girt about with misty and uncertain
light, but longing for perfect day.
The ycsT 1897, upon whose threshold
We now stand. Il surely destined 10 b.
a morncntous one In the worlds history.
and n Amcrica Is granted the honor 81
erecting milestone In the universal
progress. In the year taat il ore
us the people o. the old world will b
summoned % witness the Inauguration
% monument worthy Of the genius
and courage Of Coln.ibus. q monument
which puts 20 shame the proudest
structure ever raised 70 commemorate
the great deeds 81 prince or c0nqueror,
and that monument Is an enlightened
and prospcrors people. whose self rev.
erencc, self knowledge aud self control
have raised them, Ia but little moro
than n century, 20 b. the object Of the
wonder and admiration Of the world.
Not Columbus. the Genoese. nor c0lum.
bus, the navigator. do wc thus honor,
but the courage which was repre-.
sented In him, which dared 20 ding
away old traditions and obey the In
ward voice urging onward u greai
achievement.
The year lies before Ms. mystery ii
great as the mystery d MI mysteries =
death. We meet IL with high resolve
hut sts.a-ss = ~ IN ssssr IT, ~ sE&1tffx
marks d similar anniversary, and ever
night witnesses the end II q year.
step taken irrcvocably fnoin time 10
ward eternity, for there. and ihcr.
only, can we meet face 70 face tina
shrOuded shape, The Future, which for
ever fees ~ we approach. II wc woult
truly live well, the years, whether
spent In work or meditation, IN pleas
ure or pain, should yield US something
more than material good, which Is a
eyanesceBt a. the morning mists. Tn,
outlines o. our lives are drawn for n
By circumstances, training, heredity
and other influences abUye our control
but day by day we are filling In Chr
light and shade. The coloriBg In the pic
ture, and II Is The coloring that viii
make or mar the beauty Of that crea
ton that shall hang In the gallery o.
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