Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-26

4
sobriety, and bribery, fraud and dissipation
| quit the land.
The Clock Won't Stop.
| "Stop, oh, clock! in the tower of the grea
United States capitol. "No, no, says
the clock, II have been going on so long
cannot afford to stop. I sounded the birth.
day of American independence. I rang out
the return of peace in 1866. have seen
many Presidents lnaugurated. I struck the
hour of Lincoln's assassination. have
beat time for Emancipation, Proclamation
and Chicago fire and Charleston earthquake
and epidemics of fever ard cholera Ma
tions never stop. They march on towards
salvation or demolition. And why should
I stop? chime for the national holidays
| l toll for the mighty dead. I must go on
must go on. Tick-tock! Tick-tock!'
There may be difference of few sec
onds or few minutes in the timepieces,
but it will be serious occasion when next
Saturday night about the same hour the
family clocks and the city clocks and the
national clocks strike One! Two! Three!
i Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! Nine!
Tenl Eleven! Twelve!
Sorry am to have 1892 depart this life
1t has been good year. What bright days!
What starry nights! What harvests! What
religious ccnvocations! What triumphs OF
art and science and invention and enter
prise and religionl But, alas how sacred
it has been with sorrows. What pillows
hot with fever that could not be cooled!
What graves opening wide enough to take
down beauty and strength and usefulnessl
What octogenarians putting down the staff
of earthly pilgrimage and taking the crown
of heavenly rewardl
A Mingling of Emotions.
What mingling of emotions in this clos
ing yearl What orange blossoms for the
marriage altar and what myrtle for the
tombs of the dead! Hosannas and lamenta-
tions in collision. Anthem and dead
march mounting from the same ivory keys.
Before this year quite leaves the earth, let
it hear our repentance for opportunities
that can never return. Kind words spoken
too late or not spoken at all. Means of
getting good or doing good SO completely
gone by that the archangeps voice could
not recall them. Can it be that this year is
closing and our sins are unforgiven and we
have no certainty that when our last De-
cember the 31st has sped away we shall en-
ter blissful eternity? The most overwhelm-
ingly solemn week of all the year is the
last week of December.
But on opening this subject, I'm respect
of a aholy-day,' as my text puts in, or a
holiday as we moderns write and pronounce
it, 1 advised that you divide this season
into three chapters: The first chapter of
illustrious birthday, the second a chapter
of annual decadence, and the third q chap
ter OF chronological introduction, and this
last chapter we have reached.
Brought in the New Year.
In olden times there was a style of clos
ing an old year and opening new one that
was very suggestive. The family would
sit up until II o'clock at night, and when
the clock struck 10 the family would all go
to the front door of the house, take down
the bar and turn back the lock
and swing the door wide open to
to let the Old Year out and the New
Year in. And that is what we are going
to do With the same measured step that
time has kept since 1t started it will come
to our door in the closing night of this
week. With what spirit shall we let the
New Year in? have already indicated
that it is to be one of the greatest years of
all chronology. "Why?" you ask. "Have
you any forebodings or premonitions?"
mo" "Are you expecting the millen-
mum this year?" mo" "Why, then, say
this aboGt the coming year?'' For the SIM
pie reason that 1 find as the years go by
they become more and more eventful.
eighteenth century. Compare the first half
of this century with the last hall. The
surges of this ocean of time are rolling
higher and higher. The forces Of right and
wrong are rapidly multiplying and their
struggles must be intensified. It is chro-
biological fact that we are all the time COM
ing nearer to the worlds EdeniZation first
and then to its incineration, TO its redemp-
tion and its demolition.
Expects a Greater Year.
And so I expect that 1898 will be
greater year than 1892. Its wedding bells
will be merrier Its obsequies will be sad
der Its scientific discoveries more brill
liant Its properties more significant.
It's opening more grand. Its termination
Look out for 1893! Let
printers have in their cases of type plenty
of exclamation points to set up q sudden
Let the conservatories have
profusion of flowers that can be twisted into
garlands. Let churches have plenty of
room for increased assemblages. Let men
and women have more religion to meet the
vacillations and the exigencies and the de-
mands and the raptures and the woes of this
coming 1893 In what mood shall we open
the door of the New Year? With faith,
strong faith, buoyant faith, triumphant
faith. God will see you through. His
grace will be sufficient if you trust Him.
You can go to Him at any time and find
Thus in three chapters 1 have counseled |
hat the holidays be grouped. May moth
ing interfere with their telicities. May |
hey be so spent that they will be food for
pleasant "Reminiscences further on. Oh, that |
.hese delightful holidays of earth may fit |
is for those more delightful holidays of |
leaVenl