Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-01-07
On New Years. dsy You from the pew md

abreast; epochs abreast; millenniums
abreast; Egyptian c.viliz ,tion, babyiouian
populations, Assyrian domfnIons; armies OF
Persian. Grecian. Peloponnesian and roman
wars; Byzantine empire, Saracenic hosts.
crusaders of the frat, the second, third and
the last avalanche OF men: Dark Ages In
somber epauiets AMI brighter agss with
shields OF silver and halmets Of gold; Italy.
Spain. France, Russia, Germany. Englant
and America, past ami present; dynasties,
feu ial domains, despot SINS monarcaies, re-
publics, ages on AGES, ages on ages, passing
to-day in chronological review, until one
has no moro power to Look upon the ad-
yauciny columns, now brilliant, no"
squand. now gariandet with peace, now
crimson with slaughter. now horrid with
ghastliness, now radiant with love and joy.
This chronological study affords, among
other practical thoughts. especially two
the one encouraging to the asst degree and
the other startling. The encouraging
thou ,ht is that thu main drift of the can
turtles has been towari betterneut. with
only here and there stout reversal.
Grecian civilization was vast improve
ment on Egyptian civilization, and Roman
civiizition vast improvement on Grecian
ciViiization, ana Christian civiliz alton is
vast improvement on Roman civilization.
What was the boosted age OF Psriclss
compared with the age Of Lorgfell,w AMI
iennyson? what was Qleen Eiiz1beth as
specimen OIL moral wonanhooi comparad
with Queen Victoria7 What wers the cruel
warriors OF olden times compared with the
most distin 2uishsi warriors Of tins last half
century, all OF Them as much distinguished
for kindness and good morals as for prowass
the two military leaders of our Civil War
on northern and southern side COMMUNICATE
members OF Christian churches, AMI their
home life as pure as their public life?
Notnihg impresses me in this chronology
cal review more than the fact that the rsgi-
ulents OF years are better and better reei-
menus as tne troops move on. thank Col
that you an were not born any 20 )ner
than we were born. How couli we have
enduref the disaster OF peiny born in the
Eighteenth or Seventeenth or Sixteenth
century? Glad am that we are in the regi-
ment now passing the reviewing stand. AMI
tnat our children will pass the stand in
SUN better regiment. Col did not build
tnls world for slaughter house or den Of
infamy.
gcol deal OF cleaning house will bs
necessary before this world becomes as
clean and sweet as is ought to be- but the
brooms and the scrubbing brushes and the
upholsterers AMI plumbers are already busy.
an when the world gets fixed up. as it will
be. If Adam AMI Eve ever visit II, as ex
pect they Will, they will say to each other.
wei, this beats paradise when we lived
there. and the pears and plums are better
than we piuckei from the first trees, and
the wardrobes ars mora complete and the
climate is better"
T. Since settled In nv own mind the fact
that Col was stronger than the devil have
never lost faith in the empara1isation OF
this planet. With the execution of retro
erosion in the Dark Ages. the movement of
the world has been on AMI on, and up and
up and have two jubilant hosaunas-one
IA al 10 al, fo-
new year.
But the other thought coming out OF this
subject is that Biblical chron ology, and in
dee ! all chronology, is urging the world to
more punctuality and immediatsness. What
an unsatisfactory and indefinite thing 1t
must have been for two business men in the
time o. Ahaz to make an appointment saw
ing. I'VE will settle that business matter to-
morrow when the shadow on the dial OF
Ahaz reaches the tenth step from tbs TOP,
or 81 will meet you in the street callet
Straight in Damascus in the time of the
new moon" or when asked in a courtroom
what time an occurrence took place should
answer, ut was during the time of the latter
rain" or sit was at the tins of the shlrd
growing OF the barnyardw
You and remember when ministers OF
the Gospel in the country, giving out no.
tcs of an evening service instead of saying
at 6 or : or o'clock. would say: The ser.
vice will begin at early candle light
Thank God for chronological achievements
which have ushered in calendars and a.
manacs aud clocks and watches, and at SO
che1p rate all may possess them! Chron-
oiogy, beginning by approaching the value
of wears and the value OF days. has kept on
until it cries out: "Man, immorta ; woman.
immortal; look out for that minute; looi out
for that second"
We talk great deal about the vaius OF
time but will never fully appreciate Its
value until the last fragment of it aspasset
out of our possession forever. The greatest
fraud a man can commit is to rob another
of his time Hear it, ye laggards and re-
pent! All the fingers Of chronology point to
punctuality as one Of the graces. The min
lister or the lecturer or business man who
comes to his place ten minutes after the ap-
pointed time commits crime the enormity
of which can only be estimated by multiply
ing the number OF persons present by ten
If the engagement be made with five per-
sons, he has stolen fifty minutes. for he is
ten minutes too late. AMI he has robbed each
of the five persons of ten minutes apiece.
and ten times five are fifty.
If there be 500 persons present and he be
ten minutes too late, he has committed d
robbery of 5000 minutes, for ten time 5H3
are 5000, and 5000 minutes are eighty three
hours, which make more than three days,
bits is not half so bad as the thief OF time.
Dir. Rush. the greatest an busiest ply:
sician of his day, appreciated the value or
time, and when asked how he had been
able to gather SO much information for his
books and lectures he replied: Il have been
able to do it by economiziug my time. L
have not spent one hour in amusement IN
thirty years" And taking blankbook
from his pocket be said, 81 fill a book like
this every week with thoughts that occur to
me and facts collected in the rooms OF my
patients"
Napoleon appreciated the value Of time
when the sun was sinking upon Waterloo,
and he thought that little more time
would retrieve his fortunes, and he pointed
to the sinking sun ana said what wouli L
not give to be this day possessed OF the
power OF Joshua and enabled to- retard thy
march for two hoursr' The good old woman
appreciated the value of time when at
u 'nety-three years of age she said, "The
Judge OF all the earth does not moan -thaAl
shall have any excuse for not being prepared
to meet Him"
voltaire, the blatant infiiel. apprec atei
the value OF time wien in his dying mo-
ments he said to his docto II will give you
half of what | am worth If you will give me
six months of life" and when told that ne
could not live six weeks he burst into tears
and said, Then / shall go to hellr john
Wesley appreciated the vaue of time when
he stood on his steps watching for delayed
carriage to take him to an appointment,
saving. II have lost ten minutes forever
Lord Nelson appreciated the value OF time
when he said, L owe everything III the
worl to being always a quarter OF an hour
beforehand
A clocxmaker in one OF the old English
towns appreciated the value of time when
he put on the front OF the town clock the
words, Now or whom" Mitchell, the as
tronomer appreciated the vaus OF tins
when he said Il have been in the habit OF
calculating the value Of thous4n1tn part
of a second" That minister o. the GOSPEL
did not appreciate the value of tims who,
during a season o. illness, instead OF employ
ing his time In useful rea ling or writing,
wrote silly religious romance. which IN
some unknown way came into the possession
OF the famous Joe Smith, who introduced
the book as a divine revelation. which be-
cams the foun alton of Mormonisni, the
most heastly abomuatiou OF all time.
They best appreciate the value of time
whose Sabbaths have been vast ID and
whose opportunities of reuentance and use.
fulness are all gone, an who have nothing
left but memories, balefut and elegiac.
They stand III the bleak September, with
bare feet, on the sharp stu0b!e OF q reaped
wheat field, CRYING, "The harvest is past "
And the Soush OF an autumsl equinox
means fol- tn in eclo " The harvest is pastf
But DO not let US get All impression from
chronology that becaus, the years % time
have been so long in procession they ara to
go on forever. Matter is not eternal. NJ,
no, Ii YOU watch half y day, or a whole
day or two days as once did 70 see mill
tary procession, you remember the last
brigade, an tue last regiment and the last