The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-01-02
BY WMam RSSm (dNOe. ;

As the moon-clOcl. unerrNpgly records
the ebb and flow of the 3eeS,n tides, so
the Interchangeable writes Nown the
Guys and seasons and determines the
tt.oe of their recurrence. Man has,given
f.%,Res 90 the latter and set aparhcer-
taja 0S the days az eommemorativeSof
herosc liqrs and deeds, OF 40 Suggestion
of a sentiment that may be valuable, or
otherwise. Ss IL Is taken. The Fourth
of July tesrhea If palSiotisGa, Christ
l.,as OF the biesaingA Of home and the
Sennty OF ths Christ-life, while New
WARS tells ok sfae sepaiture of one and
the genesis Of aaafGsT cycle of earth.
Celebration of tAe latter anniversary
is sentimental, baa seStianent piercea
the hears that is cailotss 10 logic. Patri-
otism is sentimental, hGti u impels men
to the mouths of deathdralsSg cannon.
New Years might have bees IS appro-
priately on MAY I, or any athHF day,
but time has honhre5 the seleession, and
there are, besides, no means og lxtn2
the period when, according to the saS-
lime Mosaic account. %the evening ana
the morning were the fiSst day"
This anniversary is Suggestive OF
things that have been. Nncmosyne
whispers of ships that pasSSd in the
night-of opportunities that c&ine and
were not seized; of folies and slNs; of
grief and pain; aye, and of Pleamre.
and joy, and peace. God be blessed sor
memory! The saddest recollection
even, is touched of the gentle hand OF
sympathy, and the greatest tragedy
bears lofty lesson. Who can too
dearly prize the shadows Of the past
that come up out of the night, self
illumed by the deeds of goodness, mercy
and all-ltindness that marked them
when in substance they lived and moved
with us? These unwritten books have
the most precious pages, and as we turn
them, one by one, over, we scan the
lines with moistened eyes of tenderness
and with hearts that beat in unison
with the sentiments thereon inscribed.
Cherishing whatever is good of the
past, man stands in the vestibule of the
inchoate year and fills it's salons and
chambers with CHEEKY furniture and
dear, loving forms. New Years has, in
fact, been termed day of resolves that
are broken. But tits better, far, to pur-
pose and not to do than never try the
right at all. The sum of life's duty is
contained In the simple adjuration,
Try! and, should failure come, try and
try again. Not everyone is privileged
to attain all-goodness, and few there be
who can boast of record of unbroken
success. The night comes to all, but the
star of Hope, like Sirius, never sets.
Happy is that man who has strength to
do when the promise of fulfillment is
weak.
If the full sunshine may not come, let
the glints find their way through the
dense foliage and tesselate the ground
with their tremulous mosaics Of vary
ing shape. Pity for him who cannot see
in the dawn of the new year the light of
better things. What hour so glad and
bright as that which paints the eastern
sky in crimson and gold, and that is
filed with songs of birds, inspired OF
the pure air and the fresh, sun-kissed
light? The matintime of 1896 is come,
and all who will may hear the angel
voice of Hope whisper benisons that
shall be inspiration to renewed courage
in the putting aside of things that hin
der the onward march to better living