The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-01-02
THE PASSING YEAR.

Though time is endless, the seasons
roll in cycles, and man has found it
convenient to point off certain periods
in the endless roll which he assumes to
be in the beginning of new rounds.
The most important Of these periods is
the New Year, which we are rapidly
approaching. By force of custom or
habit, or both, it is at this season that
men are most inclined to be prospec-
tive and to make plans tor the future
based upon their past experience.
There is no reason why they :hould
not do this at other seasons Of 1.-THE year,
but the fact is they do not. With the
closing ofthe year come reflections on
its course and events. One turns to
look back over the course as, the
traveller pauses on some hilltop 10 view
the way he has come. The serious
minded may make much out of the re-
Elections aroused by such survey of
the past, for upon these may depend
the plans for the future. The New
Year is the period chosen for the
adoption Of good resolutions, but it is
not enough 10 adopt resolutions ready
made or according to set form. Some
thing more than mere lip service is
required. The resolutions that are the
fruits of thought become fixed in ones
memory and are not lightly set aside
or forgotten. In the closing days of
the old year one should look back
with the purpose Of determining with
judicial fairness what has been ones
course during the year, whether it has
been upward and onward toward a
higher ideal or downward, for it is
scarcely possible to stand still. More
especially should the young man or
young woman survey the situation free
from bias or prejudice and try to de-
termine what the course has been. The
material progress made is matter of
the least importance. What has been
the intellectual and moral growth?
The young especially should not allow
a year to roll round without adding
something to their knowledge. What
useful or inspiring books have been
read, what literary work done that has
been helpful How have we dis
charged our moral and social obliga-
tions during the year that is just clos
ing? Have we gained in knowledge
and control of ourselves or shown
weakness and laxity threatening to
our future well-being? Memory will
suffice to make up these accounts, and
if they do not show clear balance in
our favor, then we need to consider
the matter seriously and adopt good
resolutions for the future and not
as matter of form or because it is the
custom to do so, but because we recog-
nize the need of different course and
are determined to follow it. The good
resolutions resulting from an intro
spective review of the past, accompanied
by the desire for mental and moral
improvement, are not likely to be for
gotten or disregarded. But it is es-
sential that they should be the natural
outcome for an honest review of the
past and sincere desire to be better
in the future. The thousand of young
men in a great city thrown upon their
own resources away from the home
influences, will find themselves
strengthened and comforted if in the
closing days of the year they will look
beck upon the past, think of the loving
mothers who are watching their careers
from afar and determine that they
will endeavor to advance and improve
themselves for their own sake and for
the sake OF the dear ones at home. An
inefable peace accompanies we'll do
ing, and no young man can afford to
do otherwise and look life seriously in
the face and determine, come what
may to keep his moral nature pure and
to use his utmost endeavor to increase
his intellectual attainments.-Balti-
more Sun.
Not few who read what Mr.. Robert
Rowls, of Hollands, Va, has to say below,
will remember their own experience unde-