Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-12-31
TIE NEW YEARS PROMISES.
BY WILLIAM EossEE coBuE.

The years are ushered 80 one by one.
and they GO ont again, each III success
SION. in obedience TO laws the interpre-
tation of which we ill-uuderstand. all
though savants write with assumed
sagencss concerning the reign Of order
i'm the universe and the forces back of
these potencies. OF one thing, however.
man is fully assured. and that in that
back Of written history. back Of all the
evidences Of the alleged everlasting
hills and the rocks tha. form the base
of eartu'S strength-back Of universal
terrestrial flame and gases, and far and
away into the endless sea of star-fust,
time was. just as time is. So in all
these cons there have been revolutions
of planets and satellites and suns, which
give in their order the periods that are
termed seasons and years. 1t is as easy
10 comprehend the beginning as the end
of things. for ahead of us is the inn
penetrable and back of us the illimit-
able. Still men go on counting the
coming and the going of the years.
touched with the chastened hand of re-
greet at the dying of the old and stirred
10 gladness at the birth of the new
year. The without beginning and
without end" so far as the comprehen-
sion Of man can grasp, might suggest
that the times and the seasons all count
for nothing. save as they point the
very grave moral that humanity, at
least, ages and that each recurring
date brings the living nearer by so much
10 the shadows of the valley. entering
which no man may retrace his steps.
The dawn Of the new year, however.
suggests. and in some way imam seems
unable to e-face the memory, with the
i in prayer Of the new there sound
the vesper plants OF the old. blending
10 produce q petition for absolution
from the sins that were and del.verance
from the temptations that may be. And
rot the shades of the cleaning only Of
the just dead year troop up before the
mental vision. but all the deeds, the
scenes and the incidents Of the long dag
that formed that year. The might-havc.
Deems come up with their painful sug-
gestivenesS aggravating the shame
ihat arises over the has-beens. each
serving as n sCouree % mar the back
and the usage Of all those whose con-
sciences are qnickened to dscernment
between what IS coed and what is evil.
Stll. after all. man finds his solace in
the happy song of the bird of hope.
which despite the storm that rages.
perch in the windows 90 the hcart
and gives forth notes of promise of
good things 70 be In the pledge Of re-
deemng tie days to come men find fo.,-
giyeness for The evil they have done
and the blunders they have made Bless
God for the bird hone-and for the
songs il sings to all troubled spirits
whether at the dawn Of the New Year
or AZ any period Of their sorrowing.
An. would shat the good resolves Of
the New Year day might be as lasting
as the entire year aud all the years that
form the sum Of each individual life.
The comfort that Is found II promise
one makes 10 himself ~ turn over a
new leaf is temptation To hasty pur-
posing, aud, alas, bur too frequently.
to Just as quick recess ION from the
high ground that has been climbed
No year cnn be free from the storm
that fells the oak Or The pc@tiitnee thas
stalks mt monday, or the Shaa ws THAI
darken the SoUl eff man. lie IS wise who
learns We'll the lesson from the past
year to avoid Tire pitfalls that surely liz
In the path that Is ahead ~ him and who
takes courage in the fact that, il he
wills i So, as bis days may demand 50
shall his STRENGTH ever Ire