The advocate., 1896-12-30
THOUGHTS FOR THE NEW YEAR.


With the beginning OF the New Year
comes the almost universal practice OF
making good resolutions. All consci-
entious persons who have been ae-
customed TO indulge in habits that they
know are NOT to be approved by high
standard Of aesthetics or morality, or
Glinarily take occasion 10 make resolves
that they will amend their ways ac-
cording to the best accepted ideas ON
such subjects.
It is q curious fact that the break
ing Of such resolutions is likely to
cause as much merriment as regret,
and failures to live up to the new de-
termination are regarded by many as
huge jokes. 1t is good thing to begin
with the New Year to lop off some OF
our mental or moral derelictions and
correct whatever physical shortcomings
we may have been guilty of. Especially
is this the case with young persons.
Every year ought to show q distinct
and decided advance over the one just
before 1t. Boys and girls have every
incentive TO strive to elevate and de-
velop their characters. They have the
world and life before them, and it rests
with them to make the coming genera
ton better than the present and in
hnitely superior to the one just pass
ing away. Young people who are now
entering upon the preliminary duties
Of life viii find it of the greatest adj
vantage If they will select some pursuit
to which they can devote whatever
spare time circumstances may allot
them. The girl who takes up botany,
Horticulture, Bookkeeping, gardening or
poultry raising as o special study, with
the determination to make 1897 a red
letter year in her calendar, by reason
of her thorough study and comprehen-
sive understanding of the business in
hand, will, before long, find herself in
an independent and commanding po-
sition, able to paddle her own canoe
among the rocks and reefs that line the
shores Of the river of life. It is good
thing to begin new study with the
New Year. It gives something to date
from, and an ambition to cover all pos
sible ground during the S6S days before
the calendar is to be renewed. The man
who makes up his mind to cut loose
from all nonsense, to give up every
thing that sounds like excuses for non
performance of duty, and determines
to be prompt, thorough, alert, concen'
tratiVe and watchful of every OpPoT'
tunity to make himself indispensable
will some day look back TO the begin
ming Of the present year and congratu
late himself that there is in the world
such thing as good resolutions. There
are very many persons who would bt
the gamer by determined resolve tc
divest themselves Of the idea that they
are of such great Importance. Concei
mars more characters than any other o.
our besetting sins. The world get,
along just as well without us, and whil'
for little time the few may regre'
MS, the many never miss us. Whenonc'
we become fully recOnciled to the ide;
i that we are but particles in the grea
mosaic of creation and that if we drol
! out Of it there are plenty more that sill
J almost unconsciously into the space
! we leave vacant we will have removes
from our lives some of the leadini
: causes Of unhappiness and unrest. Jan
} uary, 1897, is an excellent time to prunf
7 as far as we may, everything in tn
way Of weaknesses and follies and Sc
7 up standard higher than we hav
4 ever before raised, and register voN
! to follow the best models and method
that our most enlightened intelligenc
can furnish.-N. Y. Ledger.