The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-01

,u'S PERPETUAL PROVIDENCE.
he generation passcth away. another
EneTatiOu cOmeth. but The earth abideth
foreyer.-E 'elesistes. l. 4.
with peculiar apmess these words OF
\ the royal SAGE apply 10 us to-day
The midnight hour tollod the smell Of
~ that SIS dead. and with seif-same
II the bolfry Of time gave jabilant
UXvn. 10 the newborn twclvemonlh.
The cradle lie touched the CONN of The
dead
Tor brief space we become dimly con
sclous Of the ceaseess flight Of time, and
that We are, AL Of us, q step nearer the
grave. For one furtive moment We cast
a retrospective eye upon the past year.
ere it IS forever bedaed ia the sepmcher
oil eternity That year has been fun of
experiences for each. when the tendorest
chords OF the heart were stirred 10 moan
under the grasp of anguish, or 90 sing
soft response TO the gentle lingering of
JOYOUS peace Mayhap the thought comes
to US of the countless hearts that beat
I'm gladncss. when that year began, whose
Ife's rythm is now forever stilled, Of the
Eyes NAT danced 100 responsive happiness
20 other eyes. which are now curtained
for aye. OF the endless plans AND hopes
and undertakings. whose realization Wlh
never be perceived boy the brain which
conceived them, for upon IL has hccn
ad the finger of ceerllsting rest Yet
-
that giveth life TO The universe never
loses a throb; the Eye, tina, seeth all. is
never closed. and the plan Of the cosmos
goeth steadily on TO its perfected fulfill
ment. for though generations come. ana
generations 80. the earth abidcth forever
un6er Goas guidance and Ills perpetual
providence.
BY the infinite wisdom of God. life
springs up from death. even as the new
year treads close upon the heels OF its
faiien fellow Midst au the ceaselcss
ltnge that goes constantly on, there is
stesdfast purpose whose end is never
81 sight of. and toward whose fulfill
bent every age is AN added step As
/fhe hand that held Excalihur, does the
past hold out 10 us powerful sword OF
conquest. of which We. albeit unconscious
ly, make use. We conceive ouf generation
TO be one o. unparalleled creative pow
ar. We arc vain In the thought that our
time has many new things. But We de-
Gel e ourselves. We are not creators o.
anything new.
we are pufied with pride over our much-
Iy vauntol achievements. tha telegraph,
telephone. railroad. the labor-saving ma
! chimes and the thousand and one devices
with which We minister to our comfort
ana convenience Yet We are but re-
trainers OF things older than man HIM
self The coal that gives steam TO our
kengines and dynamos. or the hght by
which We read our evening papers. Wet
from the mamoth and almost manliko
presses that print. cut paste and fold
hem. is but the conserved and converted
beat and light OF the sun. sarnerod from
ges that have long. long been blriod.
The light and heat of the sun gave life
b Vegetation IN the alons Of ages ,hat
kSe passed The leaves of trees ana
FADES Of grass drank in that sunshine.
md sent it coursing through the delicate
veins and ducts OF their frail and beau-
.iful bodies. When the season waned. the |
leaves died, fell from the tree and flut- /
tered to the ground TO s.row it with their |
scared and ifclcss forms.
The leaves, petals. sepals. the fallen !
Bowers and the withered grass. an sank
into the earth. succeeded and pressed |
upon by the countless leaves and the |
lead vegetation Of succeeding seasons. |
This dccaying and corrupting mass in |
L.ourse OF time IS swallowed into the /
bowels OF the earth. there digested. ana |
~ the alchemy OF nature transformed in- |
new forms and substances. And man. /
flying later into the earth. drags there !
pm the coal or the diamond. and causes |
sunlight OF prehistoric days 10 light |
the page he is reading or to send forth |
Iustre from The dazzling gem OF a
arch's coronet
IS possible we may be seeing with The |
light with which Adam saw. The /
by which We read our Sabbath ser |
may have como from the saiicn yese- !
IN OF the Garden OF Eden. The coal |
In heats your house to-day may have |
from the groves OF Baal and Astarte. |
b we're cut down by the prophets
righteous KRIS OF Israel
= sAasrsns knsth. another gene |