The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-03-31
More Precious Than Gold.

However, giddJ-pated or l'ght-nearteo one
nav be from youth or good health, there
come moments when every one is mpelled TO
look down into ssblne eternity" and remem-
her that the waves thereof are as sure to
swallow US some day as that they have
swallowed numberless millions: there is no
escape. All of our hopes on which we have
set such store float off from US like bubbles
on the crest of these pitiless waves, with their
endless, and at tines deafeoing roar, in ocr
poor human ears. The ending of a certain
length of tire, by which we have striven to
get come measure, some idea, of this great
immeasurable sea OF eternity which sur
rounds US, and which we call year and the
beginning of another, is one of those moments
when, like man sitting 90 lonely rock
in the midst of the sea, we look righe down
into the depths nothing can avert our gaze
and all of the bubbles of life, our loves, our
bates, our courage, our fears, our pride, our
humility gahter around Us and then foat of
and far away from US on the surface of this
sea. Ard beside us sits the dread monster
who will conduct us to the depths when our
turn comes, and grins at and mocks Us in
the vain attempts we make to drown the
sound of the waves. We ''ring out the old
year, and "ring in the new" and strive go
earnestly to forget, Just to forget for this one
night the sound Of those waves, 10 drown
them by all the sounds of revelry at our
commaad. We dance and sing aad try to
feel more joyous 1hsa at any other time. But
all the while the sound Of The waves is 10
the. most needless ears, bringing touch OF
sadness 10 the lightest heart although screen
ed from human eyes in the effort to seem gay
and happy. According to the truth of God
in our natures we recognize the soberness OF
those moments of reflection aud bow to the
behesss of that ssstill small voice." in prayer
for mercy from Him who sends these precious
moments Of time 10 us as a warning against,
spH
and to lead us away from the vanilies of life
to its earnestness; deeds of love and kind
ness towards each other which He has given
us every reason to think are the sucest
anchors of our hope for JOY and happiness
on that Great Cnseen Throne on TIE other
side Of the ocean of time. If at such mo-
mens we can truthfully gather to our heart.
thoughts of kindness doue to others aud OF
unkinduesses from others forgiven by US, such
deeds NAV be bubbles on the sea Of time, but
they will sparkle With rays of eternal hope Sc
rene and true, bringing calmness 10 our
hearts in this moment of earthly fear aud
trembling. II ou the other hand. deeds of
unkipdness, unforgivepess, perhaps of vio-
lepce, of vengeance, no matter how seeming
lust to human eyes, rise before us, we seek TO
ring 10 aud out the years with all the greater
vebemence, bluster and noise. We sing all
the louder, dance all the gayer, strive all the
harder 10 drown The roar of the waves and
are spokeo of as the hsppiest Of the happy,
gayest Of the gay, but The sound of 'hose
waves are modulated only unto us as we in
our daily lives have done unio others Youth
and health often enables us for years to carry
with apparent ease sense Of wrong done to
others, and every ones life is more or lees
weighed down and his disposition, his char
acter even, effected by them, butlf persisted
in and uoexpiated, they tear us down at last,
severing the cores OF sympathy "olcn o!no
Us TO ell that makes life worth living. AID
make US leper in the midst of life Every
murderer feels a sense CT Loneliness, and the
uore atrocious the murder the greater the
.oce'iness BE may by bis xdroitness, or the
co~a,cice of juries, have escaped the gallows,
OF, he carries something With him which is
Gas greater punishment 10 this world than the
mau who has confessed and paid the penalty
of mis- crime, and is more 10 be piued
Watch him 10 some joyous crowd either
loudmop:bed aad busting CT sileat and
gloomy looking, evidently feeling that be
would give everything be possessed just to be
like other ,e0ple and 90 thankful for a kind