The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-03
Rev. Newton's Discourse at the
Second Presbyterian Church.
A NEW YEARS SERMON
The Large Congregation Enjoyed a Fine
Musical Programme and Address
Full of Eloquence, Learning
and Original Thought.
The Second Presbyterian church was

i. newton ROBERTS, the pastor, preached
a New Year discourse on The Lamp of
Experience" His text was Deuteron-
omy, iv, 80, For ask now of the former
days" He said:
new year has again dawned upon
us, and IL means a great deal to every
one of u.s. perhaps TO some more than
to others. George w. Curtis says in an
essay from the easy chair that in Ger
many on the eve of st. Sylvester, the
last night of the year. you. shall rake
and hear a chorus OF voices singing
hymns, like the English carols at
Christmas. In the deep silence, and to
one awakening. the music has n pene
trating and indefinable pa:nos. the
pathos that Richter remarked in all
music. and which our own Parsons has
limited delicately-
Strange was the music that over me
stole,
For twas born of old sadness that lives
in my soul
So the voices of Sylvester's eve chant
the requiem of the year that is dead.
So much more of life of opportunity of
achievement, passed; so much nearer,
age decline. the mystery Of the end.
The music swells in rich and lingering
strains. 1t is moment of eXaltation,
of publication. The chords are dying:
thy hymn is ending; it ends. The
voices are stilled. It is the benediction
of st. Sylvester:
''She died and left to me
The memory of what has been,
And nevermore will be-"
But this is the midnight refrain: The
king is dead With the earliest ray of
daylight the exuiting strain begins:
Live the king. The bells are ringing,
the children are shouting; there are
gifts and greetings. good wishes and
gladness. Happy New Year, Happy
h.. r. l. Il
a fresh beginning" Aye. my friends il
means so much for us. 1t is customary
at this time with some to forget the
things which are behind. Forgive old
debts and have the same forgiven: old
feuds forgotten. old friendships revived.
Resolutions are made. The young man
and the young woman declare with
heaven-born fervency that the vows
shall be kept and that a blessing shall
be wrung from the fleet angel Oppor-
tunity. There shall be more patience.
more courage, a larger faith, an ever
broadening love: the dream shall be-
come life. To-day shall wear the
glamor of tomorrow. Ring out the
old, ring in the new. Yes, but let il be
remembered that the ringing out of the
old does not mean that we are forever
done with it; that it has nothing for
us; that old things in this sense have
passed away. and that the new is
everything. Nay, the admonition of
my text is no an empty. meaningless
creation of an irresponsible Dabbler.
but the sober counsel of a divIneIy- di-
rected and inspired prophet and law
giver. 1t would be we'll for us then
TO let ourselves be guided in this new
year of grace, 1898, by the lessons which
the days of old the former days, the
years that are past, have for our in
struction Walk in the light Of the
lamp of experience. For ask now of
the former days" To be guilty of re-
garding the beginning or anything
with indifference. would brand us as
unworthy to occupy the places we do in
Gods universe HoR much more UNI
worthy would regaI ding the beginning
of new year make us. While il is
true that as sentient moral beings,
I'VE live in deeds. not year; in
thoughts. not hreaths:
In feelings not in figures on n dial"
We should count time by heart
dhrobs. He most lives who thinks most
feels the noblest. acts the best. Stil we
have much to do with years. We thank
God for the divisions of time now es-
tablished
Every morning means the birth of
new hope. Every new month means we
can try again for life's crown. and every
new year means a fresh beginning. We
are so linked with the years that they
are our years. And they are ours
TO US.
Let us. then. endeavor to catch some
Of the rays that stream our way from
the lamp of experience Surely we can
see something in this light
First-The failure Of the former DAYS
Ask of the failures Of the former days?
What do they tells us? The American
poet sings thus. Nor deem the ire
vocabie past. as wholly wasted. wholly
vain, IL rising on its wrecks at last 10
something nobler we attain"
And Shelby sung thus: Il know the
past, and then / will assay to CLEAN. a
warning for the future. so that man.
may profit by his errors, aud derive ex-
perience from his folly For when the
power Of imparting joy is equal to the
will, the human soul needs no other
heaven
So. my friends. from the failures OF
the of the former days there comes to
us the red light of warning. 1t is said
that there was an Indian who, when
ever he reached dangerous bog in the
swamp. would put up a stake to mark
the spot. BY this means he not only
guarded his future movements but fur
nished a warning 10 others who might
pass that way. This is the benefit one
generation derives from another But
we ourselves are benefited also. If we
are not indeed incapacitated respecting
our organs of sight and hearing. The
struggles and the temptations Of the
former days in which we We're over
come nave certainty some message Tor
us, and ii is this: Notice the stake that
marks the spot. Consider how wholly
incapable you were 10 Withstand the
odds. And hence in the year just now
dawned upon you, pray God TO lead you
clear of those things that proved too
much for youl And thus you win
snatch the frAR victory after all from
the very jay Of defeat.
The disappointment OF the former
W ali shed kindly light upon your
=. And what do we learn in this
One thing certainly. That IL is
thing for us moral. sentient be-
accountable To- God Almighty for
r words and deeds. 10 put our
nee. our trust. in the unstable,
e and visionary. The great
he foremost among the Amer
YRS OF the days that are past.
nm GUS address before the Nir-
ASSEM- bly,, said.
q. natural to man to indulge in
illu4 ions of hope. We are apt to /
I'M on Aeyes against q painful truth /