Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-01-07
NEW YEAR RECEPTION.

Nr. Dnv Gave aud Received Cord'"i
Greeting at the Centre church f"rI"rN
---Rey. Lewis Grouts Charming Lev
ter.
Rev. c. O. Day assisted by the ladies'
of his congregation has been accusVonlou,
to hold a New Years reception, Tor seVeral
wears past. in the spacious chapel ana par
Tors of the Centre church, and the occd-
sion last Saturday was one OF the llosU eIi-
ioyable. The annual reception Is ny ~
means merely for the members OF MI
DAVIS own parish, but for his friends gen
eraiy in the village. No less than elghI
of the local ministers were present lasI
Saturday and a great many friends lroll,
oil of The parishes came in for the social
and musical pleasure of the gathering
The music was furnished by Mrs >. L.
Knowlton, Z. II. Miller, Miss Emma
Gregg and Miss Marian Minor, and was
rare treat. The beautiful letter herewith
given speaks for itself:
Rev. Lewis GrOut 10 Rev. c. o. Day
WEST BRArrLEBoRo, January l, 1873.
M, dean. brother. Were ] in the habit
of going out except on important buslness)
this winter. | would be with you in person
| this afternoon but, as it is, ! shall only,
vet surely, d. v. be with you In spirit;
| and so pre-invoke upon you with my pen, as
| now do, the best of heavenly blessings,
| that for all this new year of our LORD,
| 1898. YOU may have wisdom from above
and the frmest of health and vlgor IN
/ bodv. mind. heart and hand, for every
good work in your family, your church,
and the rest of the world in the name Of
your divine Master.
About these annual transitions from the
| old year to the new, with all their Joyful
! greetings, receptions and other behttlng
! events there are two especially good things
! A call for a halt in ordinary life long
enough for Us TO get at least hast7 look
at the past and form high resolves for the
! future. In respect to a review of the old
wear. as the author Of "Night Thoughts
says.
III, greatly wise to talk with our past hours
And ask them what report they bore TO heaven
| And how they might have borne more WeicoIht
news.
And here aside from gratitude to God
for numberless mercies, which the review
evOkes, as we turn to 60 on, we feel chai-
enged by our failures and encouraged by
our successes in the past to resolve on do
| ing more and better in the future. In this
way each year as well as
Each day shall make the next sublime
for as the same poet, j. Il. Lowell, in The
"Sphinx," says.
The past
Was given US to make the future great"
Or as the charming Adelaide Procto
says
Life is only bright when it proceedeth
| Towards trurr. deeper life above;
Human love Is sweetest when 1t eadeth
To more divine and perfect love
So too Phuabe Cary thought and felt wheI
in speaking Of "loss and gain" she said
Life grows better every day,
II we live indeed in truth
so am not used TO grlev-
For the banished joys OF youth
And such too were the thoughts, feelings
aspirations of Frances Ridley Havergal
who. glad and grateful for all the good
the Joys I'd attachments Of the past, ha,
ever before her still "higher and brighte
hopes and purposes for the future, whel
she said
Then be it Sc,
For in better things We yet may grow.
Onward aud upward still our way.
With the 10Y OF progress from day to day;
Nearer and nearer every year
Tothe visions and hopes most true and dear
And now, again, dear brother, ! am EN-
bodened to ask and hope that all bless
ings and every needed good may be mu
tiplied upon you this new year; and so
is, that, though absent from your receI
ton in person. ! am most heartily wit
YOU in spirit. and, with warm remem
ORANGES and high esteem, ! remain, a
ever,
Yours faithfully,
LEWIS CIRCUIT.