The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-09-23

scythe swings with measured stroke
AS we plead that he stop to listen, his
stern brow relapses ROT, his glance IL
unrelertipg. Since Father Time treats
us so, / call to some bright fairy tc
break away for few moments the darh
curtains that hide the past, that we may
see the events Of fifty years ago. You
then were dapper young man and you
led to the altar your lovely bride. A
benedict, on being asked low long be
had known his wife before marriage, re.
piled, mot minute and [ don't know
her now, and [ never will" [ congla tu-
late you, Brother William, that whether
for long and for short time you knew be-
fore your marriage the one who became
your bride, the succeeding years have
only added to y ur affection, strengthen
| ed your owe and unite more firmly tC.
gether your hearts. Then your hope
was bright, your faith was strong, and
your courage was undismayed. l trust
that N these long years that bright bea-
con Of hope thaG shines so steadily for
men, has not gone out for you. [ hope
that your faith in humanity has not been
beaten down by rude blows and that
! your courage for the future days is still of
the hero's type. Fifty years ago
How the changing scene moves! How
the panorama of events passes by
Then James K, Polk was president of the
United States. Zachary Tay lor had
just won his spurs in the Mexican war,
having defeated Santa Annals host in
| the narrow raviue at Reseca de Ia Palma
and havirg proved that overmastering
numbers were nothing to him at Buena
Vista. That fall, as reward for his dis
Cin&uished services, bis countrymen lift.
| ed him to the Chief Executives chair.
Then Wisconsin, the Badger State, had
just come into the fold and placed on
oar flags field of blue the thirtieth star
Not vet had John b. Fremont stood Cd
the Rockies highest peak, and, as Path
tiuder among The hills, planted there Old
Glory. All the region beyond the Rock
les was then d Yeritable terra incognita,
from whose bourne vaguest rumors
came. The finding of god in California
had not yet started the mad rush across
che plains. Not yet was the Nation in
the thrOes Of the Civil war. that struggle
Of brother with brother; but its coming
was heard g angry mutterings indicate
a rising storm. Half century; oh,
what a long time! Nay, how short
How short in the sight of Him with
whom thousand years are only as one
day or as the watch that passes in the
solemn Stiffness nf the night! He is the
Ancient of Days, but we are creatures
row frail. Let US be thankful that
while time slips 30 swiftly through our
fingers, we cannot hold it, for it is not
ours, we can look to Him who endures.
Let US be thankful that the Eternal One
is our Father, that he watches over US,
that he holds us in the hollow of His
hand. l am thinking how the golden
things, the pre- cious thiDgs, come all at
the end. Look at the golden grain as in
waves and pillows it rolls before your
eye. See the 60 den colors in the piled
up MAS of brilliance at the western
gates CT me sky. Bring the dear associ-
atoms cut from memory's golden chalice
where they lie stored away. Yet the
golden grain comes only when the labor
of ploughing and sowing is over, the
golden colors gather when day moves
into the procession of the past, memory's
0OIHpp ohio iOp {S fil1oH NIT
ations only after a long life has tried
friendship and proved it true. No one
Of us can afford to congratulate himself
and pity you. We are following you
close in hfe's course, and the dis
lance between US is but a atep
or breath. One generation succeeds
another as the chimes of the cathedral
clock toll out the hours. My first words
were light words, quite updignified they
seemed. spoke TO you as if you were
q boy and another boy had come to greet
you. Perhaps [ was not so far from be-
ing right.
Eyes, we're boys always playing with
tongue or with pen,
And sometimes have ask d, Shall we ever
be menu
Shall we always be youthful and laughing
and gay,
Till the last dear companion drops smiling
away?
Then here's to our boyhood, its gold and its
gray,
The stars OF its winter, the dews of its May.
And when We have done with these htelast
ing toys,
Dear Father. take care OF Thy children, the
boys"
Dea Fairchild was called on for a few
words in closing. He expressed his
great pleasure in welcoming so many
friends to their anniversary. He spoke
of the pleasures of their lives; which
had not been without their griefs anC
sorrows, for the Lord gave and thu
Lord hath taken away" He expressed
the appreciation of the kind words 81
generously bestowed upon them.
Following the exercises sandwiches
coffee, cake and ice cream, which tn,
ladies had brought In abundance, wer
freely passed ard an hour of social en-
Ijoyment followed. As the guests de
parted they warmly shook the hands O
the good deacon and his wife, wishing
for them yet more of future welded haE
piness.
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVoR FELLOWSHIP MEET
ING
} AT THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH TIL
(FRIDAY) EVENING.
If the weather is favorable