The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-11-28

.-y.-,~v rv..r., sz-ra ,.ss..sUGioi the M.
tional capstsl looking ont upon tho pass
ing spsotacla There Marquis do LAfayett
tasssi, eScs5tsd BY the Chief mon Of chs
land, wis have bssn authorized to vel.
come him n behalf Of nation which he
helped TO cot frss. On through that svenue
pass the thSonGs toward the presidential
residence, whore, to greet them, come out
ON the platform built to review the pass
ing century Washington and the Adamssa
and Jefferson and Madison and Monroe
and Lincoln. As that long and brilliant
procession, vanished, but now resurrect-
ed and remarshaled host, passes before
that reviewing stand sec another process
sion coming from the opposite direction to
meet this. They are the presidents, the
senators, the Legislators, the judges, the
philanthropists, the deliverers Of the TWEEN.
tieth century. They come up from the
schools, the churches, the farms, the oities,
the homesteads Of the continent. Their
cradles were rocked on the banks Of the
Alabama, and the St. Lawrence, and the
Oregon, and the Androsooggin, and the
Potomac and the Hudson. They have
just as firm q tread, just as well built a
brow, just as great brain, just as noble
q heart, just as high purpose, just as
sublime a courage passing In procession
one way through that avenue as the other
procession passes the other way. Yea, the
men coming out Of the twentieth century
In some respects surpass those coming out
Of the nineteenth century, for they have
had better advantage, and will have grand
or opportunity, and will take part In high
er achievements Of civilization and Chris
tlanity. What meeting on this midnight
10 O'Clock, the two professions Of the
mighties Of two centuriesi Uncover all
heads and bow reversntly in prayer
Thank God for the good done by the pro.
eessiQl coming out Of the past and pray
to God for good to be done by the pf6ces.
sion coming out Of the future. But halt,
both professional Haiti Haiti Break
ranks! Back to your thrones, 70 mighties
Of the nineteenth century, and enjoy the
reward Of your fidelity Back to your
homes, ye mighties of the twentieth cen
fury, your congressional chairs, your ju
dioiai benches, your presidential mansions,
your editorial room5, your stupendous re.
probabilities and do the work for the
twentieth century, Farewell and tears foi
tno Ouo prOco4olOuI A1oA 0uA WcAooiuV W
the other prooessioni
New Years watch.
1t has bean . custom In all Christian
lands for people 10 keep watch night as an
old year goes out and new year comes
in. People assemble in churches about 10
O'Clock Of that last night Of the old year,
and they have prayers and songs and ser
mons and congratulations until the hands
of the church clock almost reach the figure
10, and then all bow in silent prayer and
the scene u nightly impressive, until the
clock In the tower of the church or tho
clock In the tower Of the oity hall strikes
10, and then all rise and sing with mil
ing face and jubilant voice the grand dox-
ology, and there is a shaking Of hands all
around.
But what tremendous watch night the
world Is soon to celebrate This century
will depart at 10 O'Clock of the 81st of De-
oember Of the year 1900. What night
that will be, whether starlit or moonlit or
dark with tsnpestl 1t will be such a
night as you and never saw. Those who
watched the coming in Of the nineteenth
century long ago. went to their pillows Of
dust. Here and there one will see the new
century arrive who saw this century, yet
they were too infantile TO appreciate the
arrival. But on the watch night of which
I speak In all neighborhoods and towns
and cities and continents audiences will
assemble and bow in prayer, waiting for
the last breath Of the dying century, and
when the clock shall strike 10 there will
be solemnity and an overwhelming awe
such as have not been felt for 100 years, and
then all tho people will arise and chant
the welcome of new century Of Joy and
sorrow, Of triumph and defeat, of happi-
ness and woe, and neighborhood will shake
hands with neighborhood, and church
with church, and city with city, and CON
tinent with continent, and hemisphere
with hemisphere, and earth with heaven,
at the stupendous departure and the ma.
jestio arrival. May we all be living on
earth to see the solemnities and join In |
the songs and shake hands In the oongrat. |
ulations Of that watch night, or II between |
this and that any Of us should be of and
away may we be Inhabitants Of that land
where "a thousand years are as one day"
and in the presenoe Of that angel spoken
Of in the Apocalypse who at the end OF
the world will, standing with one foot on
the sea and the other foot on the land,
"swear by him that liveth for ever and
ever that time shall be no longer"