Middletown transcript., 1898-01-01

position; recTeate us afresh. We are
as rule positively snpers.itious about
each and every New Year, for we really
think, in effect, though we would never
make the admission, that il will deal
with us magically, that it will actually
transform US without active co-opera
tion on our part. We are superstitious,
too, about other things, more than
we are conscious of or could be per-
saated tto Believe K Ii Hat ttff Il III s
vulgar superstitions as that Friday is
unlucky, or that breaking mirror is a
sign of death, we fancy we have free
minds. At the same time we may be
abjectly superstitious sconcerning hun
dred facts in which superstition is not
supposed to be involved. While every
civilized man claims to be a reasoning
animal, not one in 50 is strictly so.
It may be that hope has more to do
with New Years that superstition has,
for hope and faith are SO closely allied
to it as to be hardly distinguishable,
sometimes, one from the other. Supel
stition is, under all circumstances,
baneful, but hope is commonly useful,
desirable, of particular advantage to
him who hopes, provided it be not SO
excessive as to become visionary. Any
virture may degenerate into an evil,
may be carried too far, as faith, beauti-
full in itself, frequently sinks into slav-
ish, debasing superstition and may
commit astrocious cruelties.
1t seems sheer superstition for man
who is selfish, vicious. dissipated this
year to believe that he will be generous,
Virtuous, self denying in the year to
come unless he has resolved to reform
thoroughly, just as he is not likely be-
ing poor in purse and in health at pres
sent, to be monetarily independent and
round body within few months be-
cause there will have ushered in another
year without rigid economy or except
ional luck or the close observance of
hygienic laws.
It is unadulterated superstition to
think that ones fortune or nature will
change as soon as the clock strikes
midnight on Dec. 81, for changes of any
kind are seldom sudden. BIT if one
seriously reflects in October, November
or December that his surroundings are
not as he would have them or that he
is not performing his duties to his fell
lows there is fair chance of his ma
terial and moral betterment in January,
February or March.
Apart from this, hope is every stir
ring in the human heart, and if things
go i'll with US one season we are sup
ported by an in sard suggestion that
they will go better at a later season,
which is generally associated with Il Q
New Year. This inward suge e5tionis
the voice of hope. It is heard in the da k
esthours, in tie most depressing moods.
and it is more grateful than the music
of the spheres. 1t is the greatest b'ess
ing-many regard it al the sole blessing
of humanity, for while it constantly
chea,s it always comforts. Dante was
just in representing the punishment of
the inferno as the total surrender CT
hope. 1t is at worst a delightful phan-
tom.
New Years is a grand, aud inspiring
occasion, for it is always saturated
with hope. We are wont to scoff at
and deride it as day when men make
good resolut ions only to break them;
when they turn over new leaves, as it
is called merely to turn them back
again. They Wans, they hope TO be
better, and but few of them are So
They deter mine to advance, and if hey
do advance they slip back. Their
failures are many, are continuous, and
often excite laughter. But it is worthier
to determine and decline, to hope and
be disappointed, than ot to determine
or hope at all. Determination and hope
add to our contest, or at least diminish
our uiscontent, and they ale born Of
New Years. The grea need of humsn
life is content, never attained, never Il.
tainable. And though New Years We
deluded into belief of its possibility.
Therefore welcome be New Years,
not for what it gives, but for what it
promises to give.
JUNIUs HENRI BROWNE.