The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-01

and never more marked and en-
couraging than today. Steam and cleo
tricity have brought all the world nearer
together than ever before. II we hear
more Of @!ee and crime than formerly it
is OILY because of the facility and rapid
ty of communication and easy transmits
sion of views in an enterprising age.
In proportion to population crime is
less, not greater than formerly.
Never was the spirit of benevOlence and
more universal than today.
Never were so many millions of money
expended in the establishment of hospi-
tails and homes for the INDECENT, of asy
lums and schools and colleges OF intirm-
aries and other charitable institutions of
whatever name as today. Narrow dog
matsm is giving place to the Worldwide
doctrines of the Fatherhood of God and
the Brotherhood of man as never before
God is in Heaven. 1t is all well with
the world
The human race is being led on and
upward to higher and better things.
Standing as we do today at the death
of the old and the birth of the new Cen
fury, both the retrospect and the pros
pect are most encouraging
The occasion is unique. The time most
propitious.
q IT'S greatly wise TO talk with our past
hours
And ask them what report they bore to
heaven,
And how they might have borne more
welcome news"
niF;1apc opd Chrie.
tians grave responsibilities rest upon us
every one.
And to us each one individually, as we
close another volume of the book of life
and of Gods remembrance and open this
day that of another year and century the
lesson and the warning are one and the
same to all.
Whose hands shall dare to open and
explore,
Those volumes, closed and clasped for
evermore?
Not mine. With reverential feet I pass,
hear a voice that cries. Alas! Alas!
Whatever hath been written shall remain.
Nor be erased. nor written Ger again;
The unwritten only still belongs to thee
Take heed and ponder well what that
shall be-
FROM "MISERERE' TO TIE DEUM."
Father Griffin, Rector of the Church of
the Sacred Heart:-The Nineteenth cen
fury has closed Unlike the
others, it began ma state of bankruptcy,
the unhappy legacy of her predecessors.
Voltaire and. his disciples had dragged
down religion. altar and Christian ethics.
he
fury as unsurpassed in intellectual devel-
opmeIt, progress and science. Others
have regarded il as the century of Social
ism, of the distress of labor and unchris-
tian principles. Some are almost inclined
to call it the century of pessimism. But
side by side with the walls from the
world, we have heard the hopeful har-
monious voice from the city of God, call
ing on men to look forward for better
things.
The Twentieth Century fills the Ameri-
can Catholic with hope. Other peoples
have come under the protection of our
government for a time, or as some would
say, have been added to our possessions.
We know that the church has much to
gain by these recent changes. No longer
supported by the State in these coun-
hood to command the spiritual power
which she exercises over her children
in these United States. If she has chant
ed her "Niserere" during the first part
OF the Nineteenth Century, at its close
and the beginning of the Twentieth Cen
fury she will raise up her voice in "Te
Deums" of victory.
PRACTICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS
Rev. w. d. Hubbard, pastor of Baptist
Tabernacle church.-The brief space for
bids development, but what of it? The
century which closed on yesterday was be-
gun in the midst of religious enthusiasm,
but it was largely tidal wave of emo
tional religion. In almost any newspaper
you take up today you will see much said
about the coming revival which the great
faith Of Mr.. Moody saw afar off before he
fell asleep He believed would be a revival
which would apply righteousness to the
affairs of every day life. For such a re-
vival the world awaits expectantly today
For the last quarter of a century
there has been current deepening year
by year in the church, till today in all
denominations everywhere there are those
asking about the way of the Lord. Read
the call to action and fervent zeal on the
part of those eminent men in New York
city and elsewhere and see how We close
the century. AS regards our condition re-
ligiously, possibly we are as well off as
we are financially, and as our resources
are far superior. 1t is easy to lose ones
self in optimistic prophecies. When we get
to thinking of the time when the "knowl-
edge of God shall cover the earth as the
waters cover the sea" it is easy to lose
ones self The church of the new century
is going to be bound more closely than
ever to the throne through the connecting
link of prayer. There's going to be
more victories in overcoming her
enemies. She will get away from vague
ness in Bible study and go down to the
granite rock Of the Lords will. There
will doubtless be change in methods in
many ways. Missions and giving will take
their place as the purpose for which the
church was born. These are some of the
things which even now can be seen in the
dim distance. May we realize many Of
these things early in the new century.
Mending watches and clocks is one. way
TO improve time.
The man who is aware of his imperfec-