River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-01-03
The First New Year
OF the goth Century.


beginning of the year. This signif-
canoe is wholly in the mind and the
intention. There is nothing abrupt
in nature to mark figures on the dial
plate of Time,-to call our attention
to a definite period, except that ofthe
recurrence of the seasons. The earth
does not stop in its revolution from
west to east upon its own axis at
rate of more than a thousand miles
an hour; nor is its velocity around
the sun retarded for a second at ?
O'Clock midnight, Dec. 81, Nor
does the old year terminate and the
new commence at any two places at
the same time except those that may
re on the same meridian. Our cal
endar dates are confusing and indie
terminate. We call this January I,
of 1901, Ammo Domini-nincteen
hundred years from the birth OF
Christ, and yet we celebrate the Sa-
vior's birth on December IS, instead
of January l. Nor is the year COR
rectly designated 1t is known that
Christ's advent into the world oc-
Cured more than 1900 years ago
and the goth century from that event
actually began four years ago. But
Nature herself initiates against the
accuracy of our calendar. The year
does not end at II, midnight, Dec.
81, and the next commence immedi-
ately thereafter, if the revolution of
the earth around the sun from a
given point in the heavens to its re-
turn TO the same point constitutes a
year, for this circuit is made neither
IN sos OF 900 days. This, the ST
derial year, is sos day 9 hours, 9
minutes, 90 seconds, long, and the
solar, or tropical year, is less by 20
minutes and g seconds.
Yet while arbitrary Nature ignores
our erratic notions in attempts to di-
vide our allotted measure of exist
ence into periods, we may with pro-
priety define the limitations of sea
sons for our convenience and advant-
age as the dictates of our best Judi
ment may suggest, and profit by
regulating our conduct in accord
ance with well-conceived designs.
1t is well for men to pause and
think; to look to the past for wis
dom to guide them in the future, for
they are creatures of imitation, Volt
ton and discretion.
The present is better than the
past. The future may be infinitely
better than the present if men will
wisely improve their opportunities,
for events are cumulative.
The 10Th, the supreme century of
all the ages, closes with sublime
record of wonderful achievements,
comprised by giant intellects. The
sum of human endeavors,-diseover-
les, inventions, creations,-bewilder-
ing and profound to thought, is
our inheritance The knowledge of
the ages, the rich, ripe fruit of the
centuries, is our patrimony; all the
glory of the resplendent past comes
to us with benedictions.
To pause and think,-and form
new resolutions? Assuredly. 1t is
the part of wisdom. Men are, foI
the most part, better than they seem.
They are censurable more for sins
of omission than for actual offences.
They err rather in neglect to do
what they ought than in doing
what they ought not. There are
few indeed who are unkindly dispos.
ed to their kind, for love is the law
Of human nature. Men err in the
failure to demonstrate to each other
by kindness in word and deed the
benevolence that is in their hearts.
The gospel of charity should be the
prevailing policy of the Goth centu
ry and it fttingly becomes every
beneficiary ofpresent blessings to re
solve to henceforth live "with malice
toward none but with charity for oil, y