Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-01-11

~ \ this DR.. Talmage's first discourse
for the new year he speaks words OF
- encouragement TO all the timid and
doubling. The text is Exodus xii. .,
This month shall be unto YOU the be
ginning Of months; it shall be the first
month of the year to you"
The last month of the old year has
passed out of sight, and the first month
of the new year has arrived. The mid
night gate last Wednesday opened. and
January entered. She deserves bet
ter name, for she il called after Janus.
the heather deity who, they supposed,
presided over doors and so might he
expected to preside at the opening of
the year. This month was of old called
the wolf month because. through the
severity OF its weather, the hungry
wolves came down seeking food and de-
vouring human life In the missals OF
the middle ages January was represented
as attired in white, suggestive of the
snow, and blowing the fingers. as though
suffering from the cold. and having 4
bundle OF wood under the arm. sugge>-
tive of the warmth that must be kin
died.
Yes, January is the open door OF the
year, and through that door will come
what long professions, some of them
! bearing palm leaves and some myrtle,
| others with garlands OF wheat and 9TH
ers with cypress and mistletoe. They are
coming, and nothing can keep them back
| the events of a twelvemonth 1t will,
| ! think, be one OF the greatest years of
| all time. 1t will abound with blessing
| and disaster. National and international
| controversies of momcnt0us import will
| be settled. Year of coronation aud de-
| thronement, year that will settle Cuban
and Porto Rican and Philippine aud
| South African and Chinese destinies The
| tamest year for many a decade past has
! dug its millions Of graves and reared its
millions of marriage affairs.
We can expect greater events in this
| year than ever before, for the worlds
| population has so vastly increased there
are so many more than in any other year
to laugh and weep and triumph and per-
| ish. The mghtier wheels OF mechanism
| have such wider sweep. The fires are
| kndled in furnaces not seven times but
seventy times heated. The velocties
whirling through the air and sailing the
seas and tunneling the mountains will
make unprecedented demonstration.
| Would to God that before the now open
ing year has closed the earth might cease
| to tremble with the last cannonade and
the heavens cease to be lighted up with
any more conHagration of homesteads and
Tie foundries that make swords be turn
| ed into blacksmith shops for making
plowshares
Grasp Present Opportunities.
The front door of a stupendous year
has opened. Before many % You there
will he twelve months of opportunity
for making the world better or worse,
| happier or more miserable. Let us pray
that it may be a year that will indicate
the speedy redemption Of the hemisphere.
I Would to God that this might be the year
in which the three great instruments now
chiefly used for secular purposes might
be put to their mightiest use in the
worlds evangelization~the telegraph. the
| telephone, the photograph! Electricity
! has such potent tongue. such strong arm,
! such swift wing such lightning foot, that
| it occurs TO me that it may be the angel
| that st. John saw and heard in npoca-
| lvptic vision when he started back and
| cried out, II saw another angel flying
in the midst of heaven having the ever
! lasting gospel to preach unto them that
! dwell on the earth and to every nation
and kindred and tongue and people"
| They were tongues Of fire that sat on the
| heads of the disciples at the pcntecost.
and why not the world called to God by
tongue of electric fire? Prepare your
| batteries and make ready to put upon the
wires the world wide message Of who
| soeyer will
Furthermore, this month OF January
has the greatest height and depth of
cold. The rivers are bound in crystal
chains. The fountains that made high
est leap in the summer parks now toss
not one jet. for every drop would be a
frozen tear The sleds craunch through
the hard snow. Warmest attire the
wardrobe can afford is put on that we
may defend ourselves against the fury
| of the elements. Hardest Of all the
months for the poor. let it be the sea
son Of greatest generosity on the part
Of the prosperous. How much scut-
tie Of coal or pair OF shoes or q coat
or n shawl may DO IN Arrangement vi
suffering between the Jst OF January
and the LIST Of February God only knows
Seated by our warm registers or wrap
ped in furs which make us Independent
OF the cutting. January blast, LEI US not
forget the hreless hearth and the thin
garments and the hacking cough and the
rheumatic twinge OF those who through
destitution find life in winter an agony.
Suppose each one OF us take under charge
one poverty stricken household or one
disabled man or one invaded woman.
On our way home from such charity,
though the wind may be bowling and the
night tempestuous, ! should not wonder
if we could hear q voice that was heard
on Galilee and AZ the gates Of Main and
by the pool Of Bethesda saying "Inas-
much as ye did it to them, We did it TO
nee"
Victories Of the Frost.
Oh. the might. Of the cold. The arc
tic aud antarctic invading the temper
ate zone! The victories Of the frost
as when the Thames in 1905 became firm
as apy bridge and the inhabitants cross
ed and recrossed on the ice and booths
and places Of temporary amusement were
built on the hardened surface; as when
many Years ego New York harbOr WAS