The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-02-06
Jul, harvests and September or

chards.
Do not read your almanac backward.
Do not go out and ask the trees hung
with icicles by January storm whether
they will ever again blossom in May
and leaf in June. We are moving to-
ward the worlds redemption. The
frozen tears will melt, the river OF
gladness will resume its flow, the cro-
Gus will come up at the edge of the
snowbank, the morning star will open
the door for the day, and the armies of
the world will ground arms" all
around the world. The January of
frost will be abolished, and the balm
and radiance of a divine atmosphere
will fill the nations. If you do not
see it and hear it for yourself, think
at the utmost your grandchildren will
see and hear it. The heavens will take
part in the conflict between righteous
ness and sin, and that will settle it.
and settle it Alright, and settle it for
ever.
But January, like all the other
months Of the year, has had its sad
nesses and its disasters. During the
month died Linnaeus, the botanist OF
Sweden and the world, who called the
roll of the flowers and shrubs and trees,
putting them into companies and call
ing them by their names, his beautiful
statue standing in park at Stockholm,
rose in bronze held in his right hand.
During this month expired Francis Ba-
con, and Garrick, and Galilei, and Louis
VI, and William Pitt, and Francis JEFF
frey of the immortal pen, and Disrneli
the first, and Edward Everett, and
Bruce, and Catiline. In this month died
Peter the Great, the man of whom it
was written: 'He gave polish to his
people and was himself savage. He
taught them the art of warfare, of
which he himself was ignorant. From
the sight bf small boat on the river
Moskwa he erected powerful fleet,
making himself an expert and active
shipwright, sailor, pilot and command
er. He changed the manners, customs
and laws of the Russians and lives in
their memory as the father of his coun-
try"
But I cannot read the epitaphs of one
out of hundred illustrious graves in
this first month of the year. Many of
those well known gained half their re-
nown and did half their work through
the help of those of whom we know
little or nothing. Lord Herschel is
known all the world over and will be
known through all time, but littls is
of hor ho
| month of the year and without whose
help he never could have been what he
was-his sister, Caroline Lucretia Au-
gusta. She helped him hunt the worlds.
She repaired and adjusted his tele-
| scopes. She ciphered out his astronom-
| ical problems. She was his amanuen-
| sis. She planned for him his work.
She discovered seven comets and made
"a Catalogue of Nebulae and Star
Clusters" The month of January in
| troduced her to the observatories, but
she has never been properly introduced
to the world.
| According 10 my text, "This month
shall be unto you the beginning of
months; it shall be the first month of
| the year to YOU" Through it make
/ preparation for the other II months.
What you are in January you will
probably be in all the other months
of the year. Prepare for them neither
by the apprehension nor too sanguine
anticipation. Apprehension of mis-
fortune will only deplete your body
and gloom your soul and unfit you for
any trouble that may come. On the
other hand, if you expect too much, dis
appointment will be yours. Cultivate
faith in God and the feeling that He
will do for you that which is best, and
you will be ready for either sunshine
or shadow. The other II months of
the year 1902 will not all be made up
of gladness or of grief. The cup that
is all made up of sweetness is insipid.
Between these just opened gates OF
the year and the closing of those gates
there will be many times when you will
want God. You will have questions to
decide which will need supernatural
impulse. There may be illnesses OF the
body or perplexities of mind or spir,
itual exhaustions to be healed and
comforted and strengthened. During
the remaining 26 days of this month
lay in supply of faith and hope and
courage for all the days of the j.
months. Start right and you will bs
apt to keep right. Before the ship cap
; tain gets out of the New York Narrowi
he will make up his mind what Sc:
route he will take. While you are il
the Narrows of this month make vi
your mind which way you will sal
and unroll your chart and set YOU
. compass and have the lifeboats vel
placed on the dayits and be ready TO
smooth voyage all the way across 0
the swoop of Caribbean whirlwind.
But what fleet foot hath the month
and wears! People lightly talk abou
how they kill time. Alas, it dies 500
enough without killing. And tn
longer we live the swifter it goes. WI
liam c. Bryant said an old friend Of hi
: declared that the going of time is lik
| the drumming Of the partridge or mut
l fed grouse in the woods, falling slo'
! and distinct at fir st and then followin