The Glenwood post., 1903-12-26

III St W Sohoti uSL d pIOpSl, III
B. C. 540-the first recorded in pro-
fame history.
But sundials are only useful when
the sun shines; hence some other
measures of time became a necessity.
The Egyptians were successful in in
venting such a contrivance. They
called it the Clepsydra (1leps, to
steal, and hudor, water), by which
time was measured by a continuous
flow Of water at a uniform motion
The Clepsydra is first mentioned by
Empedocles, who fiourished in the
fifth century before Christ 1t was
brought to high degree of perfec.
tion by philosopher of Alexandria,
named Ctesebius, and continued down
to the invention of clocks, probably in
the fourteenth century. Watches fol.
lowed in due course, till they have
become an almost necessary requisite
of everyday use.
Most people are under the impress
sion that the rotation of the earth
has never varied from one complete
turn in twenty-four hours. But this is
an error. The motions of both earth
and moon have not been invariable.
There was time when the lunar
month was twenty-nine days instead of
twenty-seven, as it now is (Sir R.
Ball: Time and Tide). The synodical
month, therefore, was between thirty
and thirty-one days. "a synodical
month is the interval from one new
moon to the neXt.) So that primitive
man. reckoning the month as synodi-
cal period, or lunation. may not have
been SO inaccurate as we in our SUI
perior wisdom imagine.
Going back from this epoch to the
infancy of the moon, we come to a
time when the day and month were
of equal duration-about four hours
each! Going forward to the old age
of the earth, we come to an epoch
when the day and month are again
equal. But this time. instead of being
four hours each, they will be 1,400
hours. Just think of it! One day last
ing 1,4O0 hours! When the day will
equal fifty-eight of our present days.
what will be the length of the year?
But we must not stop at a 1, ,400-hour
day. Going still forward in the far-off
future, we come to time when the
face Of the earth will be always
turned to the sun, as the moons face
is now turned to the earth, and as she
will continue to be. Then there will
be perpetual day, for the sun shall
never set, literally fulfilling the words
of the prophet: THY sun shall no
more go down, neither shall thy moon
withdraw itself" lis. lx:20D The
romance of time! How it fascinates!
The new year has been observed
with festive rejoicings from remotest
antiquity. Its celebration by religious,
as well as secular observances, pre-
vailed generally among the nations of
antiquity. And Egyptians, Hindus.
Chinese, Persians, Jews, Romans and
Mohammedans, although differing
widely as to the time from which they
reckon the new year, all regard it with
especial interest of Joyous kind.
In olden Roman times the new year.
which began in March, was inaugural
ed by festive procession, with the
priests of Mars carrying the sacred
shield before the people. The people
wished each other good health and
prosperity and exchanged presents.
The Chinese begin the year at the
Vernal equinox, and make it one of
the most splendid festivals. Ali
classes mingle together, and unite in
thanksgiving for mercies received and
prayers for genial season and good
crop.
With the Hindus the first day Of the
new year is sacred to Ganesa, the
god CT wisdom. to whom kids and
wild deer are sacrificed amid illumina-
mountainous tribes a buffalo is sac
rificed before vast multitudes of peo-
pie.
In ancient Persia prisoners were
liberated and offenders pardoned. The
Persian new year much resembled the
Sabbothical year of the Jews.
The Sabeans held q grand festival
on the day the sun entered Arus. one
of the signs OF the Zodiac. Priests
and people marched to the temples
and sacrificed to the planetary gods.
In the British Isles the Druids be-
gan the year on March 10th, with the
solemn ceremony Of cutting the mis-
tletoe from the sacred oak. On that
day two white bulls were tied by the
horns. When Druid, clothed in white
robes, mounted the tree and cut of
the mistletoe, after which the sacri-
fees were offered.
The Mexicans on new years day
adorned their houses and temples
and engaged in various religious cere.
monies. On such occasion human
sacrifice was offered to propitiate the
gods.
In modern times it is also an occa-
sion of social rejoicing and inter
change of courtesies. In England,
under old style, the year began on
March 26. On the change Of date to
Jan. /, great opposition was offered