Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1904-01-14
SOUL SHADOWS.
Some Thoughts Given Out AS Sug-
gestiOns For Those Who Are
Keeping and Those Who
Are Breaking New
Year Resolutions.

Year Resolutions.
Fra;itv is not a weakness at all
times. Those s.ersons who listen to
the whispering, Of fancy are not al
wa.s Of the gr>a5 concourse of those
ind. viduais WI bend the Il tening
& 30 the eft clu@ -oice OF hope. In
ali there - .omcthing of the purpose |
Of resoiuti1n, CT the spirit that
breathes out If the doubtful that
which is certain. We seal the far
verge Of our w horizon and there
discern a star shining brightly. 1t
is our star. The clouds may lower
above US, ~obscuring the blue, but be-
yond it all we see the light of our
hopes and our purposes. The storm
may rage, the thunders roll in ap-
palling power, the sky be darkened,
and all the world gloomy, but our
star shines SO ~radiantly down on the
low confines Of space that we defy
fear and take heart If rope.
Fear, if We be bat Pure Of purpose
and brave of spirit, IS but a night
mare, anyway, which we can at all
times defy and blow down the save
nue. of the Winds" and praise God
that the pow er is given us to thus
defy it. Let the clouds lower, let
the thunders roll, let all space be
filled with the shapeless shapes of
! that fear born of unrest and possible
unrighteousness, but what care we!
| Upon the summit of the mountain
Mephistopheles may have high car
nival with the bats of perdition. but
we hold them, all of them, in whole
some contempt, and go our way re-
joicing that the part they play is not
our part.
We of to-day may holdit with him
! who prayed long ago that God might.
! pity all who vainly the dreams of
=: youth recall; fer none has lived
worthily who wonld wish the years
to roll backward to the songiul dawn
WII0u July IAN IlOC LII oOWiuS ClS
seeds of long and regretful after
whlles, harvest times of wasted and
misapplied opportunities. None has
lived who would not undo some
deeds done when life was younger
and wisdom be; ond reach; but emo
tional impulses to that end are-or
should be-but trumphet-calls to
present duties, obligations, and op-
portunity in the full flower of it's
passing. None is without regret, but
with all who strive after truth regret
for remembered things or unforgot-
ten failures is as pictures turned to
the wall and shaded in the mists of
happier years.
Even SO, every heart treasures
some sorrow, great or small; some
shadow that has fallen athwart life's
pathway, and now come to be ac-
cepted and embraced of the spirit
which without it would feel a sense
of lonesomeness. Half our happiness
comes through the dark gates of
grief, beloved; and to-day and to-
morrow and in all the long-drawn
a~fterwhiles, the angel guest will still
come through gates Of suffering best.
Perhaps it is tuc, a.: the Fsalmist
of Old said. II a, With, t'that all
men r iiars;" nut VI there is more
iof truth ii inc :or3a than lying;
more OF faith tilan VI unfaltn; more
of love than nat: more Of the noble
sense Of duty than of that spirit
which Expresses, or neglects or
wrongs. Yes, beloved, the shadows
may have fallen deep and lengthen-
ing thitherward along your path
way; but through it all glows the
undimmed star, the splendid light of
truth, whose heritage is the ''eternaI
Years of God"
If I can live
To make some pale face brighter, and
to give
"A second luster to some tear-dinr-
med eye,
Or cen impart
One throb of comfort to an aching
heart,
Or cheer some wayworn soul in
passing by;
If I can lend
A strong hand to the fallen, or de-
fend
The right against a single envious