Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-12-30
NEW YEAR THOUGHTS.


81 fX 49, 4" 81.
Commemoration OF the beginning or the
rear IL sentimental, purely since the ffrst
lay OF January makes 40 special epoch
in history, nor Ii Ii The anniversarysof the
H!rth or death OF any hero. Il ~ net act
apart for the performance OF any specific
1uttes, nor the teaching Of any particular
lesson; YET New Year is observed. quietly
II Is true, ard without any ceremonial, IN
all parts OF the United States.
In looking for the b~cginnin. OF this
practice. one must go into the prehistoric
past, for New Year is the most ancient
of all the days which men have set apart
for special ,iistinct.on. In this former
days. though. II began with the advent OF
spring. when tho buds and leaves began
to open and the voices Of the song birds
were heard again. The Latins. from
whom came the months now used, ceio-
brated their New Year as the nations old
err than they had done, IN March. This
explains why December. meaning tenth"
month, should be twelfth in our calendar,
The day, then. neither a festival nor q
fast not one to keep alive the fires Of
patriotism. as the Fourth OF July. or TO
bear In rememt rance, as Christmas. the
sublime life OF a Christ, IS. nevertheless,
universally observed. because at one time
II did STAN for a most beautiful senti-
ment-the reyivify.ng Of nature. IL har-
DitiBtftA la Uuit~rA}ttclll VI GOiH III Va
the sterile winter II gave assurance OF a
harvest for man, who could see IN the
bursting Of the seeds autumn days OF full.
ness.
Thus was II with the Chaldean, Oldest
Of the civilized peoples. whence came
Abraham, the founder OF the Jewish ma
ton. they were as puzzled as moderns
are over the mystery Of death, and that
greaterNmystery life. OF the g~enerative
principle they made a god and worshiped
X. The presence Of their god was felt
seen, as they taught, in the new garb put
on by the trees; in the tiny spears OF
green grass which peeped through the
sere blades OF the previous year. and in
the many colored little flowers that neS-
tied confidlngly beside the grass blades.
They knew their god lived and was
pleased with his people. They broke forth
into rejoicing which lasted many days.
There was worship in The temples and
the groves, and infinite gladness every-
where. Through century after century
this religious and festival observance was
had, and the remains or Ii are seen today
In the chief holy day OF the great Cath
Ole church during the veTnal season, all
though now held IN commemoration OF a
grander and more glorious event.
The New York observance, then, Ia the
survival OF a day beyond the period OF its
enecttve Use. Once q sublime object les
son, IL remains solely as q record OF the
beginning OF a new year. arbitrarily fixed
by man. It's position is a peculiar one.
1t 10 neither the beginning Of any one OF
the four seasons. nor the end Of any one
OF them. IL IN not the commencement,
necessarily. OF a week, even. II does but
assert for man that by his choice OF conn
putation a New Year has begun.
Yet, as to the ancient. 80 TO the modern.
New Year teaches. after all. the some les-
son, II tells tht the old year is dead, and
the New Year 10 born, 1t declares thu
mortality OF all things, and II proves that
the mortal shall put on Immortality. IL
teaches the higher lesson that out OF
death comes life: that the dying year does
but make way for the living year. and
hat the chasm IL invisible between the
dying and the dead. A single tick. just
one tick OF the clock. and IN the minuts
interval the Old Year was and the New
Year is. and from this lesson one may
learn that the sum OF all the lives that
have been Is but the expression or the
live thar are, just as the result Of all thu
years that have been is found In the New
Year Just begun.
William Rosser Cobbe.