The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-07-19
THE GOOD OLD TIMES,

"All times when old are good y
sneers that irreverent scoffer. Byron: !:
but there is far better authority than
he for rebuking that indivious nrais,
of "old times" that is less a Iauda.
tion of glorious by-gones, than a slur
and cavil against the time-spirit OF
OF progress. That discriminating
thinker whose inspired pen has left Us
the !Ecclesiastes," says with the
authority of rea. on as well as Scrip
ture, to the croaking prophets of pres
ent evil and future decadence: HSay
not thou, what is the cause that the
former days were better than these?
for thou dost not inquire wisely con-
cerniDg this"
1t is pei haps natural that the weary
and worn travellers on the downward
slopes of life should cherish the re.
membranes that are reflected from
the happy heights of the past, and i,
is equallyas natural that The youtbful
faces looking forward should shine
with the radiance of hope. But it is
not wise or natural that the veterans
. of life should decry the present, their
= own LIE resultant, and forecast failure
for their children, as they enter on
their inheritance of world.savipg Ia.
Dor. The freshness of physical life
! must wane with the decline of the
body; the face will grow wrinkled and
peaked, the form bent and weak. the
step faltering and iufirm, but the inn
mortal spirit should not partake this
falling. With the decline of the boGy
should come enlargement of sympa-
5 thy, ,mellowness OF feeling, tender sor.
row for error, loving forgivness for
wrong. There is no nobler sight than
white hairs croWniDg brow wrinkl-
ed and pinched and Scared with the
conflicts of years, but withal. pen;ol
gentle, contented; countenance fnr,
rowed oy thought, deeplined by the
1ron-pen OF grief, written over with The
history OF struggle, the record OF battle,
the doom OF defeat, the sad roll of low
ed ones LAID to rest; and yet with moi
traversing mark OF bitterness, not a
blur OF hate, not tint of impurilv.
oad enough is the contrast read toe
often IN the dissatisfied faces of aged
1olk, whose feet are taking hold on
the grave, whose hands have losi their
grip on life, but whose hearts ar,
scanned and Scared with the sharp
14ges OF envy, distrust al d discoutenl.
ihey shake their weary heads over b
ume ali out of joint. They humble
theIr gloomy prognostications of woe
ana ruin. They naunder endIessN
over the good old timesn whose
glamour ofsurpassing excellence is
ouI tne lilusory mirage of a failing
memory. Their poor numbed senses
can catch the distant echoes of the
past, but are closed TO the clearing
ing, Vletory-welconing shouts of lht
present.
ana yet these dear ghosts of dt-
Parteo manhood claim to believe in a
farther that cares for all his childre u,
III d Chrlst who prophesied the pro.
gresslVe development of bis Kingdom
10 the earth, in a Christianity whose
successive advances know no back ward
!auerlngs, no Inactive Stages. Where
70 consistency, reason, faith? Christ
IS conquerlng, and the world growing
worse? God Is making his word OF
promise good, and men are being lost
ID greater proportion every year?
me mI'Iennium il advancing, and
"icKedness ci on the increase?
Inc trouble is that men color their
we" OF lifeand its outlook with the
tInge Ct their personal feeling. TO
"iscohlent, and envy and querulous-
ness, snd disappointed ambition and
veteran wroDg-headedness, the world
and men and measures seem radically
and esse ntially defective and wicked.
Andit is no unusual sight, sad though
it be, to find associated even with
ripe years and reverend experience
this unworthy morbidness that Il
alike shame to humanity and dis
honor to religion. The old times are
not better. A thousand voices ol
world helping agencies declare IT.
The teaching of experience attirms IT.
The dictum of science confirms It.
The fiat of inspiration seals 1T. The
old times were good-the present
times are better. That the times tt
come shall climb an ascending scale o
betterment evermore, is as sure as Coo
rules and Christ saves.