Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-01-04
The New Year.

Another year has passed away.
To some people IL brought the close
of life; to others, the beginning. To
some it brought new life into the
home; to others it left a vacant chair.
To some it brought success; to others,
failure. To some it brought happi-
ness; to others sadness. To some it
brought song of Joy; to others, a
dirge of sorrow. To some il brought
much more than their share OF bless
ing; to others, much more than their
share of distress. But this has been
the way of the world. The good
things of life are very unequally and
often very unjustly divided. An
ancient writer said that he had never
seen the righteous forsaken nor his
seed begging bread. Probably true,
but his acquaintance was limited and
the conditions of his people and their
surroundings were very different from
those of the present time. Now 1t
often happens that the best people
have the fewest comforts, while the
wicked flourish like a Green Bay
Tree. But the old year has gone and
a new one has come. What it will
bring to US nobody can tell. What
we bring to it will depend in q large
measure upon ourselves. Though we
are to a great extent creatures Of
circumstance and environment, we
can do something toward the better
ment of conditions and the elevation
of life both for ourselves and those
within our sphere of influence. To
get living is one thing; to live a
| life is quite another While the
former is absolutely necessary, and
the chief business of life, it becomes
mere drudgery when not relieved by
something higher and better. Life Is
always failure to those who have
nothing of interest above their daily
bread.
Though there is much, far to much
of grief in the average life it is not
such a sad business after all. AS one
writer has said Every day brings
good cheer, every hour some happi-
ness; every step of the way you can
catch some echo of the joyful sound
that the All-loving ever sings through
the ages. Into the darkest lives there
comes some consolation. The deeper
we go into the valley of the shadow
the more keenly do we realize the
kindness, the sympathy, the essential
| goodness There Is III tlllS WOFlu. SOIU6-
times we need sorrow to give US new
eyes and keener ears. A man never
learns until he loses his money the
worth of friends not bought with gold,
the deeds of love that could not be
hired, nor how rich is humanity in the
eternal wealth of everyday goodness.
Many a heart has first caught the
anthem of heavenly happiness through
the minor chords of pain. Seek happi-
ness. Cultivate faith in your fellows,
in their sincere seeking to be decent,
and kind, and better men and women.
If this old world is a sad world don't
try TO sweeten it with vinegar. DOM
warehouse all your happiness in
heaven. Circulate the currency o.
that happy land here. If. you fee
pessimistic get out and saw wood
hunt up some one in need and hell
them. Pray God to deliver you from
the poison of despair. Seek the Joy
full sound. OF all the good things o
which men boast at last the best o
all will be to have touched up the dull
places with light and lifted the heavy
hearts with the magic of love, to hav,
made the world just little better b,
believing in it and loving it"