The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1907-01-11

Wo may get US an heart OF lsdOm rs
9o-12.
In the providence OF God we are
standing to-day at the of another year.
When the sun has thrice sunk beneath
yonder horizon w shall have passed
another milestone on the great highway
time. Whatever the year has been
to US, whether of success or failure, a
progress or 4 retrogression so the rec
ord will be. However we may desire to
change a part or all os it will be to us
.purpuse for it will have passed beyond
our control. What is there written, is
written and no deceiver of prince or
king can alter a single linz. With the
passing Of the old year another chapter
will be added to the volume of our life's
history. Thus one.by one our years come
and we are borne further and further
down. the stream of time and on to the
boundless sea of eternity. AZ this sea-
son OF the year in many merchantile es-
adjustments an inventory is made With
the view to discovering tho measure Of
success OF failure that cas- attended the
year, 8 business. This is not done that
the merchant may gloat over his sue
cess, or MOURN his failure, but that he
knew the result of the effort put forth
during the year, and thus he prepared
to follow up what has been successful
and avoid the failures in the year that
is before him.
In the words of the text the writer
asks that he may do for himself what
the merchant does for his business
that he may take account of his days,
not to vaunt his seli-righteous, become
morbid over his sin, but that he may
get an heart of wisdom. lnths passing
Of the year marking off as it does anotl..
er period of the time allotted for i,
mortal existence is surely an appropri-
ate season for US to balance our ac-
count with life and discover our stand
ihg in the great clearing house of time
and eternity.
We readily recognize the wisdom of
the merchant in his purpose to sum up
the progress Of his business. for in the
activities and complexities of. trade it is
impossible TO know from day to day
just. whatthe profits aud losses may be.
And if the inventory is not made or put
off too long failure may como without
any warning. But. while we give cur as
sent to this worldly wisdom there is often
an impatisr ce or il difference in apply:
ing a like rule to the course of our lives.
We allow ourselves to drift with the
current in a manner that we recognize
would bring disaster upon any business
enterprise.
There are reasons for this. It is pos
siblet to SO misuse the opportunities and
privileges that come to us that we are
ashamed to recall them and rather than
90 back ever that painful road we will
push on into the unknown forests Of a
new yea wi. hout guide or compass. i,
IS not strange that the men or women
who has made a conspicuous failure of
his life during the year, should find a
distaste in recalling it, for it goes might
lily against pre- to acknowledge an OBJ.
vious failure; aud rather than undergo
such . humilitiating process many turn
their backs upon it by either making
light Of il. or ignoring it altogether. But
after all such .. course proclai,ns the
man OF woman q coward. or the victim
Of a,peckle.sness that IS foolhardy.
But . vastly greater multitude fail to
number their days because they held TO
the .delnsion that stretching tut before
them il q vast expanse Of time an wlicl.
there will b abundant leisure for Tar
ing their reckoning Misunderstanding their
couvse. The sea is wide aud they have
% fear Of shadows or fog banks. Is.
pseciallysiA this true Of those who are
inst entering the race Of manhood and
~xonanhood. The goal Of life lies 80
fassaHayin i sIdiatance that it~is al-
tnoat il snotanits invisible. Thsfowess
ands1seds along the way are Of more
intsrsstiothem than tile rich fruitage
of .urchlrd and field, So they daily.
along strayiag nowsinto this field and
novsilto that utterly sobliyious Of the
faetslhatsalfthss while night il closing
Ia abpni Them. The boy o. girl in
aclS,l u 10, much concsrned about
afa.ynles 10 Sci lies con to-day. tomso,r-
NOW vii I,jjlsst as vol; II can Le made
mp the, {. The mss Of 4 wear il ! ANAL
matter. When school ii loft behind
aud the q tivities 1T denendsnt life
ara sntereL IN ) ysuig man or
woman has had brisi,ss and glorious
visions Of the part theyxat iHtay in the
lifsEo f the world. A year cslnes ami
enss:and1ittls osnothing Is done. 1, turn
thsdreams into q Lying reality. bnt the
dreamer copsoles himself that biz ilrar
has been ! good one md that u liz.
(ysaT that u before rrths next year--hs
vill make start that wiz dsmonstrat
47Rs 4 sEAs 500