The Washington herald., 1908-01-02
THE OPTIMIST.
There's = new foot on the floor. my friend,
Aud a neg face at the door. my friend.
new face al the door.

Thus it is that Tennyson hailed the
coming OF the year, and the poets. who
are the only true prophets we have now
adays. have always hailed the New Year
with something of a smile, with jollity
and good cheer and hearty welcome. And
yet is there not, indeed, even for the
optimist-hopeful ever-sOmething melan-
choly In the thought that a new year
has begun? Looking forward to the days
to come, looking forward to them with
high hopes and good resolves. it is not
ready spent. the time wasted, the years
SO little used
Time Is Fastening on and we
What our fathers are shall be-
shadoa shapes Of memory.
Joined % that vast Multitude
Where the great are but the good.
For, after all that is the greatest sig
nihcance OF the coming of a new year.
the passing Of the old-that time. grim
ineXOrable is passing rapidly on. An
other hour has struck its melancholy
note, and the harvest is still 20 garner.
In our picture books we portray Father
Time, the bearded one. with hour-glass
in hand and scythe over his shoulder,
and yet, as Ruskin says, Time is scythe-
less and toothless; 1t is We who gnaw
Ike the worm; we who smite Ike the
scythe. It is ourselves who abolish. our
selves who consumei we are the mildew
and the flame, and the soul OF man is TO
its own work as the moth that frets when
it cannot fly, and as the hidden flame that
blasts where il cannot illumine"
still IN II Greens
Each little moment at anOthers heels
llil houF5. days, years, and ages are made up
u sIch small parts as these and laen look back
Worn and bevildered, wondering how IL is
Thou tTaVclest like a ship in the wide ocean,
Which hath 30 bounding shore 20 marx its progress;
. Tine! ere long I shah have done with thee
That thought should be very close TO
our hearts at this parting Of the ways;
this mere symbol Of the passing Of time
the division Of the years. 1t is of no use
10 look mournfuily back into the past
and note how little we have accomplished;
70 what small heights we have attained;
that time is gone, and with it has gone
the opportunities we wasted. the hopes
we lived, the loves We cast aside. Time.
It is with US now, and We can but pray
God that IL be with Us tomorrow. so
that we may improve the present, TT
ourselves for the future. and march for
ward into the days 10 come with bravely
beating heart and manly resolution.
What Is Tme2 The shadow on the dial. the s,rik-
ing ot the clock. the running o. the saud-d4y and
night summer and winter. months years centuries
these are but arbitrary and outward signs the meas
ure u Tine. not Tine Itself. Time IS the lie
u the soul
Listeni Resonant still through these
early hours Of the new year we hear
tho vibrant tones Of the peals that rang
Out-nOt only the year is gone. but all
the countless years before that. Their
pains. their penalties their aches. their
ecstacics. their joys-all, all are passed
and only feeting memories remain But
the tide OF Time has left US stranded
here on this one point, and ever forward
We must march. The way lays upward
and though the time that is left to US is
but second. still in that small fragment
We may take one step II may be that
We have many seconds, minutes, hours
days, even years, upon which 10 draw
How far then may we march? And as
we make our way from point to point
reaching ever nearer 10 the heights, may
we not have strength enough and kind
ness Of heart and grace 10 reach out ouI
hands and grasp those of our laggard
friends 20 help them on their way.
Down 30 Gehenua OF up % The throne.
dc travels fastest who travels alone.
sang Kipling, Fastest! but not most
surely! The days speed fast enough; it
Is cur task 10 keep pace with them, tc
waste nothing: 10 use the coming hours
in wisdom and in strength.
Stl the years roll on
More gently bat with net less mighty sweep.
They gather uD again and softly bear
All the sweet lives that late were overwhelmed
Aud lost 20 sight, al that iu them good,
Noble sud truly gTeat, and worthy Of love.
Time does not end all at once. II II
ending. IN part. every day and hour aRt
moment. And when the angel shall lif
up his hand and swear by Him VIII,
T liveth forever that it shall be no longer
T the years which has past VIII not ther
! have ended more than they have to-day