The gold leaf., 1911-01-26
Another Old Friend Heard From.

My Dear Ola Friend: | have lust
read in the GOLD LEAF OF the 29th
ult., the Christmas Greeting of Rev.
A. u. Wilcox, a champion church
builder and faithful preacher and it
recalls memories of long ago of him
aud OF Mrs. John Allen, whom |
knew to be so genial, kind, hospita-
blp, thoughtful and true. 1t has been
something like quarter of a century
since | first met this ''man of God"
A. q. Wilcox, enthusiastic and self
sacrificing in starting and building up
and preaching to country churches
IN destitute sections OF North Caro-
lima. Content always to labor on
small salary and to endure hardness
as good soldier OF Jesus Christ: vet
L questioned what read, when saw
in his letter, Il am growing old"
it had not occurred to me to think
of him as an old man, while reading
his letter, until | suddenly came upon
the expression Il am growing old.
but young in spirit" 1t is, however.
a fact that both of us have crossed
the ministerial dead line But as the
"Outward man perIsheth the inward
man grows stronger day by day"
What consolation it is, to be buoy
ant with hope and abOunding in faith
and love while the physical nature
shows signs Of advancing years and
admOnishes one Of the fact "here we
have no continuing city but must
seek one to come" We read Of God
that 'He is not unrighteOus to for
get your labor of love in that YOU
have miniStered unto the saints and
do minister" and this creates hope
and fond expectation as we look be-
yOnd the dissolution of the phvsi-
cal man, to the prizes that are pter-
nal. ! want to reach out my hand
across he distance which lies be-
tween Us and shake, and extend to
this grand man, to you and yours,
Mr.. Editor, and to all the good peo-
pie, counted among your readers,
New Year Greetings.
am proud of the record made
by North Carolina men and women
during the last quarter of a CEN
tury, no people of any State of
tIllS uiltl nav hN'It DPbutI IMAM
the people of The Old North
State" And the GOLD LEAF, with
its gifted. courageous. manly edi-
tor. has had no small part in the
good work accomplished. The GOLD
LEAF has been true TO the best tra-
ditions Of the dear old SOUTHLAND,
and has helped usher in tip nAW day
OF hope and abundant prosperity
that has come to the state and the
nation. Some newspapers are
menace to our civilization. ''cOr-
rupters of youth and "lovers OF
pleasure more than of God" their
editors have used them to defeat
rather than to aid the cause Of JUS
tice, and good morals. But Thad r.
Manning is not to be classed among
that number. He and the GOLD LEAF
which he has controlled with such
conspicuous ability, have been forces
for righteousness and truth, and ad-
vocates of the true, the useful and
the beautiful in life. The golden age
of the world is not in the past but is
still in the future, and the eckOning
hands of a kindly providence, ever
wise, strong and gracious, are ex-
tended, bidding US to advance with
out anxiety, without fear, into the
untrodden paths of the future, sus-
tanned by the promise ''As thy days
may demand SO shall thy strength
be-"
The gradually unfolding plans and
| purposes of an infinite Creator, who
planned not a part only but all for
| life, sustain in US our interest in life,
| and give to US new inspiration and
| hope, as they confirm our faithin His
leadings over all the way. Prince
Albert used to say to young men,
"Find out what the plan of God is
in your day and fall in with it and be
careful not to cross it. SO say to
all men. And as we look, we see that
it is the plan of God in our day to
advance the cause of universal edu-
cation, and the Christian religion;
to work out among all nations a
government Of the people, for the
people and by the people, and to
emphasize the essential dignity and
worth of man as such irrespective OF
his country, his color, or previous
condition, and to give to man com
plete supremacy over the earth, the
sea and the air, and crown him with
the crown of freedom, virtue, and in
telligence.
Rapid strides have indeed been
made in mental and in physical
science, in government, religion, in
vention and discovery. But the best
is yet to come, and events and dis
coveries are crOwding so thick and
fast upon us in this generation we
are almost afraid to go to sleep at
night, lest we wake up in the morn
ing behind the times The influence
! of the clauses in the American Decla-
ration of Independence concerning
| the rights of man, and in the cOnsti-
tuition of the United States, in the
interest OF religious liberty have been
felt the world around. During the
last few years, despotisms and mon
arches have been crumbling and the
stars in the crowns of kings trem bling
before the march of the common
people and the growth Of intelligence.
The shackles are falling from the
enslaved intelects of millions OF
people, and even ancient China, and
the hermit kingdom, and the land of
"the unspeakable Turk are coming
into the enjoyment Of the inherent
rights of man, and the benefits of
constitutional government, and OF
religious liberty We cannot quench
the fires of Vesuvius dam up the
waters of the Nile, or bind the con-
stellations of the Pleiades, neither
can we stop the march OF progress
the world around, or silence the race
demand for liberty and a better
division among men of the common
blessings bestowed by a kindly proyi-
/ dence for u ALL The mOnopoIistic
/ tendencies OF past centuries, in the