The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1915-12-30
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
The Old Year.

U
/ ing. He's been with US these twelve
months. He's done his work and is
bowling himself out, so we'll see him no
more. We feel sad to see him go, but
] we can't detain him, even by earnest
pleadings to tarry long enough for US to
make amends for past misdeeds How
have l used the year? Too late now
and though we take a last regretful
glance at the departing year. we turn
to the new and welcome him with good
resolutions to make the best and most
of it.
The statue of Liberty stands on it's
island pedestal in the harbor of New
York. The goddess is seen from afar,
with flame encircled brow and uplfted
arm. This, impressive as it is dwindles
into insignifcance before Johns picture
of mighty angel with one foot on land
and the other on the sea, who lifted up
his hand to heaven and swore that time
should be no longer. We are ,awed as
we contemplate it, but that majestic
scene will one day appear to US. Even
now we can see it looming up through
the shadow of the closing yesr--the last
one of time to some of us.-surely TO
multitudes. A thought that has the
solemn impressiveness of an angels
gaze and that breaks in upon our reverie,
is this-what is about to vanish? The
end will come, but of what? The end
of mercy for one thing. The devils
logic is to sin because mercy abounds.
But he that sins because of mercy is
like one who wounds his head because
he has plaster. Abused mercy turns
to fury. There is nothing sweeter than
mercy improved nor fiercer when abused.
Mercy is not for them that sin and fear
not but for them that fear and sin not.
When the old Romans attacked a city
it was the custom to sit up white flag
at the gate. IT they surrendered while
it was up they were spared. After the
black flag was run up every man was
put to the sword. The white flag of
mercy Is floating now but the black flag
will go up and then--no quarter only
gloom.
The end of the gospel age will come.
Then we will quail as David before
Nathan, when he rebuked him for his
sin. The guilty king quailed before his
accuser. The crown, the court, the
costly apparel and adornments of the
palace could not prevent this sin from
facing him. Judgment followed and
his grief and remorse for his old sin
came back with such force, that he
gave vent to one of the most touching
laments in languages. Yet men sheer
at retribution We may bitterly re-
greet our past, but we can't undo it. It's
a heavy load to carry-the thought of
old sins brought to mind by the similar
wickedness of children. Over reach
others and you'll find some one who
will do you up. Defraud and you will
be defrauded. The scheming mother
who manages her daughters entrance
into society and whose talk is money,
often finds her girl selling herself for
lucre to the highest bidder without re-
gard to the moral fitness of the sutton.
Her expected pride for her daughters
success is turned into shame at the
thought that she is an unwelcome guest
and her company a WEAKNESS in the
new home.
The foolish girl who allows herself to
be caught by the googoO eyes, seduc-
tive glances, the fattering speech or
letcherous touch of a scheming and evil
married man. All the worse if he is
married. She will live to see her folly
for she will bring bitterest remorse to
her dying bed
What of the beastly. goddess sinister
william who will stoop to such de-
pravity to CRAFTY his hellish lust and
ruin the name of or rob the soft pated
girl of her virtue. Such thing, though
he is form of man, should be driven
from any decent community. He de-
serves to be tied to post and be horse
whipped by an injured and maltreated
wife until he bowls for mercy and his
shoes are full of his accursed blood.
Sooner or later judgments of God will
overtake such. The only escape is in
true repentance. So cries the ending of
the year. Turn YOU at my refuge. o
never dying spirit! What if mercy
should end for you, with the dying of
the year. There's danger.
The infidel volnev in storm at sea,
ran about crying, o my God, what shall
| do? But in shame he hid from his
fellow passengers, who had heard his
boastful SCOTS against christianity.
Paine, who boosted that ''he had gone
up and down through the Christians
Garden of Eden, and with his simple
AK, cut down one after another of its