The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-12-31

still given us. To shrub a year
means only leaf; to the vine, clus-
ter; to the tree, new ring of wood.
But to man year means large
portion of his life which has been
used or wasted. Youth often unthink-
ingly throws all responsibilities on the
years to come. To him everything
seems possible in the future. Then he
thinks to have time for education.
Then he will practice economy and
thrift, let the present be prodigal rs
it may. The morrow will suffice for
the forming of habits and the building
of character. So dazzled by the fu-
ture the youth allows the years to
slip through his hands, and the result
is a man who is an intellectual infant
and moral feebling. AS you pause
now and think over the past, You
must realize that the morrow holds
no harvests which the laborers called
yesterdays did not sow and cultivate.
There was an ancient custom Of put
ting an hourglass into the coffin OF
the denu 70 SIGNIFY tnut tnefr trrfc-
had run out--a useless notification to
them. Better put the hourgass into
the hand of every living man to show
him how swiftly the sands of life do
flow. But, after all, time is of value
J., only as we make the best use of ii.
We live in deeds. not years; in thoughts,
not breaths;
In In n
We should count time by heart-throbs.
He most lives
Who thinks most. feels the noblest, acts
the best
The old year may hold our many
failures, many disappointments, many
bitter regrets. The New Year holds
out to us hope and promise, for my
times are in Thy hand, o Lord. 1t
should comfort us when we think of
the brcvity of our years, to realize
by contrast the length of Gods years.
We have but short time to work,
and 1t is well to remember that in
order that we may be dilligent. But
God has whole eternity in which
to work, and it is well to remember
that also, so that we may cease from
fretfulness and Impotence at the slow
progress of His kingdom among us.
Jesus Christ has not ceased from His
redemption of the world, nor has God
been defeated in His plans for hui
panity, for the times of men and
TONS are in His hand.
For most of us the memory Of the
past is chamber of discomfort. Let
therefore the old year bury from
sight its story of sin and sorrow and
failure. Let there be sincere repent
ance for the follies of the past, and
then let q new man step forth to meet
with hope and determination the glad
New Year which God desires shall be
blessed year for every child OF
earth. When God forgiyes, He for.
gives utterly. He casts mans sins
into the depths of the sea-" Why
then should memory thrust its hooked
pole into the sea to dredge the bot
tom and bring up by the locks some
pale memory which God has plunged
! into the ocean of fOrgetfulness? Mans
life is not in the past, but in the
/ days to come, for our times are In
! His hand.
And how many of us are waiting
for the opportunities Of the coming
year? With how many of us Is 1t the
unuttered hope that tomorrow may
| be free from the sins and the mis-
takes of yesterday pray God that
for you II may be so. Your times are
in His hand, and let your Father
shape the new year for you; let Him
: rule it, and strive with the help OF
the Spirit to walk the way of His
commandments. Forgetting the
things that are behind. let us press on
for the prize of the high calling in
Christ Jesus"
The passing year also must remind
us that there will come last year fol
each one of us. Perhaps this coming
year is your last. Are you therefore
ready to see the curtain rise upon
eternity? Are you now ready to hear
the midnight cry. and to enter into