Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-01-01
New Yeur, 1916

a popular custom to reafflrm high
ideals at the start of a calendar. The
habit is very ancient. So old, indeed,
is 1T that it Is part of the standard
definition of New Year as an occa-
sion for the making of good resolu-
tions." Long before William the
Conqueror ordained that the official
annals of England should commence
on January /, people had discovered
something sacred and holy in the
theory of a new beginning. Their
religion, dating back beyond the
Redeemer into remote Hebrew times,
included the opportunity of turning
over a new leaf" inaugurating new
standard of conduct and behavior,
initiating a new and more worthy
term OF existence. Judaeo-C Christian
ity carried as an implicit character
istic the chance of rebirth in terms
OF new dedication, new conservation,
OF the human mind and heart.
1t is easy to imagine how crowds
of devout people six or seven historic
centuries ago thronged the cathe-
dral churches of Europe to pledge
themselves to the principles of the
Saviour week following the ami
versary of His birth. The tradition
OF those outpouringS crossed the
Atlantic to the West with the earliest
settlers. 1t remains with their de-
scendants today. Not in the aspect
of a superstitution blindly to be
obeyed but rather in that of an OPP
portunity freely to be fulfilled, New
Year again appears. OF course, it
can be neglected, ignored, Stunned
as though it never had happened.
Some, undoubtedly, there will be who
will regard it as useless to hope for a
future better than the past. Still
others will wonder blandly what
they have in their power to do that
the twelve months ahead may be
happier than the twelve tremendous
months'just closed have been. Per-
haps whole multitudes will leave it to
their neighbors near and far to join
in prayer, to pledge themselves to
aid rather than to refuse to help the
new and better era into being, to
give of themselves that it may be
fruitful of achievement, and not
barren. It always has been so. Many
avoid the challenge of the hour, like
those who went by on the further
side and left the traveller who had
fallen among thieves and been
beaten and robbed and abandoned
for dead for the Samaritan stranger
to find and rescue.
But what of those who have had
their minds and their hearts opened
by the experience of the epoch which
terminated with the release Of the
atomic bombs? Surely they realize
the fearful obligation of this new
age into which mankind is entering.
They understand what a costly price
has been paid for civilization in
blood and tears. Millions of people
have been destroyed, annihilated,
reduced to pitiful dust that freedom
the essential doctrine of life worth
living-might survive under the sun
unspoiled. The heirs of their sacri-
flee have a duty to deserve their
benefaction, solemn responsibility
to so toll, so labor, that the fallen
shall not be Knocked in their lonely
and scattered graves. Never before
has the liability been so impress
sive.
Currently, at this present moment,
on January l, 1916, the human race
stands at the cross roads. For it,
there are but two conceivable alter
natives. Which shall it be: Co.
operation and brotherhood and
peace in the world or dissension and
strife and war? There is nothing
new, nothing novel, nothing un-
precedented in this. One may turn
to the thirtieth chapter of Deu-
teronomy and read: IT call heaven
and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set forth before you
life and death, blessing and cursing:
therefore choose life, that thou and
thy seed may live"