Year: 1874

Friends and neighbors, old and young,
all who have arrived at discretionary
years: Without any preamble of what
might be said of the coming year, as it is
close at hand, let US enter it with becom-
ing zeal to make it one of propitious event;
a new era in our lives. Let us as basis
for what we desire, study ourselves, Let
us live daily in earnest and prayerful at
tention to all the social and happy interests
Of humanity as children of Kindred fam
lily. Let US lay aside selishness, preju-
dice, bigotry and superstition in our differ
ent capacities, and whatever tends to
create discord amongst friends. Let us
follow the example of him who when on
earth went about doing good; who taught
that the merciful should obtain mercy,
and who said that the pure in heart should
see God of him whose sympathy and COM
passion extended to the ignorant and the
erring, of every grade and nation, who
taught US to say in our petitions, ''Our
Father" implying connecting link of the
whole creation each in its own species,
order and degree; of him who took
the infirmities of the weak, and who could
carry charity even to the cross, cast its
mantle over the sins Of his executioners
and pray for their forgiveness; knowing
that veil of thickness covered their
minds. Let US not then Judge the erring
harshly. believing that all possess in com.
mon with ourselves the same propensities
in degree, and all are measurably tempted.
Let us remember that we have nothing Of
which we may boast in refraining from
sins that others have committed, if we are
not tempted like them. Our measure of
firmness may be greater than theirs, or
they may have been tempted measurably
beyond US. Circumstances may be or
NAV have been different. Reverse them
and many times we might have erred
sooner than those we too often condemn.
l would not do thus and so, says one.
would do differently. says another. How
do you know, my brother, my sister Have
you ever been placed in like circumstances
with like surroundings If you have.
perhaps your measure Of temptation was
little less than that of those whom you
condemn. Let us then omit no oppOrtu-
nifty to console the downcast and sinful
who may come within our sphere Of
action; pointing them to the high hope of
happiness through Christ the living princi-
Piles OF virtue and love. Let us teach them
to look abroad on the face Of nature, to
mediate, fOr there is, in its grandeur and
beauty, inspiration to fill the soul with
reverence. beneiicence aud love. Let US
teach them to look on themselves as FORM
ing part part Of the grand whole, and
raise their souls above the sordid
influence of vice. Let us each labor


in our own sphere, according to its
length and breadth. as conditions and cir
cumstances require, that the influence of
each may encrcle the whole in one har-
monious chain let us live so that We see
beauty in every leaf, and inspiration shall
enter in through every pore; and let that
inspiration cause an outflow to purify the
atmosphere around us. that all may in
perceptibly drink in its purifying influence
In teaching the mass, let us teach in lan-
guage not above the capacity or under
standing, but in language that all compre-
hend. the language of the heart, made
manifest in little things of life the Ian
guage that speaks silently in deeds as we'll
as in vocal accents of sympathy and love.
Let each contribute according to the abili-
ty, finding no fault with, or condemning
one another. When the Allwise Creator
formed man he breathed into him the breath
of life. Thus he became living soul.
Let us then look within ourselves as the
highest expression of himself and find
there that divine spark. and let its vivify-
ing influence do its perfect work.


December 9th.