16
fWhen skies are cold with wintry stars, and hills
Are white with yester-even's snow, and lie £JL
In ghostly 6tate beneath the ghostly sky;
When many a gusty blast the darkness fills
With ever lonely, homeless sound, and chills
•Sgj The window panes with frost; when crackling fly
The sparks about the hearth, and glow and die,
While in the pause his note the cricket trills;
Oh, then how dear is home! and what a sense Xg
Of ruddy warmth and peace beguiles the mindl
And what a charm in listening while the wind
W Blows fierce outside, through winter's fctarry tents, fj
iyfc And dies away around the window-pane, Xtfl
Tf? And ever rises loud, and dies again!
—Ernest Warburton Shurtleff. •
j The Wewness of the Yearl
tAPPY New Year!" The glad
greeting rings out on every
band. A neto twelve month
has been ushered in with
all its mystery of"the
things which are to be."
We need then for our
selves and for others to put
the emphasis upon the
word "new" rather than
upon the term "year." That another
year has come is relatively unimpor
tant. The stress is to be laid not on
the quantity but on the quality of
one's life. All that an earnest soul
can do is to live each day of the new
year by itself, as it comes in its turn,
trying, if so it may be, to put a
month's efTort in one day, and a day's
victory into a single hour. The time
is short, and it remaineth that all
who know Christ and partake of his
112 gift of new life should be diligent al
ways, watch unto prayer and boast
not themselves of the morrow. Suffi
cient unto each day Is the burden and
blessing thereof.
The newness of the new year is es
' eentially a newness of spirit. A new
man will always enjoy the new year.
When another January arrives it is
distinctively the time to slough off the
old and to put on the new. There is
an old nature to be discarded, and a
new spiritual manhood to be assumed.
The trouble with many people, how
ever, is that they try to remake and
to reform themselves, forgetting that
a few good resolutions, more or less
loosely kept, can at best only touch
the outside and possess no interior
efficacy in the recesses of the spirit.
The new man who is really worthy of
the name is the new man in Christ
Jesus. Where Jesus is there is always
; newness of experience, renovation of
the moral nature, freshness of hope
and a resiliency of elastic joy. It is
not necessary to wait until the first
of January in any approaching year
to win the wisdom of such a heavenly
faith or to experience the benefits of
such a spiritual quickening. The
promise of God is now, to every one
that believeth. Each morning may be
a resurrection day, each evening a
time of golden promise fair, yet not
as fading, as the sunset. The New
Year joy is for all of life, all the
time.
It is stimulating and encouraging to
feel that a brand new year is offered
for happy employment, and that the
old records with their motley pages,
®
& A slrapr for tlje -Nnu frar
|H H|
P A CmifihlV Cjod. the unfailing source or light and mcrcv,
J\ who hast brought us to the beginning of this year, tj|
wand art sparing us to Sove Chee and to keep Chy uS
P commandments, prepare us, we beseech Chee, for the coming *
days. Cet Chy grace enlighten our darkness and strengthen
our weakness, fielp us to forget the sins and sorrows of the u*)
gj past, cherishing only the wisdom ar.d the humility they may
have taught us. Inspire us with new purposes and new IK
hopes. Deepen within our hearts the love of truth and good* ua
gj ness. Renew in us the life of that which alone makes life
<3 worth living. Enable us to discern the soiemu meaning of
vju these earthly days, and the high and sacred purpose for which y*>
gj they are given. Suffer us not to be unfaithful to Chee.
Chou bast richly blessed us hitherto; still lead us by Chy
% hand; still admonish and guide us by Chy spirit, and leave us t£>
gj not to ourselves, Cbou oood Sbepberd of tbe fbeep. Cet not
tbe sorrow and weariness of life rob us of our faith In Chee.
% Whatever lig'ni may shine or shadow fall, keep us in tbe fel* U9
lowship and in tbe service of Jesus Christ our Cord, flmen!
some still vacant and other marred,
and, perhaps, here and there blotted
with tears, may be put away, and
fresh, unstained pages substituted in
their place. It is helpful to remind one
self that those broken resolutions of
1908 may be renewed in 1909, and,
what is better, reinforced by more of
that prayer and divine grace for want
of which the idealizing resolves of the
past year were soon forgotten or went
so sadly unfulfilled. The new year
means, accordingly, a new hope, a new
song, a new endeavor, a new outlook,
a new inspiration, a new determina
tion and a new grace—every new
thing that is good appears to bo possi
ble in its gift. A hope like this makes
any doubter optimistic,'and gives to
existence the character of a life worth
living.
A wide chasm seems to Intervene
between the old and the new. Into its
depths should be cast every regret,
every halting doubt, and every ham
pering fear which belongs to the past
period of our experience and which
would burden and hinder our worthy
efforts and spiritual progress in the
new year. Let us take up our new
duties and meet our fresh opportuni
ties in free, gladsome and hopeful
spirit, knowing that God, who has pur
posed them for our uplift, will give
us grace to carry us safely through.
Happy New Year! The message la
sent far and near. Let the glad greet
ing be heard on all sides. There is a
prophecy and a promise in the New
Year. Even to those who are bent with
grief, or lonely by reason of bitter
bereavement it is possible and timely
to say, though with lowered tone and
softened accent: "Happy New Year!"
Every year will be a happy, or, at
least, a peaceful, one in which the
presence of the Lord is realized—
which is spent under the protection of
his wings, while its duties are dis
charged in his fear and its responsibil*
ities are borne with the assistance of
his grace. For the Christian every
year should be an improvement on the
past, and offer its additional oppor
tunities for growing in grace and
Christlikeness. The Christian is a
convinced and convincing optimist
for, having a heavenly hope which the
world can never give or take away,
he can in every condition of lifo find
a basis for an assured happiness ex
pressing itself in the oft-quoted dic
tum: "The best of all is, 'God is
with us!' "
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, I9C«
Tick-s
Dear >/ y
If Ibm |
The
Before my time
I know Nfullwell -
NI KVhlf 1
In memfri(go^eepP
I see orS&/^v\<^^
When y P* JJ
And
The a
Withiyour protectirigf hands
Yoii
As your feet ' JC',
tipl^^ck7^ick-tock,/n<4t?^>ek;
When
Went to ioin^^them^rt^; afrove \ J
You]' iei:p voice J&e^eaV
To c rHjlrv&S? "
To th< a at Sicted' ope^ ? 7] 4A f' £
And had tfem c^^ : . t^ars-' • N •'- ;
Tick ;■ t Jc;«;
When John-
How
To tell Irfm-When 'wis time togo, ,/ A
How loudly the hour I /
When I did jwmd /fejfy / C^^kl
For-, the coming 4, y/
Tick-tock, tick-rpsk^tlck*tock/4ick-tock;
Now we're Jk j> s/f / Vv 4 fA u\
The child of^yesterday/ /has to/giWim
For just as? fairy 4 y /f-% ,
! As she wasN. "U. <pU
When with chuTbby haind sti£jdt ; point^)
At your round face 2nd laught \\
| With glee
When you would toll the p assi Jnloyiirr
| Tick-tock,.
| And now
While we are waiting here-- 1 * 5 "
I To welcome in acclaim
The new-born year,
Let's hope
That in His mercy He will be
A shield and guide
To both of us
As in the days agone.
a«Eei
'ER since man knew
enough about astron
omy to divide time
into years which
more or less
agreed with the
earth's annual revolu
tion around the sun,
he has in various
characteristic ways
regarded the first
day of the new year
as a day of re
joicing and well
wishing.
It was the great
day for exchanging gifts until, in some
Christian countries, Christmas day
was substituted. While in America
New Year's day is generally observed
as a holiday and as an occasion for
paying ceremonial social calls, in
France, even now, New Year's pres
ents have not entirely disappeared.
New Year's day is not observed on
January 1 in every country, although
moat nations nowadays use the Gre
gorian calendar, and consequently be
gin their new year on that day. In
Russia the Julian calendar is still in
use, and as a quarter of a day in each
year is lest by that system, there is
now an accumulated loss of 13 days.
January 1 in Russia, then, corresponds
to January 14 of our calendar. The
Mohammedan New Year, the Jewish
New Year and the Chinese New Year,
owing to the peculiar systems of keep
ing time by those people, are very elu
sive dates, or seem so to persons fa
miliar only with the Gregorian calen
dar.
AS TO THE CALENDARS.
The Jewish year is solar-lunar, and
may consist of as few as 353 days and
as many as 385. New Year's day usu
ally falls in September. The Moham
medan years usually consist of 354
days, being purely lunar, and the leap
years, which occur in certain twelve
months of a cycle of 30 lunar years,
contain 355 days. The first day of
Muharrem—New Year's day—may in
course of time make a whole revolu
tion of the seasons. An instance of this
may be given. The first of Muharrem,
1906, fell on February 25, while the
Mohammedan New Year last year be
gan on March 7. Inasmuch as it io
purely lunar, the Mohammedan year
is almost unique in the calendars of
the world. While the Chinese year con
forms to the eastern idea, being found
ed upon lunar months, a month is add
ed to every 30, to make time conform
with the solar year. Consequently,
the Chinese New Year may begin any
time between January 21 and Febru
ary 28.
REVOLVING NEW YEAR.
The ancient Egyptians had a year
more or less conforming to the Julian
style, inasmuch as it contained 365
days. In course of centuries this made
New Year's make a complete revolu
tion of the seasons. This fact, only
recently properly appreciated by Prof.
Petrie, the Egyptologist, led to many
misconceptions and retarded the solu
tion of mysterious feasts and rites
which now are perfectly well under
stood by archaeologists.
Anciently, in Rome, the new year
began in March, in the neighborhood
of the vernal equinox, which would
seem to be a reasonable, if not logical
time to begin the annual cycle. March
25 was, until the latter part of the
sixteenth century, the day when tho
new year began hi most Christian
countries. Numa is said to have made
the Roman year begin on January 1,
the day held by pagan Home sacred
in honor of Janus, who was thus sup
posed to turn at once back upon the
old year and forward into the new, and
subsequently New Year's day was, at
various times and in different Chris
tian countries, celebrated on the pres
ent Christmas, March 1, March 25 (the
Feast of the Annunciation), and East
er day.
CUSTOM OF GIFTS.
Almost everywhere the custom of
making presents on the first day of
the new year has been observed. When
it originated, or where, it would be
extremely difficult, if not actually im
possible, to say. It is sufficient to
know that the observance has the
sanction of remote antiquity. In the
eighth eentury B. C. Tatius, king of
the Sabines, according to traditions,
began the custom among the Romans.
At first the gifts were merely emblem-
New Year's Greetings
atic and of little price, being branche*
cut from the wood consecrated to
Strenia, the goddess of strength.
These were presented to the king as
an omen of good fortune. The gifts j
became more pretentious as time went i
on, and in later centuries some of the 1
Koman emperors demanded New Year's
presents of great value from the
"magnates" of those days. As the
Roman rulers were gentlemen who
were not to be trifled with, the pres
ents usually appeared on time after
notice to the wealthy was given.
It was in Rome, too, that the habit
of masquerading at New Year's ap
pears to have originated. The custom
still observed in Italy now is confined
to the celebrations at the Epiphany
and at the carnival time.
FESTIVITIES OF THE DAY
In some countries, notably in Great
Britain and in somo cities in Canada
and the United States, the new year is
welcomed in by festivities on the eve
of the day. In Scotland, for instance,
it is customary to celebrate New
Year's eve with some festivity, which
is prolonged until past midnight. At
the stroke of 12 every one present
wishes each other a "Happy New
Year." The custom is also common
in many parts of Germany, where the
salutation is "Prosit Neu Jehr."
Similar to this custom are the re
ligious "watch meetings" held in somo
of the churches in this country o*
New Year's eve. In England on New
Year's eve, in some houses, a curious
custom, or superstition, is observed.
At the stroke of 12, which ushers in
the new year, the party, already wait
ing on the stairs, begin to ascend the
stairway backward, taking a step at
each stroke. Every step successfully
mounted means a happy month, every
stumble a reverse. Of course, it is
one of those playful superstitions
which are not taken seriously.
Glucose Fondant for Christmas.
Two cups sugar, one cup water, and
two tablespoons glucose. Boil all un
til a little dropped in cold water will
form a soft ball. Remove from flre
and heat till creamy.
Seven ways to use the fondant:
Make into balls and dip in melted
chocolate.
Roll them in cocoanut.
Roll them in chopped nuta.
Fill figs with fondant and slice thin.
Fill dates with fondant, or put the
fondant around the stoned date.
Make into squares and place a nut
on top.
Roll nuts in the fondant and then in
sugar.
Tie Racks for Men.
A present that will be greatly ap
preciated by a man is a tie rack. This
may be mounted embroidered linen,
burnt wood, decorated leather or
painted cardboard. The only thing to
be guarded against is not to make
them too elaborate. The more simple
the pattern is the more sure to please.
Room for Lots of Presents.
"I wish I could be a laundress," said
little Dorothy.
"You would have to work very, very
hard, my child." observed her mother.
"But just think, mamma, of all the
stockings I could hang up."
Greeting,
Now while the surging, deep-toned bellt,
lament
The past year, e'er fickle, they shall
change
Their solemn burden for a round of joy.
Chiming the praises of the year new
crowned.
—Edith Thomas.