The Guardian

THIS is the name of the month that opens the year. We have received the name of this month from the heathen. The Romans, who worshipped many gods, had one among them whom they named JANUS. This god they believed ruled the year, presided over the fortunes of men, declared war and made peace. To him they devoted in great festivity the first day of each year, and the first hour of each day. This was a better service than many, who call themselves Christians, give to Jesus Christ, who is the True God and Eternal Life.

Janus was represented, in their painting and sculpture, as a man with two faces-one looking backward and the other forward-a very significant symbol of the New Year. It is a period of time when we ought to look back into the Past, and forth into the Future-back, in the spirit of humble penitence for our errors, and of lively gratitude for our mercies -forward, in faith on God's guidance, and in hope on His promises.

Janus held in his hands a key and a cane. Neither is this symbol without its solemn teachings. With the key would he forever close up what is past. Its treasures, whether of evil or of good, of weal or of wo, are now beyond reach. "Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed among my treasures." In eternity alone will open the treasures of the Past. The cane is a confession, even of heathenism, that man needs a support as he travels into the Future.

The Guardian would begin the New Year thus. Looking back, it would say: O bless the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever. Looking forward, it would say: Uphold me in my goings, that my feet slide not, and lead me in the way everlasting. Whether the period of time on which we now enter shall bear us on to another New Year, or bear us on to eternity, a wiser and better Being than we are shall decide.

"Sweet to lie passive in His hands,

And know no will but His."

THE EDITOR'S NEW-YEAR WISH.

WE greet our readers with "A Happy New Year." True, this is a custom of heathen origin. On this day, in heathen Rome, the votaries of the double-faced Janus, after having brought to the god round cakes, incense, and wine, presented to one another the simplest articles-to remind each other of the earliest and simplest ages, and no doubt also thus to keep fresh in their memories the danger of falling into habits of luxury and extravagance-such as dates, dry figs, still to be gathered from the wintry trees, honey, and old coins. With these gifts they connected the wish for a happy New Year.

There is, however, after all, some good sense in this pagan custom. There is great propriety in reminding one another, at the opening of the year, that there is safety and peace in simplicity, and danger and misery in extravagance. If all, to whom we are in the habit of wishing a happy New Year, would seek to make it happy by a simple and temperate life the wish wouid be oftener fulfilled.

At the risk of being regarded behind the "glorious nineteenth century," we do not wish our readers French candies to rot their teeth and spoil their stomachs-no canvass-back ducks and all the rare birds on which epicureans glut-not oysters every night at ten o'clock to make them writhe with the night-mare-not the choicest liquors to eat their brains and bloat their bodies-no! no! These things and a happy New Year cannot go together. Hear! hear!-we wish them good bread from a German farm-house bake-oven; yellow butter from the farmer's cows, fowls from the barn-yard, sausages from the smoke-house, milk from the cellar, and water from the fountain. If they have this, and even much less than this, and use it with regularity and reason, it will not be necessary to wish them pure blood, red cheeks, and a fine flow of good spirits.

In dress we do not wish the ladies five hundred dollar shawls, two hundred dollar dress-patterns, one hundred dollar bonnets, or fifty dollar capes. Nor do we desire that the young men shall have twenty dollar beavers, and ten dollar cloths, hundred dollar watches, fifty dollar chains, and rings to suit. Something less will do for the outside. We are more concerned about the "hidden man;" for it is the old philosophy -and we adhere to it-that neither wisdom, nor purity, nor peace, dwells in hats, bonnets, boots or shawls, and not often under the most costly of these. We would rather include in our wish a full head, a good heart and a modest covering of moderate cost.

As to money matters, we are not anxious to wish that they may make great and sudden speculations, as these are very frequently upset, and thus upset those who are engaged in them. Trees of gradual, regular growth, are the most useful, the prettiest, and least likely to break in the storms. We wish our readers a regular business, a steady, honest advance in their worldly condition, the fruit of their own industry and sober habits. These things, with godliness, bring great gain, with peace, and a Happy New Year.

All such as we have designated, east and west, north and south, far

Livros

The Guardian, Volumes 8-9