46 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
cases, gives back only a sad array of time misspent—exer¬ 
tions misapplied—disappointed hopes—unavailing cares, and 
empty pleasures. Truly may the world’s course appear to 
have passed among mouldering things. Its joys, where are 
they ? Gone; they perished in the using. Where on its 
onward way is the goodly fabric of its virtuous actions, its 
high resolves, its active charities ? They are not to be 
marked—or only strew our paths with the most unseemly of 
all decay, the works of good design unfinished, or but begun. 
Shall we then arraign the prospects and opportunities of our 
own pilgrimage, or despair of improvement? God forbid. 
A retrospect of the past will convince us that if we have not 
reaped, it is because we failed to appreciate our advantages. 
This truth firmly established—and where can doubt find a 
place?—will both direct and cheer us in the work of improve¬ 
ment. Salutary reflection on former errors, a last look, not 
only to each year, but to each day or hour, will strengthen 
our judgment and purify our practice for the future. From 
the ruins of the past we may thus erect the memorials of a 
virtuous fame, and instead of using the words ‘ A happy new 
year’ as the language of formality and hypocrisy, we may 
give to them their real import and significance—a desire to 
extend the blessings of peace, and joy, and happiness to the 
whole family of man. AYith these sentiments and this feeling 
we wish in all sincerity to our friends and readers 
C( ‘ A Happy New 7 Year. 5 ” 
The past year has been equally big with events as others 
that have passed into eternity. We have seen the eastern 
part of the world shaken to its very centre. There the sword 
has continued to execute its fierce commission, and even now, 
like the mighty surges of a subsiding storm, or the last throes 
of a volcano before its force is fully spent, we hear from time 
to time of the sad devastating effects of ruthless war. May 
we not confidently hope that ere the present year closes, and 
now that Her Gracious Majesty has been proclaimed Queen 
of India, sweet Peace,—as she has done in a neighbouring 
country,—will have swayed her olive branch over this, one of 
