To many of us the past year has been full of sad experiences, full of trials and yitissitudes.. Many. of us have seen how perishable are all earthly treasures, how frail mortal strength, how insecure is. the tenure of life. This sadder mood is but natural when we contemplate the fleetness of time; but is it also reasonable?
Has the past year brought us only sótrow, and not also joy? Why strike these minor chords? Why not rather touch the more joyous strains, and the sweeter melodies of life? This is the message of the dying year, this is its parting benediction, "Remember," it says to those who. sigh and groan, "the gifts I have brought not what I have taken away." Yes, gratitude, this should be the first note in the symphony of praise with which to greet the New Year.
Ungrateful is he who, on the threshold of a new Year, can think only of the losses he has sustained and not also remember the moments of victory, the hours of triumph. Does not every day, by the faithful fulfiiment of our duty, bring to us a harvest of peace, the joy of reward? Every earnest work, every best ens deavour, bring in their wake a divine compensation. No victory without battle, no triumph. without sacrifice. Let us remember the Tal-music injunction "It is the duty of mam to thank God for evil tidings as well as for good."
Gratitude is the fragrance that sweetens every adversity; it is the perfume of our happiness. Thanks be to Him who has preserved our lives and the lives of our dear ones, who has surrounded us with His are grave with world-Israel. The heavens are dark with heavy clouds. The waters of tribulation and the fires of fanaticism are threatening our people everywhere. There is but one way to meet the situation—"Hope thou in the Lord." Let these words give power to the spirit, hope to the heart and courage to the soul. Let us not be afraid of difficulties or of differences. The difficulties are a part of life itself, the differences are the test of our loyalty and There is no life that does not have its trials and its struggles. Let no one think that he has been singled out for unusual hardships, or that sofréws are his alone. Let no one feel that God has deserted His world and left it to the buffetings of insensate forces. It is part of the divine wisdom that the muscles of the spirit shall be strengthened by struggle. As the aviator must rise against the wind to soar on high let us so meet the winds of adverse fortühé, that we máy rise on the wings of faith to the heights of a serene courage that knows no faltering.
On this eve of the New Year, let us lay aside our fears and be buoyed up with hope in the Lord.
Israel has always willed to live, not merely fo be an indistinguishtole element in the conglomerate mass of hümahity.—but because the people felt that they were bearers of a frith and a message that was unique and not limited by time or space, Israels prayer, by Thy Commandments our portion in Thy Law" represents at once the reason of their existence and the power of their persistence.
To be sanctified by God's commandments means to seek loving and loyal and conscious identification with the life and fortunes, with the hope and destiny of Israel as a people, along the path of religious observance,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.