# The Gate of the Year – A Poem for New Year's Eve
*2014-12-30*

> Bill Young reflects on the historic 1939 New Year’s address by King George VI and shares the inspiring poem “The Gate of the Year,” written by Minnie Louise Haskins in 1908.

## A Historic New Year’s Address

On December 31, 1939, King George VI addressed the nation from two large microphones, dressed in his official uniform as Admiral of the Fleet. Britain had just entered World II, having declared war on Hitler’s Germany after the invasion of Poland. The country was on high alert, fearing bombings and invasion. In his speech, the King acknowledged the uncertainty of the coming year, urging the people to trust that God would guide them, whether peace or continued struggle arrived.

## Scriptural Inspiration

Bill cites Proverbs 29:25: “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” He uses this verse to underscore the King’s message that confidence in God, not fear of circumstance, should sustain us.

## The Gate of the Year

Bill reads the poem that his wife sent him, originally spoken by the King at the end of his 1939 address. The poem, written in 1908 by Minnie Louise Haskins, goes:

“I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,
‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’
He answered, ‘Go into the darkness, and put your hand into the hand of God;
That shall be to you better than light, and safer than any unknown way.’”

These lines offer a simple yet profound invitation to trust God’s guidance, even when the future is unclear.

## Closing Prayer

Bill concludes with a brief prayer, asking God’s blessing on the listeners as they step into the new year.

*When we place our hand in God’s hand, the darkness becomes a safe path forward.*