New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-12-25
THE TRIBUNE.
Christnnas,

ill July. We know not but these four, with the
addition Of ga day set apart for fasting and
prayer" might answer the purposes Of rest and
obligation, as well as a calendar full of saints
days, if they were Observer in better spirit
Ba, Thanksgiving is devoted 10 good dinners !;
Christmas and New Years days 10 making pre-
ssnis and compliments; Fas,-day to playing at
e.cket and other games, and the Fourth of July
10 boasting of the past, rather than to plans how
to de erve its benefits and secure its fruits.
Wo value means of marking time by appoint
ed days, because man, one side Of his nature
50 ardent and aspiring, is on the other SO slippery
and indolent u being, that he needs incessant
admontioDs to redeem the lime. Time flows on
steadily, whether he regards it or not, yet unless
he Keep time there is no music in that flow
The sands drop with inevitable speed, yet each
watts long enough 10 receive, if it be ready, the
Intellectual touch that should turn it to sand of
gold.
Time, says The Grecian iasle, is the parent of
Power; POKER is the father Of Genius and Wis.
dom; Time then IS grandfather of the modest of
the human family, end we must respect the aged
src whom we see on the frontispece of the alma
macs and believe his sythe was mean, to NOW
down harvssts rpeaed for an Immortal USE
Yet tae hest provision made by the mind OF
society. at large, for these admonitions, sson
cs.s lis, efficacy and requires that individual
earn,slness, individual piety should continually
reisform tie most beautiful form. The world
has mover scea arrangements which might more
naturally offer good suggestions than those of
the Church of Rome. The founders of tina.
Church s.ood very near q history radiant at every
page with divine light All their rites and cere-
moniai days illustrate facts Of en universal
interest. But TIE life with which piety, first,
and, afterwa,d, the genius of great artists In
vested these symbols waned ct last, except to a
thoughtful few. Reverence was forgotten in the
multitude of genufexions The rosary became
string Of beads, rather than series of religious
medltatons, ard the glorious company of
saints and martyrs were not regarded as much
the teachers of heavenly truth, as intercessors
to obtain for their voturies the temporal gifts
they cfaved.
Yet We regret that come of tho,o symbols had
not been moro reverenced by Professionals, as the
possible occasion Of good thoughts. And among
others We regret that the day set apart to CON-
memorate the birth of Jesus should have been
stripped, even by those who observe it, OF many
Impressive and touching accessories.
If ever there was an occasion on which the
arts could become all but omnipotent in the SER
vice of holy thought, it is this of the birth OF
the child Jesus. In the palmy days of the Cath
olc religion, they may be said to have wrought
miracles in its behalf, and, in our colder time,
when we rather reflect that light from differ
ent point of view, than transport ourselves into
II; who that has an eye and ear faithful to the
soul is not conscious of inexhaustble benefits
from some of the works by which sublime &C.
niases have expressed their ideas in the adora-
,iors of the Magi and the Shepherds, in the
yirein with the infant jesus, or that work which
exuresses what Chris:endom ct large has not
even begun TO realize, that work which makes US
conscious, as we listen, why the soul OF man
was thought worthy and able to upeear cross
nj sncb dreadful weigh.-the Messiah OF Handel.
Christmas would seem 10 be the day pacu-
Garly sacred to children, and something oil tnis
feeling there shows itself among US, though ra-
tber from German influence, than OF natlVe
growth. the evergreen tres is often reared iof
the children on Christmas evening, and Its
br,pchss clus,c. with little tokens that may, at
hast give them sense that tho world Is ricn,
and that there are some in j. who care TO bless
them. II is charming sight to see 'neir gut
tering eyes, and well worth much trouble IN
preparipq the Christmas tree.
Yet, ON this occasion as OF all others, we cou'u
With TO see pleasure offered them IN form ioSS
selfish than 1t is. When shall we read OF pan
Duets prepared for the halt, the lame and inc
bind On the day that is said to have brought
their friend into the worid7 when WIZ Inc
CHILDREN be taught to ask all the cold ana ragged
little ores. whom they have seen during the Gay
w,stfullv eszing at the displays in the shop VIM
oovs. 70 share the joys Of Christmas eve
". borrow the Christmas tree from Germany
Migbt we but borrow with it that feeling which
ne,yades all their stories about the influence Oh
,bs Christ child. and has, doubt motor the
so;t;, of literature is always, though retned' tne
essence of popular life-pervaded the conoucl 'i
children there.
We vii. mention two OF these as happily OK
pressive of different sides of the desirable chsi-
sc,er. One is legend Of the SAINT hermann
Joseph. The legend runs that TINS SAINT "heh
litue bow, passed daily by niche where was
An ;mace Of The Virgin and Child, and oeiigh'eo
there 10 pay his devotiOns. His hear. was 50
drawn toward the hely child, that one a'y' nav
ing received what seemed to hun gus 1u,y i p
cious-,o wit, a beautiful red and yelo" a p &;
he ,s,,n,sd :, offer it, with his prayer. 10 his
up,ueakable delight, the child put forth lis naha
and took the apple. After that day, never was
gift bestowed upon the little hermann s,as no
net carried to the same place. lie neeu.a :,,;sh