Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-12-25
Christmas


tisal, cid Amos, the Flood. 1t may be 30;
but to lis spirit is entirely and truly Chris
tian. Whatever rude and hea,heni,h element
there may have been attached TO it in former
times has worn away with the lapse of years
has Disappeared before the mild aud human spirit
Of later aud better dspensalion. Its charm
consists not alone in the remembrance of childish
joys-in the recollection Of what and
what we hoped, in the good old days of crammed
stockings and utmost faith in Kris, kringle.
Nor can our love and reverence for it be Who'll
ly bounded and defined by the general sentiment
of mir,h and good cheer which characterize the
"Season." There is something deeper and
grayer which underies outward and visible
feeling. Something of the solemn grandeur aud
mystery of olden times penetrates the soul and
gives tone to our emotions. We phrinke, in
some sort. of what men felt and believed in the
dawning twilight of history. Our faith, like onr
feeling, becomes simple, childhkc, conf
dent. We return, as it were, to our better selves.
We see the Babe in the Mungor--its Virgin
Mother is there and the Wise Men Of the Enst
with their gifts Of irankincensc and myrrh; the
Star of Bethlehem shines brightly in the winter
sky; and 10 the shepherds are startled from
their sleep by glorious multitude Of angels-a
celestial choir, who sing
resec earth aud 60 d will omen"
The glad tdngs of that blessed song seem 10
float over and through all iime-through the
wreck of empires-through the long night of
tho Dark Ages--through war, pestilence and
famine, the overthrow of human hopes and hn
man happiness-now dying away to the fnintest
,eho, as died away the purity of the religion it
heralded. anon rising as rose the Reformation,
the restoration of letters, of arts, of libcrty aud
norals-until in our day il rings out clear aud
high and joyful, almost as when the "straln inn
mortal ISSUED first from Angel ps.n
With the solcmnity of these recollecions min
gle Others drawn from the history Of our Aaglo-
Saxon sire. We recall the uproarous festivi
ties Of feudal tmes-the great castle filled with
all that earth air and water could supply; we
can hear the cracking laughter" of the i'm
mensr ''Yule log" as ts flames 70 roaring up
the wide chnney the grooming table with lis
great smoking "liou's Head" and It's Wassnil
Bowl is present TO our eye; the men AT arms, the
pages, the fool with bis cap and bell the mus.
kers, the gleemen the great lords aud fine ladies
seated according to their rank. feustiug and
making merry in their bold, old fashioned why
And that warm tinted picture of the good old
time passes before us, in>cnshy grow sad.
Where now are the brave lords and beautiful
lades,and all who formed those Joyous throngS1
The worm has made his castle in the broad chest
of the bold baron; the dust of centuries lies ON
the form and in the once bright eyes OF the beau
tful lady; the men at arms have hid down their
armour; the songs of the glccmcn ARE silent, and
the sod is green on the grave of the TOOL. Even
the stones of the cnsilc have fallen and the ivy
trails its dark green leaves upon the wall and
along the floor OF the dining hall. The owl aud
the bat make merry there, and its only jewellers
the dancing winds and piping echoes.
SO will it be with us who make feast and are
happy to day. and even will it be with the
houses we have builded and the hopes we hive
cherished. The bright eyes that lure us with
their sparkling welcome and the rosy lips TINT
pledge US merry christmas" will mouder
into dust the strong hand which presses our
own so cordially will wither and it's pressure he
forgotten.
But the day forbds indulgence in such fore
holdings. I he spirit of him whose birth we cele-
brate is the spirit of hope and not OF despair
Beyond all human calamites and beyond death
lasting and perfect as happiness in this life is
evanescent and incomplete. It's enough that we
are happy 1t is enough that friends and
family are gathered around the old familiar
hearth and under the old roof tree. 1t is more
than enough TO know that throughout Christep-
DOM millions of the most enlightened of mankind
are gathered in circles of friendship and kindred,
to renew once more the associations and emo
lions that soften. purify and make glad the soul.
America, England, France, Germany, Italy.
Norway, Russia, Austria, all are celebrating
with us the birth Of Jesus. Let us hope that
this blessed dav. even the blood. stained warriors
in the Crimea have ceased their horrid carnage,
and that during the hours of rest aud refresh
ment, they may remember the song they have
forgotten-'Peace ON earth and good will to
men, Well would it be, if on Christmas eve,
which is the Sabbath, they too like the shep-
herds, might hear the Divine song, and sea the
Angel choir in the sky.
When we gather up all these associations;
when we remember its holy origin; its warm
though rude celebration by our ancestors; the
less boisterous but more rational respect paid to
it in our day, must account Christmas tho
first and best of our holidays. With all rever-
ence and prudent mrth, let it be perpetuated.-
Let it not be reduced to the uses of children
"; let us be children with our children; wise in
our merrimcnt and with a meaning in our joy.
If the smiles of our kindred and friends soften
the heart, the contemplation of the uses Of the
day and the religion which, in its genial humani-
ties. it symbolizes, tends to elevate and enlarge
Il -, 80 nr;t hat opS ton