The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-25
PORTAGE SENTINEL.
LOCAL AND PERsoNAL.


Wk WISH YOU MERRY CHRisTMAs.--Tc
day is Christmas. It's return is hailed with
joyous welcome BY thousands and tens oi
thousands in every part of the civilized world
In our childhood, we looked forward to the
Christmas holidays as a bright spot, and
when they came, our heart danced with Joy
A few years may have changed us little,
but we hope the time may neVer come when
we cease 10 desire the return, or love to en-
joy the pleasures of "Merry Chrisluas.''
The more widely the holidays are observ.
ed, the better for the world. Men may moi
csin Us much money by spending day now
HRd then in relaxation and enjoyment, as
they would to toll on through the three hun.
dred and sixty.five days in the year, without
rest; but they will enjoy more, and live Ion.
ger and better lives. Yes, we like the holi.
days. The great busy world fcrgets lit
tie of its care, then. Families and friends
gather together around the old hearth stone.
Sorrow is forgotten; grief is laid aside and q
Genial and happy influence reigns in the
hearts and homes Of the land. Christmas
may well be set apart as day Of general
Joy, and celebrated with becoming customs
and ceremonies. 1t is the anniversary of
the brightest and holiest day the world ever
cav. Eighteen hundred and f1y.sx years
hso to-day, OUR SAVIOUR was born! Though
his childhood cradle was q manger, yet he
was the Redeemcr OF the world, and from
that hour to this, tho light Of Christianity
has beamed upon mankind. Itwa and is
the "suIrshine of the earth," and under its
genial influence, the degraded of all nations
and lands rise up and assume their true po.
sition os rational and immortal beings.
Consecrate. then, and enjoy this glorious
anniversary. Not with long faces and hy-
pocritical prayers, but with happy hearts as
though you loved existence, and loved and
honored the high and holy one who endowed
you with life! Goodness does not consist
in solemn forms and pharisacal exhorta.
tions. Cheerfulness is essential to christi.
aniiy. Are you rich! Be thuuktul for the
prosperity with which you have been favor
ed. Give Of your substance to those who
are in need Of bread or shelter. Let the
day be marked by acts Of genuine kindness.
Are you poor, Trust in him who rewards
men on the grouRe Of merit, and not accord.
ing to the multitude of their houses. See
to it that the garniture of the soul is rich and
inlaid with jewels, though the wind creeps
through the walls Of your frai dwelling, and
the furniture of your rooms be plain and poor.
An honest heart, firm determination to do
right, and the consciousness of having done
your duty and your whole duty--will bring
peace to your homes and jny to your hearts.
Be happy oday and resolve to be happy
in future. Reader, merry Christmas TO
you.
You've News LYcEUM OF RAvENNA.-
We take pleasure in noticing the fact that
the young men Of Ravenna, have established
a Lyceum which bids fair to be n success
ful and highly credtoble enterprise. The
object Of the association is two fold. First,
TO improve it's members in public speaking
'and debate, and secondly, TO secure a series
of we'll written and practical lectures before
the citizens of Ravenna for the winter
The arrangements Cor the lectures have not
been fully completed, but enough has been
done to warrant US in the belief that the at.
tempt to secure them will be fully success.
ful.
The Executive Comnittce Of the Lyccum,
whose duty it wss to take the matter into
consideration and report in regard thereto,
mas enteIel upen his labors and thus far,
everything is highly suspicious. II is Gus
tomary for literary societies TO secure the
services Of gentlemen abroad eminent for
their ability ard learning. This necessarily
imposes tax upon the community where
the lecture is delivered, which is collected
by an ndmitance fee at the door, thereby
necessarily excluding the very portion OF
community who should be most benefited
by lecture; or the burthen is imposed up-
on few individuals and is greater than they
can bear.
This system was tried last winter in Ra.
VIENNA and resulted in complete failure
Sometimes the people were disappointed by
the nom arrival of lecturers and in case we
were so fortunate as to secure their actual at.
tendance, the limited audience and empty
seats bore evidence that but small portion
OF the citizens were benefited thereby.
In view OF these facts the Committee ore
of the opinion, that it is better to rely almost
entirely upon persons living in Ravenna or
its vicinity: lst. Because there is less liza
bility of failure from the non.appearance of
the lecturer. I'd. Because it is less expcn-
sve, most of the lecturers making gratuit.
Gus offering of their services. Sd. Because
by so doing larger audiences can be secured,
and the benefits derived, more widely diffused.
4th. Because it develops home talent, aiding
not only the heares btrt the speaker, which
after all, is one Of the primary objects of the
association.