The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1860-12-27
christmas
ustonetfousa eigllt hundred

Just onetifousand eight Hundred
and sixty years ago last Tuesday,
one of the greatest events to the
whole human family took place
the birth, in the cityof Bethlehem
ofthc Son of God, the Savior Of
the world. And, although we arc
neither a preacher nor the son Of d
preacher, we deem the present q
proper occasion, to preach, in our
own unpublished yet honest way,
the origin and object of the COM
mcmoration ofthe day. %A'h
Let us follow the shepherds, who
after receiving the ''glad tidlngsr
from angel lips that a babe was
born who should be hailed as the
"Prince of Peace" left their "aocks
by night" upon the plains of Beth
lehem and proceeded to the spot
"wherc the infant Redeemer was
laid" They found the babe-not
in palace surrounded by the great
ness and glitter of earth, but in a
manger, where cattle were wont to
fecd-and fell down and worshiped
him, while heaven and earth were
vocal with angelic voices, saying,
"Glory be to God in the highest
and on earth peace and good will
toward all men :"
The "babe of Bethlehem" grew
up to mans estate, "a man of sor-
row and acquainted with grief
not caused by any agency of his
own, but that the "sins of the peo-
pie were laid upon him." and he
grieved on account of their wick
edness. Gle went about doing
good"-hcaling the sick, opening
the eyes of the blind, causing the
"lamc to leap for joy" raising the
dead, pouring the oil of consolation
into the wounded heart, and above
all, opening the portals to the skies.
"lIc spakc as never man spakc."-
The wisdom of God, rs he was,
'made manifest in the hesh," flow
ed from his lips and convinced the
honest heart that he was verify the
Son of God.
But the Jews spurncd the free
gift Of Heaven. Instead of max
ing Himself common among men,
thereby teaching them that the
road to salvation lay through the
vale ofhumanity-thcy believed he
would come in great splendor, sur
rounded with all the glittering
paraphernalia of earthly power,
and preach an exclusive salvation
for them. They rejected him and
his counsels; bribed Judas to be-
tray him brought him to a mock
trial, and condemned him to die up
on the cross, without the shadow of
proof of wrong against him, and
for no other reason than than ale
went about doing good" lie suf-
fered the death to which lie was so
mercilessly and unjustly condemn
cd; all nature stood aghast; the
sun was yelled in blood; the rocks
were rent in twain, and the earth
quaked to its very centrc-all bear
ing witness and t~estifying to the
truth that the Jews had crucifed
the Son of God! In conformity to
the will of his Father lie finished
his mission on earth by opening up
the way to heaven and making sal
walton possible to all-not only to
the Gcntilcs. but even to the seed
Of those who crucifcd him.
The future and final destiny of
the world hangs upon the event for
which the 25th day of December,
as it rolls its annual round, is COM
memorated. 1t is a holy day, and
should be observed in an orderly,
Clristian-like manner, and not in
scenes of drunken revclry. The
heart should be brought to contem-
plate the birth Of Christ and feel
thankful that he has been offered
and accepted as a Precipitation for
the sins of the whole world.
ROLL OF HONOR.