Litchfield enquirer., 1861-12-26
SHORT SERMONS.
 BY A LAYNAN.-No. NINE.
ON CHRISTMAS.

TEXT" Christmas comes bat once e gear, l Anduhen tt comes a brings good cheer. My CHEERFUL HEARERs:-I have selected the above text from the Hymn Book of Dr Watts-his-name, as specially appropriate to be sung and preached upon, on this festive occa sion.
 Perhaps you will think am "a day after the fair'' with my congratulations, but if your Christ mas dinner has affected you as powerfully as ii has me, land see it has,) both before and after, in the head and under the waist-band, you will acknowledge that its fond and swelling recollec tion still hangs about you, and will be prepared to receive the following heel-tap as dessert fo, your better digestion.
 Holidays, my hearers, are an excellent insti. tuition. They are few enough, in all conscience, with us Americans, and they ought, all we have of them to be universally celebrated Thanks. and Governors Fast" comprise about all of them, and as this is the season for the first tLree we are bound to make the most of them, for we know not how soon or how late the last two may come again. Holidays are as necessary to mans health, wealth and prosperity, as periodi- cal play are to school children. If it were not for them, our journey through the year and through life would be as dull and changeless as his scythe. And, my hearers, if there ever was a day when we may properly "eat, drink and be merry it is upon this blessed 25th of De- cember as ever was
 For, my hearers, this is the day of all days in- stituted, if we may say, and say it reverently, by Divine Providence, the anniversary of that day upon the first dawn of which" Glad Tidings" were proclaimed to sin and sorrow -streaked hu- manity, all over the civilized creation.
 Therefore it is am seriously glad you have dressed up this meetin 'us'' in living. jolly green, with boughs of spruce and cedar, and hsmlock, and fir, and garlands of perennial ev- ergreen. take it not an honor to me, your poor, unworthy preacher, who is green enough without these mementoes, but to yourselves, and in festive honor of the day we celebrate. May it live forever
 I see by your closed eyes and open jaws, and detect now and then by sound as if an echo from the vasty deeps in your midst, that you did not forget to celebrate the day with the usual amount of feasting on fat things. That is right, my somnolent hearers. It was sorry day for ducks and geese and turkies and chickens and al other kindred Kinds of poultry, but it was happy day for you, my featherless bipeds. So may it always be So may the wassail-song in- vite merriment in the saddest of your domics on this merrieA. day of the year So may the heart-gladdening bowl be filled to look at, if nothing morel So may the children have free run at the plum-pudding, and cheerful cackle over the bounteous tokens of the good St. Mich olas, from this time, now, and evermore, while the morning and evening stars pipe together.
 The following post-prandial reflections will sum up all 1 have to offer to-day:
 lst. hope you felt yesterday as if your man. ifold sins were forgiven, or if they weren't they ought to be.
 2d trust those who felt too poor to afford roast turkey and champagne, put on their best bib and tucker, and fancied themselves joyous over fried smelts and lager bier.
 Sd. I trust you all left your chimneys open on the night before Christmas, put out your fires, and hung the children's stockings upon the bed. post-and that they were all filled.
 4th. trust you all abstaned from debating discussing, and talking politics, and above all and particularly, from gadding about to other peoples houses with your usual allowance of tat tie and gossip.
 5th. trust you rejoiced as you should in ths " glad tidings" to woe-begone world, ,and gloried in the establishment of "psace on earth and good will to man," with Q sprinkling of love to women.
 And 6thly and lastly, trust you didn't forget a Christmas box for your preacher which, through some fault of the mails or express, hasn't yet come "duly to hand"-or mouth.
 And so, as you don't seem to be able to keep your eyes open any longer, allow me to dismiss you with my blessing, and to wish you,
 One and all, both great and small,
 Old and young, and short and tall,
 Youths that caper, babes that bawl,
 The boys in frocks. the girls with their doll,
 And not forgetting each aged poll.-
 A merry '' Merry Christmas!' !''
 Which is all at present.