, 1863-12-24
CHRISTMAS.
Its AssociasionS--Festi
E1ouh Oh4ervRQcc&-The Old and Now,

Christmas IL upon rs, glorious old Christmas.
merry Christmas, coming at \ soason Of tho yesr
when the outer world is bleak and droar, when M
tu1e wears an aspect Of utter checr1essness and
animation is suspended in the vegetable domain.
How IL it that tho day Ia Of fsstivity aid re-
joacane, TINT the old feel Joung again, and the
blood Of the youthful pulsates With Increased ID
p1dityf It fs dih3cult pcthaps impossible to te1.
We cannot name cause whlcA shall BE- adequate
to produce tho full efan Of Joy which
now rrlgns universal Tho religious IN.
cent,yo IL doubt1eety tho. primary. and
by far tho most potent, but there arc many
variations Of feeling which arc distinct therefrom
md u1t1aceable to 1t. But tho fact 10 there, We
accept It, The epoch comcH like poriect oasis In
tho midst Of the desert waste Of winter; the bowl
tnc blast, which at other tinos produce feeling
Of depression and gloom, now only heightons tho
hilarious feeling. It Is period when all agree to
be happy. and each ono docs something towards
securing the happincss Of bis fellows. ETon the
ycr1cst churl has now smile for the little
they cluster around the Christmas tree and mako
the uir ring with their shouts Of glee The man
who 1t 4ll other times ia close, penurious, now
releases his purse strings and eKpends somcthiag
for Uncle Claus. Presents dy round, and all goes
1c1ily ns sleigh bell Of which article there are
not few made to chee1fully Jingle a. the slelgh
bounds lightly, awIftly over the enow.
Christmas Ia everywhere time OF enjoyment,
Int nowhere 70 much as in America The church.
es arc 1t is ruc opened in the minority Of cases,
but With the great mauy no special obligation IL
recognized and Christmas is time when parties
are formed, reunions effected. vlslts made, and
presents sent to friends II tokens Of remembrance.
And VIC hare grown past that phase OF celebration
which even now In Europe fingers on the confines
II the zuperetitious. Yet, VIC here, perhaps lost
eornewhat In the sentimental Look, for tns.ance,
at the yulc log blazing On the heath, the asme Of
which was Of old scanned inteutly by young men
and naidcns for revelations Of the lovers identity.
So, too, the carol has not taken up place among
ua The custom handed down from time tmne-
mortal Of ushering tn the day by midnight songs
and ringing Of bells is still in vogue In Europe,
and from tae old towers of Western England We
nav eycn ret near peAled forth. ut the solemn
hoEr Of twelve the tuneto which are set the Wor3s:
"christians awako; salute the happy norn."
But we have here what Ia more practical, II less
poeiica We cater rather to juvenility than follow
tool IN cap and belfs, is installed Lord ef Mis.
fspsees she mi andel ~1o:s
boagh tho stolen Ess was snatchcd ga Aatnu.
This evening the game conmGneca. needs no
have n3i our re- e1a+ca r. M fbat
Is proper to be done tonight! Familiar In their
mouths as household words are all the minu1H oi
the It r Of g. r. Clans and @ o. thc progsaam,m3e o.
fos thcir especial delegation. have been pecrsd
into and their contents scanned DER and Ger. till
crcry little detail is recitabo by heart. And b.
the oyerEToWn babies the story is sti1l bette1
couned. The dealers know II well: clss wha!
mean those heaps Of what Mr. Potiphar called
.sar;jcics OF b;gory and rirtue.'' so temptingl,
| displayed in the windowst All, al1 tell But iht
one tale and universal Eifts.'
Only one hint Is really needed, and that s. re
1uipder. Among I'll this feetiyity let ia not forge
the poor, cspecia1ly the widow and the orphan
OF t6c wives ard children OF those who are nov
battling for ue in the field. Doubly blessed Is b
ance thice happy will be be when the cheerin,
| words arc nronounccd, +.Inasmuch Is We hav
icne It nnto nne or fhe least Of these ittle ouas
70 have done It uuto me.
The following services and social gathering
rnnr,nv mt1 ~ Ae4"' ft11"1' 0A@@~AS' ~.
The Episcopal Churches throughout the city vii
hs,fnsst Il, n'e1ock and the cdi1ce4 vii be deco
air rasrd With eyerefeens-
r. he HIehcnse Cf,nreh. located on the corner
Wnshinstan In apd Peoria st,eets he service vii b
conducted 1,y the Right Rev. d. j. Whieehonse