Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1863-12-24
CHRISTMAS EVE.

Far off in the ancient Orient the same
stars arc shining down upon the sacred
plains of Palestine, and are reflected back
from the dark waves of "deep Galilee,"
that nearly nineteen hundred years ago
shone down on the same plains and the
same dark sea on that Christmas Eve,
when the Chaldean shepherds, abiding in
the fields watching their focks, saw the
Star in the East, and when the "angel of
the Lord came about them, and the glory
of the Lord shonc around them" and
"there was with the angel multitude of
the heavenly host praising God, and say
ing, Glory to God in the highest and on
earth peace. good viii to men," On that
night, evcntful to all mankind, the Man.
Child was born, at the mention of whose
awful name all nations bow in alteration.
The glad tidings sung that night by angel
hosts have through these long centuries
spread from that Galilcan centre, over
sea and over land. to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, to the uttermost
ends of the earth. The Man-Child born
that night, grew to manhood, performed
His mighty mission, and from the bloody
tree on Calvary's Hill the spirit of God the
Savior returned to His throne upon the
right hand Of God the Father, while 4
handful of weeping women incurred
around the mortal remains of the mu:ilat-
ed man, and the rude wooden cross
doomed Srimly upon the summit of the
Place of Skulls. The Cross! How
wonderfully did that scene of blood and
agony OH Calvary's Mount change the
Specification OF, and sanctify forever, the
tree of death. From an instrument of
torture and infamv, it became the symbol
Of the worlds salvation. In after years
when His holy Scpulcher was to be wreSt-
ed from the hand of the infdcl, the
Knight Crusader saw that cross cleaning
in the heavens, surmomted by the legend
in letters of fire "M hoe SjgHo ritees."
He emblazoned the holy emblem on his
banner, and by that sign went forth to
those distant and sanguinary wars,
that enlisted the hearts and arms
of all the chivalry of the then civilized
world. High above all the gorgeous en-
signs Of those Christian kings and noble
knights, floated the Banner of the Cross,
and from that ancient day to this, that
same holy symbol has been the pioneer and
forlorn hope in the campaign of civiliza-
ton against barbarism, and of light and
knowledge against darkness and supcrsti-
ton and error. In every land where civi
lzcd man has planted his footsteps, is seen
the figure of the Cross. From the myriad
lofty domes and glittering spires of grand
cathelralS the simple Cross is the '.silent
finger pointing to the skies" Brilliant
with gold and gems it shines Respondent
over magnificent affairs, and its humble
figure carved in coarseSt wood is the sole
ornament of the hcrmit'S lonely cell.
Emblazoned on the folds ofthe banners Of
mighty nations, it floats in triumph over
fortress and citadel, and is reflected back
in beauty from the pillows of every sea.
1t CLEANS on the sigaet rings of rnitrcd
pontitfs and sceptrcd kings, it is pressed
with fervent hope and earnest prayer, to
the lips of the dying mortal, and sur
mounts the lowly hillock where sleeps the
unnamed and unrcmcmbered dead. Thus
through these long nineteen dead ccntu-
rieS it has been, now is, and ever shall
be, till time shall be no more; until every
nation and kindred and tongue shall ac-
knowledge, and every knee shall bend, at
the mention of the holy name of Him,
upon the anniversary of whose earthly
birth to-morrow's sun will rise-"-A Mer-
~ Christmas" Throughout all Christen-
dom tomorrow will be season Of fes-
tivity AMI joy. In different nations, diff
ferent customs prevail, but in all alike
Christmas is q festival universally OBJ
served. One and all, young and old,
grave and gay, will celebrate the day,
each after his own taste and in his own
manner, and we, as the friend of all, ard
at peace with all men, wi the world at
large, and our readers in particular,
\ MERRY CHRISTMAS