The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-12-23
CHRISTMAS.

The anniversary of another Christmas is near
at hand With what lively feelings of pleasure
and delight do al Christian nations hail the an
nuai return of this day, made memorable by the
birth of the Saviour of the world, and which has
for nearly two thousand years been observed as
a day of festival by the Christian Church, in
memory of the nativity of the Redeemer. AS to
the antiquity of this festival says an eminent au-
thor, the first footsteps we find of it are in the
second century, about the time of the emperor
Commodus. The decretal epistles, indeed, carry
II up a little higher, and say that Teesphorus,
who lived in the reign of Antoninus Plus or
dered divine service TO be celebrated, and an an
gelical hymn to be sung, the night before the ma
tivity of our Saviour. However, that it was
kept before the time of Constantine, we have a
melancholy proof, for whilst the prosecutions
ragged under Diocletian, who then kept his court
at Nicomeda, that prince, among other acts of
cruelty, finding that multiudes of Christians as
sembled together to celebrate Christs nativity
commanded the church-doors, where they were
met to be shut, and fire put to it, which, in q
short time, reduced them and it to ashes.
Eighteen hundred and sixty-four years have
passed, since the same stars which will look out
upon the world tomorrow night, witnessed on the
plains of Judea the astonishment with which the
watching shepherds received the annunciation of
the Heavenly messenger of good tidings of great
joy" 'tor unto you is born this day in the city
Of David Saviour, which is Christ the Lord"
Though the soul has been made joyous by the
remembrance of the atoning blood of Saviour,
yet to us the joys and pleasures attendant upon
each return of Christmas is in some degree sad
dened by the recollections of the distracted con-
dition of our country. But may we not hope,
that on the next return of the Sayiours natal
morn, che angel voice which nearly twenty centu-
ries ago AROUSED the shepherds of the Holy Land,
may again be heard, as on that memorable day,
proclaiming to a peaceful and contented world,
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men?''
1t is not to the Christian alone that the ad-
vent of this d,y brings joy and gladncss; but
the grave, the gay, the old and young alike hail
with emotions Of delight and satisfaction the
yearly return Of this festive season. What hopes
swell the bosom Of childhood, as at each Christ
mas eve the little one hangs his or her stocking
beside the fireplace, there to await the coming of
Santa Claus; with what eager anxiety is the
couch vacated at early dawn, TO examine the
gifts of the bounteous patron of childhood, and
with what pleasure and hurried motion does the
recipient trip away with the well filled stocking,
to exhibit to all who desire to see the generosity
of the good old Saint, who on that night left his
far-of home in the north star, to gladden. the
hearts of his little friends.
This theme is repate with marvellous interest
and yet we enjoy the millions of blessings with
which We are surrounded, with scarcely thought
OF the source from whence they come. Let those
who on this occasion are surrounded with an
abundance of the good things of this world, in
their eagerness and anxiety TO enjoy themselves
and render happy their immediate friends, not for
get that the naked need raiment, and the hungry
whereWith to sustain life, and that there are hun
dreds of thousands, on this very day of general
festival, that misfortune has driven forth to seek
from the cold charities of the world the means of
scanty subsistence. Let us hope and believe
that the radiant light of the next Christmas morn
will beam upon all hearts with the keen reality
OF n Saviour born,' and that the lamp of be-
nevo'ence will be carried into many of the dark
and cherries abodes, where the sunlight of
bounty has never entered.