The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-12-22
For The 4Egis and htelligencer.
CHRISTMAS.


"Ihou minds't me OF depar ted joys,
Deparied-never to return. Burns.
Our forelathers welcomed Christmas
day with glad voices, hospitable hearths,
and assembled around tAem the loved
ones from aIar, to keep this feast of '.peace
aud good will to NM Then The Yule
log was burned; the msleloe was hung :;
the evergreen TONED and the halls of
old England rang with mirth and (esliv
ty. The Pilgrims when they moored
(alas The day y their barks on ''lhe bleak
New. Eng land Shore" were too intent on
burning witches and lorbidding men to kiss
their wives Oh what they termed 0the
Sd66dih,"--t observe with any rover-
ence their Redeemel's birth day. But
those Cavaliers who brought religious
freedom and civil liberty to the shores Of
Maryland and her sister Southern States,
brought with their honorable persons,
hearts that tenderly enshrined the remem-
brance OF the customs and manners OF
their ancestors. 1t is reflection to cloud
the sunshine Of the Christmas of 1865.
that thousands Of the children of those
men, ''who fought the battle of the free"
are now wandering homeless and pennl
| less. Where once stood the ancestral
homestead, now the charred ashes tell the
sad story, that the torch of the incendiary
has been there. liapess aud sad this
Christmas day shall dawn upon the chill
dren Of those who labored so long and so
well, to plant in the New World home
for their descendants, where persecution
aud arbitrary power could not-as they
fallaciously thought-come. o, it is "a
happy reflection, in this connection, to
know there is an eternal home, "where
: The wicked cease from troubling, and
where the weary are at rest -"
The great reiormis,, bent on removing
out OF life all those GASES, which the Gre
ator has designed as places of refrc III
ment, while passing through its wilderness,
may preach, that Christmas day should be
to men as other days. Let those who
love reform, listen 10 his cry. To us,
again comes back the old yet ever new
and wonderful story-"Unto us is born
this day Bethlehem, child who is Christ
the King" To us, again, those heavenly
hosts sound forth their celestial melody
GLORY to God in the highest, and on
earth peace, good will to men," To us
be the high privilege awarded, of assisting
to fulfil lsaiah's prophecy, "The fir tree,
the pine tree, and the box shall come to-
gether TO beautfy the house of His sane
tuary." And you, We children, Let your
voices ring with glee, and esteem Christ
mas the happy day; for your Saviour be-
came child for your sakes, and set you,
in your innocence and faith, above the
reverend in age, saying to His Apostles,
Except we become as one of these. We
cannot enter into the Kingdom of Ilea-
ven."
What thronging memories cluster
around and hallow Christmas Day =
Where is the man who would steep in
Lethc its blessed memories? The day
makes us child once more. ST. Nicho-
las is again the good fairy, who fills our
stockings with sugar plums and our hearts
with joyful satisfaction. In every child
lsh face we see our bye-gone childhood.
Again we seem to hear that voice, which
now makes one amid the multitude of re-
deemed ones who chant the praises of
"tke Lamb of God.o A mothers love has
interviewer itself with all that is pleasant,
all that is hallowed, in Christmas day.
That lamp which was lent me here burns
with additional brightness and purity in
that Happy Land, where the inhabitants
shall no more say, 81 am sick"
Then welcome be the Christmas Day,
and on this day may
-"praver unceasing
And yearly vows ascend
His kingdom still increasing,
Abingdon without end
The tide of time shall never
His covenant remove
His name shall stand forever:
That name to us is Love-
NJ.
TIE WEATHER AND NAVIGATION.-
tn, Erol1 Snop'' IF l,et nook olnsad tbo