The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-12-25
gutelligelltsr.
w Wednesday Morning, Deer. 25.
CHRIsTMAs.


around Bethlehem in Judca an angel appeared
unto shepherds sbiding in the field, keeping "a1ch
over theirqaock by night, and proclaimed ''glad
tidngs of great joy, which shall be TO oil people,,
and multitude of the heavenly host suddenly ap
neared with the angel, saying GLORY to God in the
highest. and on earth peace, good will toward men,
This is the Scriptural account ofthe joyful refrain
that vent forth upon the advent of the Redeemer
!. of mankind. These humble shepherds knew not
the full meaning of the glad tidings proclaimed by
the heavenly messenger, but they evidently appre-
cated the coming of the Messiah, the ons,expected
Ruler Of the Jews. In the broad glare Of the nine
teenth century, when revealed religion has been
accepted by countless millions, and Gospel bless
ings are all around us, it is well TO meekly bow in
alteration of the orucifed Saviour and utter thanks
givipgs of praise to- merciful Jehovah for the in
estimable gift of Gods dear Son to sin stricken
world. S.9The -unsearchable riches Of Christ"
should be the theme engaging every hear, on th's
'sreputed day Of the Savlours birth. His merces
in the past and wide-extended promises for the flu
ture ought TO enlist the thoughts of every one iof
His fallen. creatures ghe old yearis dying away; ;
The cadence Of s footsteps glides noisclessly by
Weare carried back through the dim and silent cor
ridors of Time to days youthful pleasure or man.
hood early years There, in the mysterious halls
: of memory, hang thousand DEAR mournful and
fading pictures, upon which love to gaze. There
too, are some dark aud stern ones, but even these
(: seem mellowed and softened by time into se1Ie-
Thing akin to images of gepllehess and peace. We
Hear the lssspiritua and boly voices of the pass'
and the heart throbs beneath the spell Of memery,
as the ocean tide beneath the inf Of the
I lonely :wanderer Of the sky. The dead rainbow
re.appears like spirit Of Heaven upon the showery
clouds of life, and the dcws of the springs first
:morns: glow in dream-like beauty upon the mean-
choly flowers, Of the Long Ago. The pershed
streams gush anew from arid sands and the brcezes
: harps of the forest-pines. Amid all these memo
ries, the gracious favor of almighty God deserves
sacred remembrance, and His infinite mercy re-
ceiyes the grateful homage Of believing and trust
ing hearts. In prosperity or in adversely in JOY
$and sorrow; in health and in afiiction, and in
whatever can be,ide the wayfarer earths de-
sert.sands the Christian recognizes thepresenee of
y Supreme Being, who: controls and directs the
destinics Of mankind, and allots to every human
creature the good and ills of~life. Let us, then.
on this Christmas morn. we turn to survey the
past, sthinlon these things" and seriously reflect
how much we owe to that Saviour who took upon
himself the form of man, and offered His precious
life as q ransom for our sins Let US remember
that He was ..a man Of SORROWS ond acquainted
with grief and while We are sustained by his d.
vine grace, the storms of this world may howl
around US, hut cannot submerge that Immortality,
which was not born to die. And now that the old
year is nearly sealed UP in the past, and there is
new year jus! before us will all the opportunities
for good, all its hours of communion with Christ
and days to be given to the service of God SO after
death there will be new scene, an immortal ex-
istence,. through which the soul may move in end
less. inconceivable joy, serving God and enjoying
him forever more. In the shadows of that last
hour. when mortal life is ebbing away there is
only One able to sustain the fartins, weary soul,
and vouchaafe an entrance into the blessed land
where years, and days, and hours are all forgotten
and nothing known or felt she fulluess of the
pleasures of eternity.
Z With thoughts like these, and heart fall of
thankfulness for preservation amid fearful scenes,
and blessings uudescrved all along the pathway of
life. we would fain ofTerto our readers.-cach and
every one, in whatever station of life,-the GUS
tomary greetings of the season!
>. nSy- This paper will,not be issued next week.