Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-12-25

Chr1stmas and Christmas Duty.
This holy day of the Christian world,
which the old song says <'comes but once
a year" has ever s,een hailed as the time
for family reunions, for mirth, frolic
and good hanor-of extra good dinners,
with turkey, minced pies and other eata-
bles in extra abundance, with those that
can afford them.@ ---- -
Almost coeval with the spread of Chris
tianity, our Savior's birth has been cele-
brated with merry makings. In the olden
time, when English hospitality was pro-
verb, Christmas festivities were looked for
ward to the year round, as the time of. all
times, when everybody was expected to
be happy, and everybody tried to
make his fellow mortals so. The
poor, however much they might
suffer three hundred and sixty. four
days in the year, on that day-the natal
day of the Savior OF the world, when Beth.
lehem's star arose and gave its light te
Eguide7 the wise men of the East to the
manger cradle where the infant lay
that they, might view Him who. even il
infant years, puzzled the wisest by hi,
wisdom, were then made happy by enough
to eat, to drink and to wear. In this tn,
woild has retrograded. The poor now re-
ceive not the attention they did in the day.
of oldr77the family happiness is concentra
ted in those present at the festive board
and in them alone, while the poor ii
the land have no thought, no heap
of coal. no loads of wood, no choice food
sent to them,, that they, too, might feast
keep warm and be happy. Then all rag
ged little stockings, with hungry gaping
mouths, which ST. NICHOLAS was to fill
were never taken down empty, because thu
parents, poor though they might be, wer'
able, througe the Kindness of others, t
put nut or cake or toy therein; but
lin this money grasping age, the poor hay'
no rights to make their little ones happy
unless they can do SO at their own expense
Christmas is thus fast losing its once
distinctive characteristic. Its charity Ii
tpassingaway. The Savior, whose nata
day it OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES born amid Pc
nury and WANT mo rich laces sand fine
baby clothes awaited the birth, but in 9
manger, amid the beasts stabbed there
1.-The mother passed her. sore travail, having
no other root to shelter her in that hour Of
pain and sickness. He who thus first saw
the light of day in that rude stable, is now
the recognized Son of God, and the wor-
ship of those who have no charity in Their
hearts, is believed by those offering up
their Pharisaical prayers, to be an offering
which pleases the Most High. To teach
these, and such as these, to be humble, to
have charity In their hearts for the poor
and the unfortunate. the manger was Sc
lected as the birthplace. Yet the lesson
in these days of cushioned pews and
churches, where the poor must take back
seats in Gods Temple, is lost upon the
masses, upon whom fortune has smiled and
true Christianity is lost. 90 [.5tsle -
The winter before US promises to be 6
hard one. The price Of fuel ranges high
provisions cost money. and, with the poo
who depend upon their daily work fol
their daily bread, money is hard to get
No family in this city so rich, so blessed
with earthly goods, but with five minute1
walk can find some family SO poor. tina
a Christmas gift would be acceptable, ant
make the heart of both giver and receives
glad A pair Of shoes, pair of mittens t
the little ones-cast off clothing, which
fashion has made unfit to wear, yet gooe
,as new to the poor mother-a cast off over
coat for the father, with food to make ou
a good dinner, such as every man, woman
and child throughout the length and breath
OF the land should have on the natal day
of our Savior, will give to them what w
wish to all our readers, MERRY CHRIST
MAS. - Irod. 4iiIaii-au ~ .-a7.ra