Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-12-29
Local Matters.
Christmas in Johnson.

Christmas Eve was observed in johnson
with much zest. A stranger passing thro'
on that evening might have mistaken us
for Papal community; Or at least, as
devoted TO some Of the hierarchal orders.
How sure it is that anything intrins;cally
good in one order will, in time fad ia
way into all orders iaboring to improre.
Wo.ld that the reUerSe was true Of things
base and corrupting4
Oar three church ediGccs were brilliant
~ lighted at an early hour of the evening
and, las showing the favor awarded to the
festiyai) in the main audience hall.
Let none say that this shows a riralry
among the churches for popular favor
But, even if did, so long as that rivalry
is opan aud honest, it can only stimulate
TO worthy cnleayor, instead of an evil
enc. This is fairly actualized in the eelc-
bfations among these churches.
| attended at the Congregational house.
Though its pastor had made no effort for
an attendance beyond the announcement
from the pulpit ION the Sabbath before) of
the gathering of the sab5ath-School chill
dren and youth, and of the gift-accom-
panment, yet the slips and gallery showed
fine audience, mainly of children and
youth. To see SO many of the rising gen.
GRAFTON assembled for such purpose, and
enjoy it to the close, as they obviously did,
seemed very hopeful Of the views enter
tanned by these youth of the amusemepts
to be desired.
Toe Pastor, Rev. Mr.. Oxnard, opened
the festival by prayer and some remarks
on the goaa herefrom to be derived. Rec
tations, BY few Of the ehil-
dreas classes, followed, interspersed by
their singing sacred pcices, aided, slightly
BY few bass voices. In this singing there
was an artlossness ana spuntanety COM
pared with which the artistic displays Of
ambitious orehastrss or galleries are very
tame. On one incident in this part of the
programme, | must dwell moment. II
was hymn sung by child, only four
years Of ago. There she stood on seat,
her queenly mother by her side TO supply
the needfu courale; and, except two OF
three slight touches (when inclined to
''fat'') By the mother, those six or more
stanzas were sung with self-posscsson and
'athos II, as some one says, .all the
saows and forms of nature have charms to
feeling hearts," such charms must have
been lively and strong at that moment!
AL these preliminaries over, the SUPER
ntcndont of the Sa5bath-School called at.
tcntion TO the main business of the cven-
ng--the distributing Of the gitls, which
lore ami taste had hung so profusely on
thc well proportional tree. The scene
that followed showed at how small an out
lay, our dear children and youth can be
made happy! Indeed, an old man or an
old woman can 50 enter into the innocent
pleasure, as almost, for the moment, to
forget that he or she is old Would that
the selfish world would take an occasional
lesson from such scene as this What
surprises! What pleasure beamed in each
face, az the person was announced for the
gilt' There was nothing to give pain, eli,
ther then, or in the rctrospection. Ofhow
few pleasures can this be said
Aud then, The vdriety' Why, as our
Superintendent went on with the announce.
ments, il seemed az if there were ..aH
things and other thipgs!" And this face.