The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-12-30

Hush dc YOU hear the silyery chime
There is babe born-a babe born to humanity and to
you.
Oh! human wanderer, lost amid the sorrows and
the miserable 1nsfortunes which affect al The descend
ants Of disaster and Of time there yet some eonsoa
ton left to you, and to yours,
Hear the musical peals seize the joyous and the life
impartiDg strains -
What though troubles and trials BY the cosnomen
OF Legion NAV have hitherto assaulted your wearied
footsteps there is salvation yet for Israel there is
panacea; there is rest, Thou Wretehed being! Thou
hast suffered since the last year upon thy wearled
brow, all the wrahs of the seven vials OF heaven
but God watchcth today, over His beloved Possibly
no land has suffered under the heels of the con-
queror gricyon-lY than has the gloomy South,
but patience brings at Iastits rcward-and there
is rest for the weary. Persecution rrs at last ct Its
own vocation Affection fails at last because OF the
patience Of its victims Therefore, let endure
the evils that have, knowing that the dawn cometh
that the day Wight will finally break upon dark
ened vision. There will yet coHc in the second heay
ems and the second earth of perceptions,
some aidance of irresistible beauty which will charm
the inaginatons Of all alike; of the prosperous and
the vanquisbed; O. the subdued and the conquered!
Let us nerve and prepare afflicted hearts for
all things While on the one land steel ourselves
for the advent Of pcnrtr, with her train oil horrId
evils, on the other, let us wrcathe May-bon smile
for the sweet ZEE of prosperity peace !
" Peace on earth and good will to men," the motto
of our Earthly, az well as Of Heavenly Ruler.
Therefore We have now good cause to indulge i'll
dreams Of pruning hooks aid harmless pow-sIares,
:, iny.a Hem
Bt we may all say of that sweet Christ whose anoued
smiles have been above earliest infancy, Thou
art the brilliant naY-Star of orr DiynrSt Iinne-
Thou art our God Unlike that Of earthly poten-
ates, His is word without yariablcncss Or shadow
of turning
Let States or let Governments go as they may, we
may still have Christ the i,nc offspring of this go-
rious day, on which Oh" Departing sous may n;Ii-
city rely Speak, think write as you may, Christ
is yet the Day Star the Pole Star of the faith, Of the
hope Of Christianity.
Fling off the dusty weeds of toll and industry, thou
wor1d-worn artisan! turn, thou wrvtched accouulnt
from all the rcaSuTcIess pursuits of hast" and look
upon Him, whom to know is Life indeed! Oh We time
servers ye miserable tricksters Of worthless g,nds,
Christ-Christ is indeed all yc can ever know. Life
narrows itself into this great truth: lEowsoever
We may l;ve We can never die without Him!
Therefore, this pcarly this golden, this unrvaled
day. let rear altar OF thanks unto Him who gave
himself Internationally for us-Nlo is priceless
crown and our inestmable salvation.
Let the past year glide as it has; let the forthcom-
ing glide it will but to-day, this beautiful, sun
arched Christmas, let invisible fuucs of
WORSHIP, nutO Him INTO Christ without SPOT and
without hlcniSh for there is nangh else desirable left
upon this sorrow-Ftaincd earth. God-rmmcd and
translucent shines the open arch Of heaven; see to
that thy spirit frames to Him temple foil as pure and
fair.