Nebraska advertiser., 1868-12-24
For the Advertiser.
the Christmas Tree and the
sabbath school.

ASoAG u TIC At1c OuuDdbu 0clOOl
scholars very happy-this is beautiful
and the coming scene a merry one
yet with all its beauty and happiness,
I doubt me much If the sweet prOmp-
tings Of charity, or the tender love Of
mercy has much to.do with It. There
Is something wrong here-even in the
Sabbath School. To illustrate 1 will
briefly tell a story:
Not many years have passed since l
visited a Sabbath School Christmas
Tree. How beautifuIitlookedin the soft
glow Of the lamp-Aght, hung with its
costly presents and pretty ornaments.
What q fair sight the sweet faces of
the happy children! Of it was love-
" the world seemed brighter, and for
a while was as happy as the children.
A lady stood by the tree, distributing
the gifts; i'm fact, she seemed a perfect
angel. One by one, the gifts were
given, and 1 noticed that the costkicst
and finest were given TO those whose
dress aud manner betokened them as
belonging to the wealthier class.
There were large wax dolls, China tea
sets, guns, drums and many beautiful
things / cannot enumeate. The par
ents Ofsome Ofthese children were also
amply provided for, but sitting back
a little from the blaze Of the lamp
light, and outside of the happy arena
Of merry faces, / noticed a little boy,
his face was pale and his cheeks thin,
and his garments had the appearance
Of being fashioned Of cast off clothes
his shoes were thin and worn i'm holes
he had no mittens, he looked for
ward with eager wistful eyes, yet sat
back sly and apart from the rest.
Alasl the brand of poverty was writ
ten in every gesture; his gaze was
hopeful and eager, for was he not a
scholar? and had he not a right to
expect something in common with
others, albeit their limbs were more
dainty attired? at last his name was
called; he went up with a trembling
step and bashfulair to receive his pres
ent; and reader, what do you suppose
this Christmas Tree gave to this poor,
needy, expectant boy a good warm
jacket; a new cap; q pair of mittens?
No, none of these, but juulpingjack!
a miserable, WORTHLESS toy. looked
at his face, and it had lost the eager,
hopeful look; and instead, the fair
eyes were moist with tears. Oh!
what q disappointment. He had
learned a severe lesson, and that in
the Sabbath School on Christmas eve.
No one noticed him, or If they did,
they thought 'it was only little John
Jenkins" whose parents Were so very
poor! turned away sadly-my hap
piness was gone. I saw those finely
dressed boys and girls-happy in the
possession of their beautiful gifts, but
felt that the tender hand of charity
was not among those costly presents.
How would this little boys heart have
swelled with pleasure, if, instead of
THAT contemplate toy, this lady had
handed him a pair of new boots, why,
he could have blessed her for all time
to come; it would have made his
heart glad for weeks, months, aye,
years, for the memory of that Christ
mas eve, and its useful presents would
have accompanied him with its pleas
urable feelings through manhood and
old age. But as it was, he felt the
wrong. His young heart was dwarfed
by injustice and neglect. Oh! We
whose every need is ~gratified-forget
not the poor and remember that
their joys are few and their wants
many. Yet, do not think that / would
rob the Christmas Tree of its costly
presents-make it beautiful with all
that is essential to the pleasure of the
children; but forget not to bestow
some useful and comfortable present
as some poor child whose well-worn,
ragged or faded garments bespeak
his need, and bears about him the
brand Of poverty. Are thore not in
your own beloved Sabbath School,
come boys or girls who would hail
with delight, a new pair of boots, a
jacket, a warm cloak, dress, hood or a
pair Of socks? Costly gifts, bestowed
i'm the right direction and in the prop
er manner, are very good, for even the
Master did not rebuke the woman,
who, in the fulness other heart, poured
the alabaster box of ointment on his
head, for when the disciples would
have rebuked her by saying, "Why
this great waste ? We might have sold
this and gave the money to the poor ~
He replied, "Why trouble We the wo-
man, the poor We have always with
you, but me ye have not always"
Therefore, while you load the Chris
mas Tree with its beautiful presents,
forget not to give out of your generous
store, some useful present to some in
your midst who may need the merest
comforts. Hh |
I knoy this little sketch will fall
under the notice of many alady, who,
after year has in her bOuntiful
generosity, helped decorate the Christ
mas Tree. To such / would say,
make it your especial business to find
some little wanderer from the fold,
who has stayed away because his
shoes were thin, or his coat was old.
Provide them with such articles as
hey may need, and you will be amply
repaid. by the happy satisfaction of
lot only having bestowed a present,
put Of having performed a deed of
IT. in one single little instance some
leart is Influenced by this small
then 1 shall not have written
{ in vain. JOSEPHINE.
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