Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-12-20
Christmas.


out regard to sectariau difference is com.
ing to celebrate the birth into il Of the
Son Of God History records no similar
event, though the religions Of the world have
not been without their avatars and iucarua.
tons. That event has become tie date ofall
history, and we reckon from it backward aud
forward. 1t was the advent to this earth OF
the sole potential element in its upward move
ment to higher civilization, and to coles.
tal destiny. 1t is not wonderful then, that
christendom should hasten to lay aside its
differences at the cradle Of Him to whom
Eastern Sages offered the tributes Of their
alteration, and whose coming was greeted
with the mighty voices Of the angels For it
was the birth Of the Prince Of Peace, aud FOL.
lowing the leader, whose white plume was
Redeemed with his own blood, as He adyanc.
es far in front Of the front ranks Of human
progress, man will yet come to the dawn OF
that day in which peace shall be on Garth,
and good will to man"
1t is the chidren's day For on this day
" unto US a child was born, aud unto us sen
was given" and child though he was as it
became him to be who should lead man up
to God through all the stages of his being,
he yet came with hands full Of gifts to chill.
dreu, himself being the best gift of all to
them-thc unspeakable gift. The Life ofall
which lives, yet he consented to draw his
own life for while from the earliest foun.
tains Of human susteuance, and taste all the
experiences and trials Of human dependence
In the arms Of his virgin mother his sym.
pathies with human childhood were born, aud
he learned how to appreciate and bestow the
gifts Of infinite love Thus Christmas is
day of gifts. Each gift of parent to child,
or brother to sister, or sister to brother, or
friend to friend, borrows its fragrance from
that wondrous gift Of Himself to our world
All our gifts to each other are drcuched il
his love, and come forth from hearts that are
saturated with the spirit of Him who gave
his life for the sins of the world
When Christ was born, the temple Of Janus
was shut " Nor war nor hostile sound was
heard in all the earth This Christmas, that
temple is also closed Last year, its sacred
prophecies and hopes we're disturbed with the
fire of the needle gun and the honrso roar Of
the mitraileuse. This year, the world pauscs
in its conflicts and the sun Of this divine an
niversary beholds world at peace Only a
few mutterngs of those internal fires of hu.
man passion, which Christ came finally to
quell, are heard. A few boys massacred in
Cuba by helpless government, at the dicta.
ton of military mob few sad Insults
aud rcvenges following lately the track Of
our own civil war; few expositions Of the
rapacity of human greed and the corruption
of official life; few terrible storms and dis.
asters, few omens Of the pestileuce, the dis.
tant football of the cholera, aud the mourniul
records Of oriental famine and misery, tell us
that what is symbolized 10 the beautiful fes
tvities and services of Christmas has not vet
become reality. But other things remind Us
Of the strides which human society is taking
toward the goal of its predicted destiny The
great Ecclesiastical despotism Of the ages has
lost the power Of the sword, and can 20 longer
assert a celestial right in the dispensation Of
temporal authority. The progress Of popular
ideas has been steady and strong, The strong
hold of modern Cesarism has been demolish.
ed, aud constitutional governments are super.
seding the outworn despotsms OF the world.
The individual man has been gaining higher
significance. Corruption, that threatened to
strange the freedom of some Of our large
cities has been revealed aud consumed by the
indignation of the people. Old questions Of
dispute between our own government and
England, have been amicably arranged. Truth
is having wider aud lreer field in its en-.
counters with error The great beneGceni
christian institutions of the world. have
reached larger work than ever, and larger
recompense. The Empire Of Russia and the
Republic of the United States have exchang.
ed tbe warmest ciyiIities The ideas that
underlie the faith which lay in the cradle at
Bethlehem more than eighteen centuries ago.
are having an accelerated march, and men
are learning that the strength Of the nations,
like the strength of the individual man, lie,
alone in righteousness. The world slowly
approaches that final christmas, which all
these foregoing anniversaries precede and
herald, when there shall be none to hurt OF
destroy in all the mountains of God.
We wish our readers, then, Meyrg
Christmas 1t comes amid the SHOWS and
storms Of December. But it warns our
hearts, as with the glow of summer, aud teach.
es us the great lesson of his life whose birth
it celebrates-the remembrance of the poor
The birth into our hearts of kindness aud
mercy to the miserable and the suffering
creates the only absolute certainty of a
MERRY Christmas"