The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-12-25

~ tuClu Iuu htaUle IN BeLhlehem was but
o stable unlllumipated by the radiance Of
q Divine glory. The Messiah who walked
and talked with the common people: who
supped with Martha and Mary az an
elder brother with two loving sisters, was
no Messiah such as they were willing TO
accept That very humanity and bene.
hcence which linked Him to, and enabled
Him to appreciate and forgive tho weak
ness OF mere nlortals, was 10 them
evidencn Of assumption, Of wicked bias
phemy However We may regard the
Saviour OF other times, on this day
We turn 10 His character as the
model Of, and incentive to, all
kindness, charity, innocent 80.
clality, and that sensibility which seeks
occasion 10 make others happy. On tho
cross lie remembered His mother, com.
mending her to the care Of John. At the
grave Of Lazarus, He responded 10 the
deepest sympsthles Of the human heart,
aud answered by miracle the despair.
Ing tears OF the discOnsolate woman; at
the marriage feast Of Cana, He mingled
IN the festivities Of the joyful occasion,
and again exhibited His affection for man.
kind by turning the water into wine.
Whatever Is charming In friendship, en-
dearing in the family relation, attractive
In daily life, hath touched His heart, re-
ceived His approval, been spirituAlized
by His teachings and example. Through
the ages the influence OF His spirit has
come down to US, ever making melodlouS
our lives and true our acts Just In pro-
portion as we have accepted and carried
out the eternal principles He expOunded
and enforced.
He came-and the darkness Of Pagan
ism began to gllmmer in the sunlight Of
truth; superstition, with all its grossness,
shrank from the clear doctrines and pure
walk OF tho Nazarene. Jewish caste and
hooking despotlSm, wrlthing for while
In death struggles, dated from hia advent
their overthrow. Henceforlh, tho ideal
toward which all tend, however blindly
and haltingly, Is that Golden Rule, which
In it's last and brightest eftlorescence is
to work out and exhibit the oneness Of
mankind In real life, rs now in doctrine
and hope. The star OF Bethlehem, glori-
Gus ~ promise, Is az last 70 lIghten and
gLotlly anu satlsly the world. LOOK upon
ragan home, anu then upon tne christian
n nISi, anu M!enpt 70 compute our civil
the midst Of blessings, till We are utterly
insensible oil their greatness, and the
source from which they flow. We speak
VI o., oul cI'llLlHt!on, our srtSI our freedom,
c our laws anu lofset enurely now large a
S STt u a'i Is que 70 OhrStlSnity'"
mnas mas almost annlnllateo slavery
IGF9ugnout Lae esrtn, Dlot1eu out !ne IDEA
VI ulElnc lIguI u KlnSs; ennoDled wo'
Llan' maTe inc NATIONS aimoners OF ma:
H SSns Inc pFecep1s anu INC spirit oil
OI5isL, :.
wen II Is, therefore, tnat we supple
ment tne StsVer tnoughts, tne more
sPec4aiy lelIglous uutleS VI tneuay, WIN
w !nno zen caegtI9Insss, q Drawing closer
oL !ne .les y. OF klnu[eu' 2 Joyous partlcl-
pauon n tne eengntS OF youtn, q grace
Iul anu neatty unpenuing from tne ordl-
nary ca[ss o. NE Sna GENIAL o9tpouring,
o. me aueclons. inns IS, naeed, me DAY
l3 10 Des.owing ann, ioE alst[iDutlng tokens
ing Of family sympathles, Tor that sponta.
neous goodwill, and that loving our
neighbor as ourself which, being'a fore
taste Of, may and ought to be made the
title TO, the heavenly and eternal bliss, as
the flight OF birds and the shadowy yet
lovely coast'linc, testify to the weary
mariner his approach to the wishcd-ior
reposc and security OF his destined haven.
Our sweetest poet has taught us-if in.
deed We could practice what We learn
that borrowing is no shame, II we refine
tho ore taken, or, on the other hand, make
1t more substantial. In word, if we i'm.
prove tho idea or language, we arc as
truly original as he who struck out the
first thought. Now 1t will be as well for
US who are getting within telegraphic
communication Of the "sere and yellow
Leaf" TO go back in thought and feeling
10 the happy hopetulness of childhood, as
it will be beneficial to the youngsters II
We can impart to them q trifle of that
cauttousness' which experience has i'm
posed upon US. In oil sincerity would
we say on this Christmas morning.
"Roll backward, roll backwask Oh time in thy
flight:
ana mako me- q cnla again. just Tor tonight"
Yes, child IL exuberance OF spirits; in
me lnnocency OF thought; IN the trust-
iulness OF tho heart; in the outgoing be-
nevolence which embraced oil who were
miserable For once in year let US be
Chrlst.llke, and say TO all. 50 and sin no
more, TOR, as we implore forgiveness, so
40 we lorgetSnd forgive az that we have
regteuea or Deen wounded by IN the past.
Not yet' aIler nearly nineteen hundred
years OF exegesis, DO men understand The