Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-12-20
CHRIsTMAs Is COMING!

ecstacy! what dread forepooings' iear
and trembling are wrapt up In the
words!
LISA fearful event, fixing the desti-
MES of many for veal or woe. Its
mighty accents are vibrating-rever-
berating throughout christendom.
Christmas is comingl" shouts the
schoolboy, as he thinks of Santa Claus
and the hanging stockings. Christ
mas is coming |" sadly means the poor
woman on her pallet of straw, and she
thinks of better days when innocence
made her happy. christmas is com
ing!" sings the son of Africa, who,
notwithstanding his freedom, loves the
holiday" still which brings to remem-
brance days when he was well fed and
we'll clothed. Christmas is coming!
bawls the SON of Bacchus, who thinks
of bowls of eggnog, the dance and
scenes of wild revelry. Christmas is
comingl" remarks the christian, while
he thinks of the Babe of Bethlehem,
the angelic choir, and the three wise
men of the east. But alas he scarce
" gets the scenes of the birth fixed in
his mind when thoughts sad in them
selves mar the whole picture.
The day is shamefully perverted
Although we love our Master yet we
have dread forebodings when we know
that the day draweth nigh" We love
to contemplate the scenes of the Sa-
yior's birth, but we think the day as
it is kept by the mass contributes more
10 evil than good. What good man
that looks the matter full in the face
does not shake his head indicating
fearful apprehensions at the mention
of coming Christmas?
Satan, jealous of the honors paid the
Prince of Peace, has perverted the
whole thing until he and his dupes ex-
perience more joy than the true follow
ers of Christ.
True, that is day when a few do
worship God in thanksgiving and
praise, but alas, it is generally devoted
to goddess pleasure and to drunkenness
and revelry. Shall we dismiss the day
and cease to observe it? No; we must
turn the tide into its proper channel.
Christmas, as the word indicates, is
a feast of Christ's NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.,
Christ, and MisSd, feast-and should
be observed on the 18th of December,
as agreed to by all christians. But
how must we kept?
One man will say let us fire guns
and make a great noise. But, we ask,
is Christ a military chieftain? Are
the weapons of his warfare carnal? 1t
will do to celebrate the birthday of a
Washington or of Lee by the firing
of guns and cannon, but not that of
Jesus Christ, Whose kingdom is peace
and Who said to Plate, MY kingdom
is not of this world"
Another will say, let us have music
and dancing. We answer that the
spirit of the day should correspond to
the character of parsonage whose birth
we would celebrate. Is Christ lover
of pleasure? Did He dance? or was
He dancing master? Does He pat
ronize that fascinating exercise that
took off the head of John the Baptist?
Who advocate dancing but those who
are lovers of pleasure more than God2
Will you dance? Then let us beseech
you not to celebrate the birth of Jesus
Herewith. In the name of consist
ency forbear on that occasion.
Others would say let us gather
around bowl of eggnog. What was
Christ drunkard? and does He love
drunkenness? If you will drink and
destroy your mind and health and then
damn your soul, and want to cOmmem-
crate the birth of some important per-
sonage, select one more congenial-Al-
exander, the Great, for instance, who
died in drunken fit, but not that Of
Jesus, Whose life was soberness and
purity. The drinking of wines and
eggnog, etc, on Christmas holidays has
done more TO open the hoodgates of
drunkenness and all sorts of wicked
ness than any other one thing that is
done. Oh, demon of intemperance,
what hast thou not done! What hearts
have been crushed by thy power, and
how many countless millions hast
thou mercilessly impoverished and
ruined
How must we keep it? We answer ::
Let us go to church on that day and
hear a suitable sermon, sing songs of
praise as the angels, and worship as
the wise men. Besides, as the wise
men, let us make presents to the poor,
of gold, frankincense and myrrh.-
Make somebody happy on that day.
If you can afford it and wish, have a
dinner and invite your friends and fill
yourselves with innocent cheerfulness
and rapture, feasting the mind and
heart as we'll as the body. BE sure to
have no drinking strong drink, dane
ing, nor Christmas guns. Be sure,
however, to let Santa Claus come on
Christmas Eve and fill the children's
stockings, or build for them Christ
mas Tree. For Christmas emphatical-
" belongs to the children. Let us
make them happy in an innocent way.
1t should be an occasion of sunshine
and love, forgiveness and peace-mak-
ing, benevolence and christian tender
ness toward the unfortunate, cheerful
ness, joy and worship, thanksgiving and
heartfelt gratitude toward God
In another column will be found the
card of Dick Richardson, to his friends
ON the the South-side and elsewhere.
Dick is moral, estimable fellow, de-
Ssryedly popular, and brim full of en-
o,,. H. ,r;II find full scona for his