The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1874-12-24
Oar Chri..nas sermon.

Blessed be the man that invented Christmas!
Whether it is really more holy than other days,
is somewhat doubtful; but nevertheless it is a
good day. for everybody enjoys it. The poor are
more likely TO be remembered upon that day
| than others; friends come togrtheri men are
more sociabIe; and even those tight, pinching
fellows, who never entertain liberal thought
or do a liberal act on other days. are affected by
the general contagion, and oren their hearts suf-
fciently to let in little sunshine.
The man who conceived and originated that
beautiful myth, Santa Claus has created more
delightful anticipations, more pleasant memories.
and more substantial happiness, and has been
more of benfactor to mankind, than large
sized cow-lot full priests jangling over sanctii-
cation, foreordinstion, baptism, total depravity,
and immaculate conception.
There is a good deal about Christmas that is
Evolutionary or imaginary. Since the era of
Christ, time has been computed in various ways
by moons, seasons, ETC.; and even the modern
method was changed abOut q hundred and fifty
years ago, setting time ahead about two weeks.
Therefore, through the yarious changes, and in
consideration of the fact that the date of the
event was guessed at in the first place, we must
take good deal for granted, to believe that the
25th day of December, time is now arranged,
was the precise day on which Christ was born.
But there is one fact fully established, and that
nobody dsputes-that Christmas comes but once
year; and everybody is disposed to make the
most of it-sinners as well as Christians.
Who is a Chrsianf Not he who makes long
prayers, compels his wife to chop wood, and al
10 MS his children to grow mp in heathenism. Not
he who sacredly abstains from labor on Christ
mas, and swindles poor mechanic out of the
wages of his labor. Not be who ostentationsly
gives too the poor, and makes it back off of them
an hundred fold By false weights and measures.
Not he who rebukes the young for exuberant
mirth, and then slips through an alley to defile
his neishbor's wife. Not he who indicts a man
for splitting little fre-wood on Sunday, aud the
same day runs a pitchfork into his neghbors
COW, as she reaches over his fence to nip few
blades of corn The rough-spoken honest man is
a Christian, but not the smooth-spoken hypo-
critic.
On Christmas, the poor man can reflect upon
the fact that in thing he is equal to the rich
est man that lives, and that cannot be taken
from him. Every year he grows older, the same
as the rich man, and every year that the one ac-
cumulates adds the same numb.r to the other
If the poor man has patched brecches and rough
hands, the rich man has dyspepsia and gout. If
the rich man can remember when the poor mans
family were in better circumstances, the poor
man can remember when the rich man's family
sold apple-butter by the quart.
Pay your honest debts, especially those due to
persons who cannot afford to lose them. There
is one debt beside the debt Of nature that you
must pay, for it never outlaws. 1t is the debt of
sin and rascality. You may stave it off, and
think it is forgotten, or that the books lest
but when you least think of it, old Retribution,
the collector, will call around, and demand
principal aud interest. We are advised to give
the devil his due, but that Is unnecessary. The
devil attends carefully to collecting his dues,
and never.loses a debt. He has au extensive |
banking house, and takes the body for the debt. |
Would you avoid going to protest in this dread |
full institution Never owe hell!
The mills of God grind slow, but mighty fine |
Justice will be done at last. There is a Court |
higher than the Supreme Court; and after ras-
calls have made their way through Justices,
District, and Supreme Courts, they will find |
themselves reversed at the final Judgment Bar. |
be honest, be just. You may bribe ju
ries, and buy Judges-you cannot buy God!
Take the Chief and pay for it-s2 year, in
advance; postage repaid.