Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-12-30


The Day of days Is tant on which oYr Lord
came 900 "the likeness of sinful no-h 1t was
placed above auother days iu significance Co man
kind, hy Ills birth boz our nature OfH days t
has been the least likoIy to poe forgotten or mis-
lated by his disciples
Nevertheless, we aic told thar "it is indeed oor-
tain that ihc twenu-hlih of December BE- not The
date of Ills hiitl. Alas this I- that broken gate
annually, but never before, We think, So Ieremu-
torly shut d7Nu-but annually washed away. $50
that the mills OF controversy must needs continue
20 grind We might permit the denial 90 stand
II it were mot 'cumiu. but icing Dcrin.n, DO
proyokc- again thc How Of hct- which may tcst
It's certainty
We must hfst however accept She concession
tha; 'lt is as well to hN upon ibis day December
25tln as amy other and attach to it Che sacred as
,ociatons connected with that event and so
risk the morality of a false date for the e'eut'
And this, although "the event a., became It's won
drous character was attended by strange marels
with signs in the GARTH and Ioitents iu the air
with heiaidiug star and angelic hosannasi with
the journey of the m"7t and the agitation Of em-
pies Is 10 possible chat There WAS no tradition
hy the shepherds " % day 20 marked to adoting
disciples and martyrs? Marvellous events are
most apt 10 iasten themselves hy records. monu-
ments, and oial tradition, in the memory Of man
kind It is also admitted that "the event swak-
ems the snumde of the world. and SHOULD De re-
saIded with universal honor How unfortunate
that the world cannot fund out the day on which
To agree iu celebrating it so loss of date bias
been an equal misfortune. If it Doe lost
Nor can Ve assent Go the observance Of the
event 'as family festival rather than as au cc-
clesiasucal holiday lol domestic ica,iiug and
pleasure aic mot mole proper tokens Of gratitude
for such an event than worship Can the reunion
OF tie members of a family De as suitable rem
derns OF honor To the Son Of God as the ASSEM-
Mmg for united worship of the members of Ills
household OF imtl' Are The giving and receiving
oil siits more hitting signs OF de'out homage to
DhHst when "a universal manifestation Of ale
s"h'e shou'd he made than the mutual prayers
ana ie"si""S offerings oil the class Indicated WHOM
lie stretched loiih His hand toward His disciples
ana sHiu' behold my mother and my brethren
III lNe argument Tor the almost universally ne
ceNe' dA'e' IL may be reasonably presumed that
the Nislh M"iher was not hkeiy To forget the day
on Ni"'h Jesus was uolh mat she had hcqu'h'
occasion i' speak OF 10 To wondering inquiIors
anu 'U'' "''' 'N' ASCENSION "N'h inc hundred
ana '""'s names we've assembled WIN the
Ap''u''' 'N'i' was DOT one VINO d'd not kno" thc
on'"-u"y "l Tue "'Ine Master
We learn nom IT, Luke that duiins the reign
Oh ''s"f Augustus Joseph ana Mary went TO
h''N'e"em 10 he uNed' ana 'hat there Jesus was
porn ana we may NeAe'e ihat The appearance OF
inc sI'r l"e "hsehe announcement To the shoP
they
N"u N'"'" "Au '''n' ana inc Nl'it oil t'e easlein
s'ses were la''s wonderfully sufficient to iasten
parchmeuts ON which the taxing. enrolment OF
census was written, preserved among the Roman
archives and confidently relen'd to for the date
ll's. Iu,'ii, M"i'l ! A. y, l10l lel'I' inc I'M
Thero l. a certain lilac in tbo r,nd ~ Ina ,
distant tbiry-flye stadia from Jerusalem in which
Christ Jesus was bonn, as ye can learn from the
slrolments completed under Cyrenius, your first
ProeuIator IN Judea Also Iertullian A. d 700
iyi'iS 10 'Ne 'iiio'men,' "Nl'h 'ne roman ar
na,,,r 9, a ,t,," "''"'s1 Vi ',e i'1iu
ON The eiybtb before tho l,olerd. n Ink, lima o.
but the Lord was born ON the eighth before tbc
kalends OF January, December 25th
other testimony is at hand but the above with
ou' s''o"'ns " ioN' Oh controversy! proves no"
Saa'a, - 49,, w., ~. .','u - '.'''''r'S iol amy
,' "''le1',s' n''.ns '-' "''' an
were not adyocotirr domestic lint e,clos,as,irai
celebrations. But not tin we all come in the
unity Of the faith to celebrate the birth of tn,
Emmanuel viii that event be honored in man
her At All commensurate with It's greatness and
s0''
Tur large farmers of tho West Of ,,h,.e
,,roat gu an ,.,s, or...,;...,. ....1
S''"' '''''' anu ''''' ~ '"'i'"S we useu Il
near occasionally lew years ago are now