Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1875-12-21
HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

The happy season of Christmas moves on
apace. The year has sped as the arrow shot
through the air, and once moro We are on tie
eve of the joyous time which celebrates the
-rSiisir- and song of the angels. Eighteen
hundredsud seventy-Gve years ago the beau
tiful sentiment, Peace on earth and good will
to men" burst upon the ears of the astonished
shepherds of Judea, and all through the
centuries since, as the years have tracked each
other, this glad refrain has been caught up
and rupg out in sweet and joyous symphonies.
Tie golden truth vas coined in Heaven.
AMI impression Of the name and image of him
who was called Jesus, fer she shall save the
people from their sins'-Jesu5 gift of love,
Jesus the Savior of men-IIeayen STOPPING to
earth and bestowing its greatest treasure
Heaven and earth linked and bound to each
other by divinity and humanity in indissoluble
union; these are the bright and blessed facts
which cause the heart of Christendom to
throb with faster beat just now, that light up
every face with gladness, open every hand
and quicken every step; break down selfish
barriers and make 4 universal brotherhood,
bring the rich with their munifceuce to the
homes Of the poor, evoke kind words and
happy greetings all around, fill myriads of
little hearts bEimfali Of happiness and for the
ponce convert our world into a grand cathe>
dral of song and JOY and praise; from all over
which, the Christmas te 9cunas ascend to
Heaven, it's dome. For the time the wheels
of legislation stop, business and work of every
foru suspend, scattered households gather
around the old yule fire, the halls of learning
are vacated, and every where the scenes and
circumstances betoken happy epoch. 1t is
we'll for our world that the occasion with its
beautitudes pays its annual visit; for by it,
men are brought nearer TO each other. the bet>
ter part of our nature shows itself in sweet
amenities and deeds, and earth for the period
dOus the livery of Heaven and reflects its
peace and love. But the picture SO beautiful
in its outlines and details. as to it's earth side
has b!urs and defects Sad it is. that time
of such sacred festivi,y should be proStltuted
to glu.tinous desires and debauched pro
pensities. It is true, there are those who
make it an excuse to pander to the inordiuate
qualification of carnal arPetites and habits, of
unseemly revelsy aud dissipation, thereby
giving to it the character of bacchanalian
orgis; indicating unmistakably the predOm>
nance il themselves Of the animal and sensual
over the spiritual and aesthetic, and demon
s:rsting the fact, that as it has been, so it
is and will be, that uncrsdicated by grace,
ttero is'a base, coarse element in mans nature
THAI repels the beautiful and good, and srav~
itates toward the vicious and bad. Yet.
withal, it is happy Christmas The dear old
time once more, which calls up the sweet
memories Of sunny childhood and blthcsome
youth which ne would not have erased frcn
the calendar. Oh no. We catch afrcsh its
gs6ial spiri. and say, blessings upon the little
folks, blessings upon the older ones, rich
blessings upon the poor, and happy greetings
TO all