Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1876-12-25
+ o D Y.

I.is customary to speak editoriailv
81 oil notable holidays to gather
some fragments Of Information con-
earning them from memory, the cy-
clopcdia, or what not. and weave
them into articlcs, If not entertaining
or instructive, At least apropos.
The festival of the nativity of Chris,
has become through centuries Of mod
ification to have comparatively little
reference to the event upon which it
II founded. 1t j. more Of social or
secular than a religious holiday.
Thoee who doubt the union OF the
celestial with the terrestrial, OF the
immortal with the mortal, in the
bixth Of our Saviour, join - heartily
as any Christian in tue festivities and
celebration of the day. Nor is this
a hindrance to the moral, social and
physical good which the OCCASION
and all the like occasions, bring.
Il Is not known exactly wneiher
Christ was born ON the 25th OF De-
cember a- not. In all that month
the hight of the rainy season prevails
in Judea, and the shepherds ~oald
scarcely be abroad attending their
faocks at such time, But that Is a
ANAL point. The celebration OF the
dsy j. an acknowledgment of the faith
of the Caris,ian Religion, and would
have Just the same force II performed
in any other portion of the year.
The chief benefit OF Christmas as "A
holiday lies in the reunions of fam
lilies and friends, the siaddening OF
Youthful hearts, and Older ones as
well, with presents, and the general
enyeadering of good feeling. la
this busy country and this busy aye
there is too little time given to enjoy
ment and too little heed of the duty
Of contributing To others happiness
when occasion shall present itself.
We are eminen,ly mercenary, mon-
ey getting people, who often excuse
ourselves from clcvating, wholesome
enjoyment, FIR want of time. la this
matter We might draw a profitable
lesson from some of our foreign
friends-the Germans, for instance,
who are never so absorbed with the
Affairs of life a. not to be able 10 de-
vote An occasional period 10 vivifyiag
social pleasures. 1t Is therefore be-
cause we have so few holidays tina,
those that come round in the course
of the calendar and are 50 generally
recognized as to become of national
observance are worthy of all the zcst
and liberal appreciation tina, can be
bestowed on them.
There will be mere light hearts to-
day throughout the Christian portion
Of the world than there has been on
Any one day for jest n year. Hence
Christmas is the chief holiday among
men. Any occasion that produce:
gladness ip SO large an area Is worth ,
of any origin and should be perpe,u
ased through ali time. Let US remem
Der, then, that it is by each contri
buting toward the Others happiness
and not remaining passive and await
ing subjective realization OF the char
acteristics of the day, that the grea
sum.of the good feeling is secured
and the festival fully sanctitied
Those whom We know 10 he in nee,
should above all not be over
looked. A responsibility common
ssra,e with the SUN of the happines
rests upon Ms, and is distributed il
proportion to our means and posi-
biiities. Let US see that the respon
sibility il fully discharged, aud tina
we produce in others AS much of 10,
n We from oil sources receive our
sclves.