Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-28
christt,aas At tho Chdfehss.

Chrlstnaas At tho Chdfehes.
The Baptist people convened their Sun.
day School Oil Monday, evening; having
prepared for the members beautiful
Christmas Tree, which was hung with
miscellaneous gifts. Under the influence
ola bright light the articles we're magni:
fed and made to reflect a brillianty which
was truly delightful. Alter appropriate
services commemorative Of the birth Of
Christ, and illustrative of his mission, a
chosen Committee began the work of dis.
tributing, and soon each member Of the
school was in ccstacies of deligh over the
gifts which, had been bestowed upon them
1t is seldom that one witnesses scene in
which happiness exists without ALLOW, but
VIC think perfection Of bliss is very nearly
attained when these Christmas exercises
reach the point at which tspcc:a,ic,
mctges into actual reality, and the covcted
presents are grasped in tire hands Of the
eager children. Surely their thoughts ate
wholly engrossed with what has been re-
celyc;l, while men and woman tor tie
time being bury the troubles Of life in the
sea Of happiness that smiles placilly all
around them.
The Congregational people had their
Christmas on tho same evening. A fine
rec, about eighteen feet in hight, a g,ft
rom A. V. Ellis, ESQ.,, was beautifully
decorated. Feeling that the value Of
gift docs not depend upon its cost, the
church thought it just as well occasion
ally to symbolic God's great gift by u
simple and uniform Testimonial, hence in
stead If a variety, rs has been their, Gus.
tom, they gave each pupil the same kind
|ofprescnt, viz: popcorn, candy and apples
Preliminary to the distribution, there was
q rehearsal Of the prophecies concerning
Christ's comming, and Of tho Gospel re:
lating to his birth, mission, death and res:
direction, ais" appropriate remarks by
Superintendent Page and by the Rev. Mr..
Wright the Pastor. Apples were dis
tributed to the entire audience and eaten
without disobvdience and without
fear Of consequences. The choir added
very much TO the general enjoyment by
rendering some the soulstirring Christ
mas hymns, which arc found in such
abundance In our collections Of music
The annual recurrence of these Christmas
festivals and the services to which they
give rise, do much toward shaping the
character of the future men and w0meu
upon whom will soon dcvolve the main
,ainance Of our civil institutions and thu
defense If the Christian religion agaln>
the hcresics Of modern inidelity.
The Scandinavian people had Christ
mas tree at their church last Sabbath
evening, and very fine one it was too
II was laden with gifts, not specially rich
nor costly, but neat and useful. Thci
house was rs tull as it could be, and thu
feeling was most excellent The cliildrc.
were in high giee. 1t was really pleas
ure to sec them receive their presents. l
is ut such times that one realizes the rea
blcsscdness Of giving. 1t is The teclin:
which is inspired and not the gift i'sel
. that constitutes the excellence of beEcvol
cnce, and judgia: from that, the work O
these people in providing the entertain
. mcnt last Sunday night, WAS highly valu
able. 1t is not generally known tha
nearly one quarter Of our population is q
Scandinavian O., igin, but such is the Cast
If one would realize the character, the il
tell gencc and the po,scr Of these people
he should see them gather on some h"l
, day occasion and witness their dc.nons,r;
;, tions. They have feelings rs intense
+ tastes as we'll cultivated, minds as we
, developed. and c.laractcras ir;crrMchab!
! AS any oil.cr class ofci,izens, and they Co:
/ >litutc al clcmcn. OF power and resi- ect'
+ bili'y 10. less importan, than any f., nj i
), the native American population. H.
t. true that they seek, to some extent, to- pc
+ pepuate their own customs an.l their NV
: languagc-,l,cy Go this oct Of respect I
i the land IF their bir,h--but they are {;
$ truly loyal to the government, Of the
!. adoption, and to its institutions us Al
!. il;luss who never knew aay o:her. In
few years the classes Of society wlic
exis, now, based upon difference Of nat;o'
S atty, will lie abolished, and We shall /
f one homogeneous people, with c"nlmo
! aims and purposes in general and socct
matters as we'll us in those fgovcrnmcn
) Tiu,c is great lcvcllcr and it will not b
/ long before the distinctions Of race and {
nationality will be lost in the unity an
t brotherhood OF man. Until that cpoc
! dawns upon US, let there be that corai:
fellowship existing between all Which
S essential to the interests Of society, and s
= Indispensable in our daily intercourse, on
!, with another.
l(:DAHn MEAns,w H(inn .lnlv - 1875.