The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-12-24
We Wish You Merry Christmas
'sThey FIRST behold the glorious Sun arise,
VINO keen the vigils Of the Eastern Star"


lievers-nevcr more so than when assailed
by skepticism and derided by unbelievers.
The forms under which it is professed may
indeed decay, for forms are subject to the
chances and changes Of all things mortal,
but the spirit of truth is incorruptible and
shall never die. All Christendom pays
festive hoDors TO the nativity Of the Savior
of men. Looking with au eye Of faith far
down toto the silent past and through
the dim shadows of more than eighteen
centuries Of recorded time, the devout aud
trusting heart catches glimpses Of the
glories of that humble birth in lowly
mauger, which the Magi adored and Angels
proclaimed Happy are they, who, in
faith believing, know that their Redeemer
livetb." Happy are they who rejoice in
His natal day, and in memory Of His ad-
vent to earth exchange the greetings Of
grateful hearts.
For whom shall we wish the pleasures
and the happiness of merry Christmas
day? There are none so rich ana power
full but we wish them the full measure OF
its festive joys. There are none so uufortu-
nate aud destitute, none so lowly or out
cast that our heart does not wish them
the sunshine of this blessed day,
does not hope that the kindly influences OF
love and charity may smile upon their
humble abodes like the fragrant flowers OF
early spring. We fam would honor and
respect, we would encourage aud animate
all Of the human race who are worthy, all
of Gods millions Of tolling men. The
golden, perennial beauty of the soul de-
ponds not on the outward mark Mag
nanimity Of heart may reside equally be
meath the most repulsive and the sunniest
FORMS beneath the finest vestments and
the c0arest textures. The courtesy Of
wealth may be faithful sign Of an in
dwelling generosity, and poverty may be-
come trtbly poor by suspicious envy.
Wealth, and Art, and Learning, in the
midst of their riches and the pride Of their
possessions may sometimes forget that
their broad lands, their tapestried halls,
their gilded tones, and their precious lore,
are not always the brightest and purest
joys which earth affords, and that the poor
and the lowly in relation to themselves are
not as a poor picture in gallery of Fine
Arts. Far nobler to the All-seeing Eye is
the life of him who loves hiss fellow men
and helps to change the living portraituIes
OF sorrow into gladness, and silent sadness
into songs Of ringing Joy. To the cultured
taste and educated mind no doubt it l:
very pleasing indeed to wander admiringly
through Tusculan Villas, or with lilac
in hand to trace the sites of Homer
cities, but who will venture to sa!
it is not wiser, and more ennobliDi
to the human heart, to listen to the refrain
Of ages and labor for the progress Of tn
race, than to live in selfish love of cultures
ease. Far nobler and more worthy of tn
gift Of life it is to lift the weight fror
hSaNy hOaAlS Suu lSaOu W oOlAOHluA hp
the song of a brighter and fairer future
than in the pride of intellect and with Gu
tured ear alone to listen to MiserereI
plaintive air and battle the soul in tear
full ecstacies of sound.
Thrice blessedl Christmasl To th
children and the young may it be ever q
beautiful and enchanting as the sweet an
winsome flowers of the newborn year; [
the middle-aged may it come like the ful
fllment OF hopes and joys, ofllove and dut
conjoined;t the weary and afflicted may
be stronger staff, and to the aged a richie
blessing.
A merry Christmas to him who love
and aids his fellow men.
A merry Christmas to him who forgive
his enemies and does good to those wi
despitelully iDjure him:
A merry Christmas to all the worthy
theihuman race:
A merry Christmas to him whose zeal
are crowned with unsullied honors, who's
integrity has won for him the contentmen
Of happy home, and whose heart hi
tailed its account from infancy to old az
with hopes and experiences of good an
noble ends:
A merry Christmas-God grant it as
the golden days of yOuth-to those who's
hopes of better fortune are fading away
with whom life's fortunes have gone hard
and obscurely-who have, mayhap, bee
more sinned against than SHINING
all whose years of patient service in Il
field Of human labor have little else 1
show but faded garlands of their ear
youth and the manly strength which
born of rugged adversely:
And especially do we wish a merr
Christmas, a rich and abundant reward,
all those that in humble imitation of Ii
Divine Love weigh in the golden scales
blessed Charity the needs, the fralltie
and the inirmities Of their fellow mel
and with feelings enriched and softensd
the love which flows from the Crysti
Throne search out and and relieve Ii
sorrows and sufsrings Of the humble an
unknown, the pariah, the outcast, Il
weak and the friendless, and by the
deeds Of Charity and words of comfortir
hope teach them the song which Ange
sung when Christ was born,-"Peace {
earth to men of good will. +"
How We Reform Our Civil Service.
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