Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-12-10
#isfella
For the Journal.
CHRISTMAS ANfICIPAfloys.


preaching. The day which the children
hail with delight. the day to them Of all the
year, long anticipated and about which ID
thrown by Imagination = transfiguring
charm they think over the past and what
st. Nicholas brought them the last Christ
mas, and they expect this year, things are
SO cheap. that Santa Claus will fairly out
do himself, and the beauty Of the coming
day. that Santa is onierfully gifted with .
q prescience which now to the children ~
II was TO US wonderfully mysterious-how
Nicholas could guess at every trife which
We had coveted We could not tell. Oh.
the excitement with which We hung up
our stockings ON that event 'ul eve, and the
more capacious the better. Our anticipa-
tions were great, and il our kitchen snd
sitting-room bad been changed into Q
sumptuous hall filed with goodies, We
should simply have clapped our hands in
glee without the least astonishment, 20
great was our faith in dear old Santa Claus
and his unseen reindeer team. and con-
fess to you. Mr.. Editor, that even now, the
fancies of that long-vsnished period float
phantom-like before me, but they will
hardly tarry to be sketched. | search
once more for the hidden stockings.
lood for the magic tree cleaning with
miniature candles, and every bough rich
ly laden with gifts, and listen to hear
again the vOices-silent long ago-dear
father and mo,her-and am grown up to
manhood, and stand to my children in the
same relation my dear parents stood TO
me; but am boy t,-night, for men,
Ories of the home circle are linked with
my every thought,-hOme of my child
hood, none but father, q fathers he, It
can know-mOther. how sweet the name !;
the hOliest name save Jesus to mortals
given, her undying feeling. her large a.
lection, wondrOus power ~ form the soul
for good, and home. dear old home. Ias
once more the cleaning wood fire 10 the
spacious fire place, the frost figures on the
glass, and the drifting snOw.drifts high
over the fences-and oh, my chief Joy 10
climb the highest fence and jump Into the
biggest snow drift. And II 10 the children's Q
day now-lll not mar their pleasure q,
bring my "reminiscences 70 Q fearless
shrine. Let no shadow rest upon the glad
moments Of the coming Christmas day.
For the dear children we will make il ioy.
full, in the music of their glad voices and
the brightness Of their smiles We will 6nd
~OAbAott iOi OutsCbVCDs ouu W0 WI Vl0
with the children in cele brating this noted
holiday.
think it we'll to celebrate events con-
nected with our ecclesiastical, or ma
tional history, aud our personal, also.
Ones birthday should not be for
gotten, and the anniversary of our we'd
ding day is now joyfully observed,
and the time and circumstances Of the
death OF u friend may be treasured up In
the affections and sacredly cherished in
the memory, and we statedly visit the
spot where rest all that is mortal Of our
dear departed. The day when our Fore
fathers first planted their feet on Ply
mouth Rock may be, and Is, observed A. .
memorial day throughout the future gan.
erations of their descendants. The 22d
OF February also. Washington's birth
day, the 4th Of July. with days Of battle
and victory. may be celebrated with the
utmost propriety. and il the annual recog.
milton of such days and their appropriate
commemOration Is fitting and proper.
much more so is the appropriate celebra.
ton OF the sublimts st fact of general and
eternal interest-the incarnation of the
Son of God. The advent of Christ into
our world as the infant Redeemer in the
maDger AT Bethlehem. was great day in
the history of our sinful race; vt least, 90
thought multitude of the heavenly host,
when the angel, having informed the
shepherds of the event, they broke forth
into an anthem praising God and shout
ing, GLORY to God in the highest. and on
earth peace, good will towards mem"
and in this age of strong materialistic
tendencies, and defiant infidelity, no truth
is more important to be kept before the
people by all the Press, secular as we'll %
religious, that Jesus was born OF the vir-
gin Mary. and that the babe Of Bethlehem
was the Son of God. the Saviour of the
world. The event of Cbrist's birth was
very early celebrated in the ancient
church-at first the day was movable, it
being celebrated sometimes in April and
sometimes In May by the Eastern
churches. The Eastern and Western
churches differed very widely 10 regard
to the time of the Saviour's birth. but in
the fourth century an investigation as to
the exact time was ordered, and the
result was that subsequently both the
Eastern and Western branches OF tts
church united on the 18th Of December
and have continued to celebrate on that
day the blth OF Christ for more than four
teen centuries. We are told that evidence
found in the Tables of the CensOrs in the
Archives Of Rome fixed the decision on
the 25lh of December. But whether or not
that is the real day Of Christ's advent in
the flesh into this sinful world, we cannot
intelligently affirm or deny. nor does 1t
much matter, as it 10 the TACT more than
the day we would celebrate. II 10 the
fact and its necessities and consequences
which we would impress upon the mind
and cherish in the memory. The changes
which have occurred in the civil year In
different years, and the intercalation Of
days, would render the keeping Of the ey-
act day through all the centuries very dif-
ficult--sO the exsctness of the time We
leave as unimp ,rtant. agreeing upon the
day which in the providence Of God has
been fixed upon by the nations. on which
the people agree to turn their attention
and thoughts from business and pleasure
to the contemplation Of Gods greatest
gift to man.
"a Healer Redeemer came
A Son of Man, with love and power,
And the ransom VAS paid down;
Heavens inexhaustiblc, exhausted fund,
Amazing aad amazed. poured forth TIE prics.