Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-12-24
Christs Natal Day.

The exact date of Christ's birth is not
known. Like many other matters of inter
est it has been lost in the dim past. In the
absence of positive knowledge on this point,
Christendom are pretty well united in
calling the twenty.flth of December the
birthday of our Lord. 1t is most fitting
that the day that stands in our calendars
and in our hearts as the day of our Lords
nativity should call forth songs of praise
and notes of joy from all hearts. Angels
descended from heaven on purpose to reveal
the joy that the event caused there, and to
teach men the keynote of the praises voiced
forth by celestial choirs. The inspiration
and burden of their song, as it sweetly fell
on the ears of devout shepherds while they
watched their Aocks by night, was, "Glory
to God in the highest and on earth peace,
good will toward men," All adown the cen
turtles since the singing of that midnight
song, that glory has been increasing in radi-
ance, and that peace and good will have
been becoming better understood and more
fully enjoyed by men. Christ's living pres.
ence on earth, among men, and in our
earthly houses is becoming more and more
real and understood fact "Where is
Jesus Christ ?" was not long since asked of
a ragged city boy. ale lives in our alley
now," was the reply; for the little fellow
had just been taught the fact that Christ
was present and had dwelling with those
who loved him. Christ came into "our
alley" when he was born into this world.
Though then the houses of princes, and
mobiles and great men, were filled with other
guests, and there was no room for him at
the inn, he found glad welcome by few
lowly hearts, and they shared with him and
he shared with them the wide accommoda
lions of a stable and manger Since that
day, he who came to bring peace to earth
and good will to men has never failed to
enter the humblest abode where there was
lowly heart to give him welcome. So that
the poorest of earth's poor can well say,
"Christ lives in our alley if that heart has
opened its door and made him as its hon
ored guest.
1t is eminently fitting that Christ's natal
day should be welcomed by us with glad
hearts and that we should fill it with praise
to God and good will to men. 1t has come
to pass that it is now observed in Christen-
dom not specially as a religious day, but as
one for social and domestic enjoyment 1t
is holiday; season of pastimes and
sports among children, of domestic reunions
and wide spread charities, the giving
of gifts and showing mercy to the poor
We may sometimes regret that in the re-
joicing aud merry-making of Christmas
there should not appear more clearly recog
milton of the great central truth that Christ
was born to save men from their sins. But
although this truth is not indicated by any
outward church service on this day, yet we
may believe that in all Christian hearts, and
in the hearts of many others, this is thought
of and recognized, and as the result there is
deeper and holier joy by reason of it. As
on this day Christ came to the family of a
Pooi man, piihSihS " io'o Siealei tHdu Hu-
man love and wealth of blessing beyond
all human computation to that family and to
all the families of the earth which are willing
to receive him; let us, on this day, all receive
him, with his spirit of praise to God and
good will unto men, into our households,
and by generous offerings and acts of sym
pathy and love to the poor convince them
that Christ is still present in the world and
that he lives in their alley. We shall best
keep the day of Christ's nativity if the song
that the angels sang upon it finds such ex-
preston in our acts of kindness, deeds of
generous love and praise, that the hearts of
others shall be attracted toward the Christ
child and to his spirit of selfdenial and
lova