Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-25
CHRfSTM1S.

THE glittering stars shone brightly on
the Judean hills around the City of David.
The tired shepherds, watching their
flocks by night, slept. Suddenly they
awoke, for the glory of the Lord shone
about them, brighter than that of the
star-ht hills, and great fear fell upon
them. But an angelic messenger reas-
sured them, bidding them not to fear, for
he brought to them good tidings of great
Joy, and announced to them the birth. in
Bethlehem, the city of David, that day,
of a Savior, Christ the Lord. Suddenly,
there was with the angel a multitude of
the heavenly host, praising God, and
awakening the echoes of the adjacent
hills with the jubilant peans of celestial
song, shouting, "Glory to God in the
highest, and on earth peace, and good
will towards men,
BY decree of the Roman Emperor
that all the world should be taxed
everyone went into his own
city to comply with the requirement.
Joseph, because he was of the house and
lineage of David, went up from Galilee,
out of the city of Nazareth, to the city of
David, which is called Bethlehem, with
the virgin Mary, his espoused wife, to be
taxed.
The shepherds, at the angelic announce
ment, left their flocks and hurried to the
city of Bethlehem, and, according to the
promised "sign" of the angel, they found
Joseph and Mary, land the babe lying in a
manger, because there was no room for
them in the inn. And the shepherds re-
turned rejoicing, making known the
wonderful things they had heard and
seen.
The thronging multitude had filled the
city. Every place of entertainment was
overcrowded The hum of the busy tax
payers was heard on every hand. Joseph
and Mary, those poor, undistinguished,
neglected wayfarers, in their extremity,
YEARLY sought the hospitality of the
stable, amidst the lowing of the oxen
and the dust of the trampling cattle; and.
yet, Mary was the chosen mother of God
She laid the divine babe, carefully
wrapped in swaddling clothes, tenderly
in manger.
Cold On his cradle the dew drops are shining,
Low lies his bed with the beasts of the stan;
Angels adore him in SAUNDERS reclining,
Wise men and shepherds before him do fall -
The Magi in the East probably in Per-
sia) saw the bright star, the harbinger of
the divine birth, and wendell their
way to Jerusalem, with the earnest
inquiry, "Where is he that was born
king of the Jews, for we have seen his
star and have come to worship him?'
Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem
with him. The sanhedrim was hastily
convoked; and the Tetrarch inquired
where Christ should be born, and they
said IN Bethlehem of Judea. Herod sent
away the wise men, enjoining them to
return and bring him word when they
had found the child, hypocritically ex-
pressing the purpose of going, himself,
to worship him, also.
When the Magi saw the young child
with Mary his mother, they fell down and
worshiped him; and when they had
opened their treasures, they presented to
him gifts, gold and frankincense and
myrrh.
Did not these wise men, in the very in
fancy of Jesus, inaugurate the beautiful
and delightful festive custom of Christ
mas gift glvlnga And now, how the
hearts of friends and parents and little
children, and children of larger growth
dilate in giving and receiving gifts.
There Is but one childhood, one earthly
life; and wise is it to make that childhood
and that life joyous by loving tokens of
affection and good will in the Christmas
time, remembering that in so doing the
birth of the Savior, in his lowly couch in
the manager with the OK of the stall, is
also, commemorated.
On this glad Christmas morning, we
are nearly two thousand years away from
that suspicious hour when the songs Of