The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-12-21
A CHRISTMAS CHAT.

Before the issuance of another pa
per our readers will have engaget
in the celebration, one way or an
other, of the Christmas festival, al
observance which, in an infinite va
riety of modes, is retained by larg
er number of the human race per
haps than any other known period
ical festival, and the human race is
much to be congratulated that the
observance has become SO universal.
Not only wherever the European
race are scattered in the four quar-
tiers Of the globe, but among the
HISTORIAN Christians of Syria and
Asia Minor, among the Armenians
at the very foot of Ararat, the era
die Of the post liluvian race of man;
among the half-savage Abysinians,
a race of Christians whose very ex-
istence as a Christian people seems to
have been forgotten by the rest of
Christend0m for centuries very
where by some festal rite, by some
amenity of social intercourse, the
nativity of the Messiah, the infancy
of the holy babe of Bethlehem, is
recognized with joy and thankful
ness as the greatest boon and mercy
to the human race.
Nor does it matter to us a pins
difference whether it be really the
anniversary of the birth of Jesus
We have very great doubts whether
at its first institution it was even
intended as an anniversary a cele-
bration is not necessarily an ami |
versary. The festival of Easter, for
instance, is certainly not an ami
versary. Its date varies within a
range of several weeks every year,
depending upon the phase Of the
moon at the vernal equinox. Nor
does the allegation trouble US that
the dates of these festivals are those
of certain pagan festivals, which we
have no doubt to be true it only
inspires us with an admiration of
the wisdom of those early Chris
tians, who, finding that they could
not wean the simple villagers from
their annual festival and sports,
kept them up, but taught them
truer and more beautiful legends to
associate them with and purer and
happier observances wherewith to
celebrate them.
To us the plous thought which
stamped upon the year for nearly
half its course the remembrance of
the leading events of that wOndrous
life passed through by Jesus the son
of Mary, which has been left as the
ideal life for all humanity in all
ages of the world--to us, we say,
the holy thought, wherever it may
have originated, seems closely akin
with the idea ofthe apostolic writer's,
which identifies the Christian life
with the same series of events,
where, for instance, they speak Of {
the new life as a being born anew
in the likeness of his birth Of the /
extlrpation of vicious lusts as a cru I
cifying of the old man, and of the t
revival of spiritual life as associated
with his resurrection. 1t will be I
said of course that the one is inspIr-
ed, the other uninspired. We recog-
nize the distinction and bow to it
but in one sense every good thing is t
inspired, and we look upon it as i
happy inspiration which has impress S
ed upon the Christian year the a
same series Of events which to the V
apostles were symbols and sanctions b
f the Christian life. e
And now how should we keep Z
Certainly not as a fl
gloomy and ascetic observance. II Ii
a festival if we don't enjoy it we a
Ion't keep it at all. Still less should IL
We keep it as spell of drunken G
evelry. That is a return to the dis a
olute pagan rites which the Christ Ia
an festival had so happily suppressed N
d. IF we had to select compendi bi
US rule for true Christmas enjoy Il
lent we should seek it in the words
f one who said, Become even as
ne of these little ones. Return to q
be simplicity ard faciIe sympathies ~ 81