The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-12-20
Christmas Thoughts.
gut how the subiect.theme may gang.
Let time and chance determine;
i'erhaPs II may turn out sang,
Perhaps turn out german

rerhaps II may turn out n sang,
Perhaps turn out sermon"
Next Monday will be the appiversar,
OF the birth of Jesus Christ" the An
nolnted, the Hebrew Messiah" ",
have written so much, for so man,
years, upon this subject that we feel .
great reluctance to attempt anythins
farther, which we fear will not interes
the Home journal readers. But on,
local editor insists that it is day which
should never be neglected by any editor
be Is right. 1t may be that we have in
dIvldual views somewhat adverse IN m,
views of " the elect" in regard to the
mere wording of Holy Writ, but we de-
aver that the character of Jesus Christ
49, we dare say, more revercnced BY u,
IA poor miserable sinner-than il is nv
hlne'tenths of those who would condemn
us because we are too liberal and kind
Of heart to abuse any one for not b..
llevlng ms we do, and too honest to be.
lleve all that Church fanaticism would
have as evidence that we are not bound
for hell.
Next Monday, dear readers of the
journal, will be the anniversary of the
birth Of the noblest character which. in
our estimation, ever appeared upon the
stage OF action" and how intend YOU
to celebrate that dayY That is your
business, of course, and We do not intend
to NEEDLE with your business when ours
is not affected by you. Merely CUES.
ton: How will you celebrate itY Christ
was the very impersonaiion of Deity nc.
ctording to our conception Of Deity-hc
had not Il single human foible. lie for.
gave on the cross. He said, Father
forgive them, they know not what they
40, when the mob crucited Him. and
the sponge soaked with vinegar was nut
to his lips. lie said Love thy neigh.
Dor as myself He said He came to
save sinners, and therefore mixed with
The Publicans. He said you must be.
come as little children if you expect to
inter the Kingdom of Heaven-a beau.
''ful metaphor, for it goes to tho heart
10 ours especially, as we remember our
little ones" away down in Louisiana.
Excuse us for writing from the heart
Tther than the brain, for the day We
ire To commemorate is an appeal to the
heart
Yes, become ms little children. This
s most beautiful metaphor--one that
'ught to strike forcibly the mind of the
'eriest skeptic. Little children are in
'ocent; they cherish no revenge nor
'arbo, mean designs. Then if We
,rown up-sinncrs become like them We
leserue a place in Heaven. In all the ,
5lbie there is no expression that touch
$ the chords of our heart so tcnderly
md forcibly as the assertion of Christ 1
hat We must become us little children I
'efore we can enter the Kingdom of ,
Heaven. ,
But how intend you to celebrate this ,
|ayf Will you sell all you have md
ave to the poorY Will you give any.
hing to the poor who are always with t
is! You may go 10 stately church. !
buildings aud join in prayer and praise
God. But listen to what a sinner
ays: Ifyou do, and in your heart re.
iains IN ill.teeling towards any one
you cherish amnesty for any one u
your heart is not full to Overlooking IL
nth charity for the opinions and acts Z
nd words of Others, you are Knockers 5
nd hypocritcs, and all your prayers, y
nd crossings, and bowings, and forms, u
re so many insults to Deity and so y
'any evidences that you have taken re.
glon as-n cloak to hide the rottenness y
nd wickedness Of your heart. Such re- .
glon is mere sham, pretence. " sound. Il
ig brass and tinkling cymbal"-a thin o
Hort to gloss over the sins of the past
eek and the sins you wouid have com. h
lifted if you had been tempted as were II
nose you uncharitably condemn. O
Have you driven q hard bargain with (,
ny one9 Taken advantage of any Il
mes necessity under the lawf Have
on INDUCED in backbiting? Have you
e'ailed rs II secret any little scandal, o
ther BY word, or u
The shrug, the hum. or ha!.-thcse petty :.
brands U
hat calumny doth use?'
Have you scared virtue itself by any .
ink, blink or nod, so common in this
irtuous land with high, exalted
amcs, tied up in godly laces'Y Have
on by your silence, and seemingly ii
moving gaze, with half avertel glance, "
all of meaning, you too cowardly to "
reathe the same in words-have you
, any such polite gossip allowed a man
r woman to be slandcred 7 Have you
,eddled in affairs that were none of
ours? Have you kept yourself un-
ported from the world, nor had any de-
ire to the contrary Have you found
eace for your bosom in the fact that
gu had "better art of hiding your \
wn lies and misdeeds than some poor =
wretch the world is too quick to con: =