The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-12-25
wsEELISs. ". VA. DEoEI AKA ., 1883.
Let Us n AXE Merry.
Christ was born on Christmas day;
Wreathe the holly, twIue the bay;
ChriStHS ndius h0dlki
The Pabe, the Con, the Holy One

TWAS the fulfilling Of the prophecy, the
realization Of mans dream OF salvation
through a personal Savior. It was the
dawning Of the new Day. The new Light
had broken which was to set The world
aaame. God in the person Of His Son
had come on earth to suffer with suffering
humanity. On this glad day we think OF
His coming, OF the Babe in the lonely man
ger, the tender theme which has inspired
the Christian world for almost nineteen
centuries. And this is the Star Of Bethle-
hem which, from It's humble human ORR
gin, has spread over the world a golden
glow Of hope for all mankind. Shall we
not be glad to-day? Shall We not make
merry? Who has better reason than those
who believe in the Nativity, the Crucifx-
ion and the glorious Resurrection?
Many years ago a revival meeting was
being held in Methodist church in Balti.
more. Sounds Of singing and shouting
came .trom the church, and some Of the
people OF the aeighborhood were annoyed.
They prepared a petition setting forth that
the shouting was q aaisance, and in their
rounds called on an old Jewish gentleman
who, they were confident, would be glad to
Sign it. "signit!" exclaimed he Of the
chosen race. "sign it! Why, these people
believe that their Messiah has comet II l
believed that my Messiah had come 1
would shout all over Baltimore, and the
city would not be big enough 10 hold me?
Here was the true spirit Of the Christmas
celebration, tie spirit which ought to enter
into our observances to-day.
1t is not necessary to wear long faces
that should be held a penal ofenss. We
ought to be merry, TO make happy every
heart about us, and to reach out for as
many as We can compass with kindly
greeting and such tokens OF remembrance
as we can afford. The giving Of gifts began
with the first Christmas, and The pleasant
custom has grown with time. And it is a
goodly feature Of the day and the season
that while nothing is lost Of it's character
as religious festival, Christmas observance
has become feature OF civilized lie, with
out regard to race or religion. We may
see in this the broadening stream Of Chris.
tianity, or the closer knitting OF the bonds
Of common humanity, or both. Be- the
cause what 1t may, the happy truth adds
to the general joy Of the most Joyous OF
days.
There need.be no fear that Christmas as
holiday, as time Of family reunion and
friendly greeting, will die out 1t was
never so far as now from tho "sere and
yellow leaf" Certain observances have
passed away with the institutions which
gave them life. The feudal Christmas Of
which the poets sing has gone. Picturesque
as 1t was with its stately measure and ita
generous bounty-its great oaken table
spread in the baronial hall; the quality
above, and the retainers below, the salt;
the pompous butler stridipg in, with the
air Of Field Marshal, bearing the boar'a
head on the tray; the xassail bowl OF large
dimensions and generous supply-it was
withal a picture Of caste and class not in
harmony with the true spirit Of Christmas,
which should be the spirit Of The "meek
and lowly one"
In these days we have better, because
a treer, Christmas-no master and no
retainers-more reason to be merry and
more to be merry with. There are few
Christmsses in a liie.time-let us make the
most Of each, give thanks to God and "ior.
get not all His benefits"