Daily Republican., 1883-12-24

UDDaB ". vKnH0H . Sons.
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"A OOH. THIRD AND kING srREEIs
v>ssfsd ct the Post Uflos at Wilmington
Iol., - sscond-olass mall matter.
-
1vyhe >aly ESQ cent daily newsPe-
ueV IN tho 1890, and the Head
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Tpe Ose Gseas Wrought.
II there Ii any one thought moi than
another that engages the human mind
to-day, IL Ii that Of Christmas. Each
nation has its local holidays which be-
long only to itself and is observed only
by its own people. Here in the United
States We have our Fourth of July
great indeed to us--our Washington's
birth day and decoration day and our
day Of national thanksgiving, but there
are mono of them 70 generally observed
Is the great Christmas holiday, and
not only in this country but in all civil
liked nations on the globe is the same
respect paid to Christmas. While We
celebrate it here the people Of Europe
and South America and in many of the
isles OF the sea are paying 1t the same
homage but in various ways. 1t is the
only one great holiday ofan enlightened
and civilized world and in it is en-
braced the one great religious platform
on which all nations can stand on a
perfect equality claiming . common
and equal interest In the day and the
cause they celebrate.
We are reminded by the return Of
this great religious festival that life is
more than the meat that sustains 1t and
the body more than the rsiment which
covers it. Especially suggestive to US
ia Christmas as the festival of the chill
dren. 1t Is the one occasion Of the year
more notable than any other when
child lie becomes the master element
in society, and when others once chill.
dren share their joy by becoming chill.
dren again for the time.
1t is forcibly suggestive to us that
the children have q right to claim
Christmas AZ their special holiday
The festival itself il 30 interviewer with
the scenes of early childhood that to
exclude the children from its enjoy
ment would be to blot out Christmas as
the one great general holiday Of the
world. The day does not celebrate any
great national achievement, but 1t Is
the anniversary of the birth of child
only little child, one not born sur
rounded by all the comforts that wealth
can bestow-not ushered into the world
amidst the tolling Of bells and the
pomp. and grandeur Of aristocratic
courts, but poor child, of poor parents,
born in manRer where the horned
oxen fed. The question comes, why
should the birth Of a child in poverty,
of com paratively unknown and obscure
parentage cause such universal JOY
over the enlightened world eighteen
hundred and eighty. three years after
its birth? All, we'll may that question
be asked! Was ever birth, was ever
death like thine, o Christ? In the in.
FAINT babe in the manger We find Sa'
viour, the Saviour promised long. In
him we see the Divine power that is to
save sinful world. In his birth we
find also the birth Of a new Christian
era in which man is to be saved not by
works alone but by faith. Yes, it was
only babe, but in him was the Divine
uod head, in him was Redeemer, in
him was Mediator, in him was a
Saviour. For none other, at the mo-
ment of his birth, did angels join in
songs of gladpess for none other did
the glad refrain of "Glory to God in
the highest, peace on earth and good
will to men, float over Bethlehem s
plains. For none other did the wise
men of the East undertake journey Of
many miles and many days guided only
by a single star to seek the place where
the infant Redeemer lay. Yes, Christ
mas is indeed children's day.
Christmas goes down deep into the
heart in recognizing in childhood a
something which is essential to its own
ideal of character. Not only does il
associates with the birth of the Christ
child special festivities of tbankfulness
to the II ghest, but 1t sets forth child
likeness itself as one Of the things will
which none of us can dispense, if W.
are to live the best and highest life
We do not look upon this as demand
that we shall possess the innocence o
for that innocence is large
q matter of ignorance, and il quit
IN possible to those who have spen
years in this world of change and anx
iety. It Ia rather the freshness, tn
immediateness, the spontaniety of tn
child's life that is this commended t
us as good equally for the grown mar
1t is the capacity for great emotion 0
great occasions.
Christmas is also a special ~~occasio
for the bestowment of gifts upon chi
dren and friends. This custom too
especially interviewer with the birth {
our Saviour Even before he was OF
enough in his childish helplessness t
know the value of gift, he was loade
with costly presents of gold frankr
cense and myrrh, from the wise men
the East. Their first thought Of ador;
ton was coupled with the giving of pre-
ents to the infant Christ child Ho