Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-12-26
CHRISTMAS MORNING.

paper one day in advance
CHRISTMAS MORNING.
Again, with the rapid transit OF time,
Christmas morning dawns upon the civil
lied world jeweled with gladness and
hope.
From the halls of the opulent, where
splendor and luxury wrap their gaudy man
ties almost to voluptuous forgetfulness, to
the matched cottage, under which content
ment smiles at the continued and pitiless
footsteps of misfortune and poverty, there
is happiness and love, and young and old
are rejoicing on this the glad festal morning
of Christendom.
From the young hours of the morning. the
Joyous peals from church and campanie
have been sounding on in an unbroken cir
Gle around the world, proclaiming the return
Of the holy night when the shepherds on the
Eastern hills saw the star that stood over
Bethlehem, bathing the landscape in mel
low splendor and pointing with its steady
beam to the unconscious and .slumbering
babe as it lay with feeble, nuttering breath
upon its mothers bosom. Many pulpits
have given out the message of gladness and
good cheer, while the full-voiced choirs and
deep.toned organs have echoed the anthem
of the multitude Of the heavenly host, glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will TO men,"
1t is well that brief day OF the passing
year should shine with the reflection Of the
great light" and the memory Of the COM
ing of the Prince of Peace should still for
moment the tumult and excitement of this
worlds restless strife.
tits well, too, that many poverty stricken
dwelling and bed of suffering should be Wis
tied with generous reminders that fountains
of charity and streams of benevOlence have
been opened by the Son of God to distribute
comfort and blessing amongst the needy and
the sorrowful. 1t is but poor memorial Of
His coming il it bring only supplies to them
that are full, and mirth to the merry Of heart.
"Peace on earth, good will to men," has a
wider reach than that The ears of the
lowy are turned 10 catch its music, and the
hearts of the lonely and the sad open to the
melody. The light shines for the guidance
of the lost and the glory of the Great Jeho.
sedness and power Of the heavenly kingdom
have invaded this darkened and dshonored
world to redeem 1t from It's desolation and
despair, and transform 1t into the home of
love, purity and peace
Mid the general Joy of this happy festi-
val 1t will not be hard to discover the chief
enjoyment is reserved to the "lttle ones" OF
the household This is their special carni.
val, to which they look forward with varied
anticipations. On this occasion the entire
family residence is surrendered to them as
their castle, and restraint being removed by
their affectionate parents, they are left free
10 revel in delight through every apartment
during the entire day. From the earliest
dawn, when they spring from thaniitle
beds TO investigate the many gifts
Claus, through all the change
the fire works, the Christmas
aud delightful surprises
love has prepared for u
tons, they have cd 80
pleasure, untll tiFaA lsIlEa
gentle eyelids into sweet repd
And meet and proper is il thai
be SO. The "little ones" will nd
buoyancy they possess to tide them
cares and anxieties Of life. The NJ
starts upon the voyage of life wit!
stock Of bright hopss generally finds Tia
has exhausted his store long before he has
completed its eventful and stormy passage
Do not, therefore, let the little ones
hopes be blighted by early and unnecessary
sorrow, but train them up through the period
of childhood and start them off ON the actiy,
journey Of life with all the courage and hope
that happy, cheerful home during child
hood and youth inspires
If we remember correctly, it was the Ger.
mans who were among the first to associate
with Christmas the pretty and wholesome
practice of making the little folks happy
with presents. In a practical sense, Santa
Claus was born in Germany, and wherever
seen to this day he wears the round, being
nant German face, and seems to be nothing
if not Teutonic. They used to call him
knecht Rupert in the old days, but it was
his habit to go f.cm house TO house in high
buskins, snowy robe and rush of haxen
hair, distributing gifts to the children ac-
cording TO the reports of their conduct as
furnished by their parents. The Dutch set.
tiers who came over to found New York
brought him along with them under the
name Of ST. Nicholas. He had religion,
but 1t was a religion Of the heart more than
of the head, and from the first this gracious
and cheerful saint was able to gain place
in popular affection. There was that about
him which appeared to simplify virtue and
make happiness easier. Goethe and Schiller,
however, failed to be Impressed by him to
any quotable extent, and so that phase of
German literature which should celebrate
him in never-dying song dsmsses him with
few casual and patropizing illusions only
lie had come TO stay, nevertheless, and 10
oil in his ewn way and time the mission OF
redeeming Christmas to the use and enjoy.
ment OF all beliefs and all classes and he
could afford TO wait for the authors TO lind
him out SO long as little children cherished
him in their dreams and capped their hands
when they thought Of a visit from him
That there is no rose without its thorn,
and no thorn without its rose, is u maxim
in life which the concurrng voice of all
ages has proclaimed, and every mans ex.
perience, who has seen much of human af.
fairs, must probably have confirmed The
law Of nature seems TO be of universal APP
plication aud unceasing activity, for we can
distinctly trace it in every transaction in
common life around us. Human passions
do not subside like the waves OF the ocean
when the winds are stilled; human iniquity,
once let loose, cannot be restrained as soon