The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-31
The Christmas-GIOry.

If it were known that the glory of
the angels in the Christmas-sky would
be reproduced at that festival, would
not many take long journeys to wit
ness it? Such splendor was in the
sky that night, the lustre of single
angels form growing, Frightening to
the wonderful, dazzling glory of that
multitude of the heavenly host prais-
ing God!" How many sad ones would
be cheered, tempted ones encouraged,
and some doubling ones be strength
ened in their faith, if they could see
that splendor 1t did not tarry long.
1t came suddenly and went in few
minutes, leaving the shepherds in the
dark, their mute, wondering faces
turned up toward the sky! And yet it
has been a different world ever since
the night of that transient splendor.
If we could only bring it back! If we
could make those dazzling heavens
hang before some one in WEAKNESS,
sadness, weakness, doubt would it not be
a privilege? We could do something.
If we could not put all that glory back,
some ray we might reproduce. Glory
to God in the highest" sang the Christ
mas-angels. When men see us putting
down self and putting God on the
throne, when we deny some appetite in
our regard for his glory, when we put to
death personal ambition that we may
give life to his work, when we conquer
avarice in his strength, when we keep
ourselves free from the blot of dishon-
esty and impurity, that we may bring
no stain to Christ's name, then we
bring glory to God and virtually recall
to men the angelic song and the angelic
and men say" Curse God" and die, do
we refuse, and, looking up, still trust
God, seeing the light beyond the dark
ness, a golden sky beyond the storm?
Then others will look up, and they may
catch the brightness that gives us hope.
Some ray of the Christmas-glory may
shine for them. "And on earth,
peace" the angels sang. When we
smother some ebullition of anger, when
we turn out of doors an old grudge
against neighbor, when we cross the
street to shake hands with an enemy,
when we try to revive the friendship
once existing between two in the same
church, what wonder if men hear the
angels singing and, looking up, catch
flashes of the wonderful Christmas
glory? Good will towards men,
sang the angels. When our lives are
full of sympathy and fellowship, when
our coal kindles the fire on some poor
mans hearth, when our food takes
away some orphans hunger and our
clothing covers its naked back, when
our ministry eases the pain of a neigh
boris sickness, when our money
goes to some mission-treasury to bind
all souls into that blessed brotherhood of
which Christ is the Living Head, then
will not men think of the Christmas
strains, and look up to see its glory in
the sky? We are not equal to the ac-
complishment of any grand service for
Christ in one supreme, heroic effort.
Martyrs don't burn at every street
corner. We may do little, though,
every day, toward bringing glory to
Christ and good to others. Make it
bright" said a dying woman to a
Christian neighbor who prayed with
her amid the shadows of death. When
the dark gathered about her again,
she remembered her plea: "Make it
bright" To some one in darkness,
by exalting our Heavenly Fathers wis
dom and care, by our reconciling and
helping spirit, by our life and by our
prayers, we could bring back to a dark
sky some ray of the Christmas-glory
and so take comfort and hope to sad
weary souls.-Neao York Observer.