The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-12-24

LAST Sunday evening little tribe of
children asked to have the Christmas
HYMNS PLAYED to them. How the little
voices did ring ont clear at bells There
was joyousness about the tones, thor
oughness about the manner of singing
which told in their little minds at least, a
season freighted with pleasant things was
at hand.
Yes. Christmas day Of 1884 viii be with
Us tomorrow just as the New Year Is
the time for looking back upon the years
work, so is Christmas the time for looking
back upon a years friendship and love
Il is blessed thing that such a season
does occur, that the cynical, the world
worn the weary, have moment when
they are really called to look back into the
past. not for balancing OF dollars and cents,
not for brooding over i'll deeds, not for
signing over misfortUnes and loss, but for
considering how good and kind human
nature, with all its DEFICIENCIES, Is. That
the opportunity Is allowed to slip by, that
the hard of heart are not softened Is not
the fault of the season. Thank God. how
ever, there are those who are touched, and
that their number is by far the greater Of
those who live in Christian lands.
This evening and to-morrow's morn viii
see many a man or woman in this city
bearing in mind the present surroundings
and going back into the past. Gray heads
viii for the moment become gold or raven
and kneel at the mothers knee; poor
mother who Is but a memory now! and a
sad, sad feeling viii come over the world
worn man as he realizes how far below
mothers ideal he has fallen-no matter
who mother was from the slattern to
the duchess, the heart, in these matters, is
the same, and the drudge hopes for her
offspring as keenly as the Queen.
Then memory will 90 back to father,
the strong hearty man who cared so ten
dearly. or the weakly man who fought so
bravely for our living and then to
friends. As we 20 on in years, how many
Of the latter fall by the way. Some 20 to
rest, some find their life labor in distant
lands. some fall by the way and become a
! rcproach, a scoTn, to those who know them
not, bitter grief TO those who love them
still
Such thoughts, and many more come on
us all at the Christmas season: our own
follies, our weaknesses, our hates and dis
! likes crowd on us Good comes. however.
! Ii is right to have a self reckoning as well
as a balancing of dollars. and many an
account of self Will be cast up this evening
to find the balance on the side of selfish
ness, greed, and what not
But we must look on the brighter side
too. Fair haired Miss is looking forward
TO her dolls, and saucy Boy is hopi.:r fol-
his toys. What a season it is to our good
little people the true fairies of human life
What shrieking, what laughter there will
be tonight and to morrow: how the bonnie
little heads will dance, the bright little
eyes sparkle, and not from delight of re
ceiving either, but from the much pure1
delight of giving. Dance away little
BARNS, laugh and enjoy yourselves; you
joy and laughter will do more TO bring out
the best qualities of mans frail nature
than all the sermons or articles ever writ
! ten
And so amid an echo Of what we believe
TO be the hottest and best upon earth. We
wish to all A VERY MERRY CHRIsTMAs,