The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-12-19
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1885.
Christmas.

husbandman gathered in, and Nature herself
in state of repose. The forests are bare,
the fields have put off their garniture OF green
and donned a robe of sober russell which they
will wear through the winter, and until the
yernal season restores to them again their
emerald hue. Man has leisure for RETROSPECT
ton He can look back over the events OF
the wear. and count up his losses and his |
gains. He can see wherein he was wrong, |
and how far he was right; and from the light |
of experience he can mark out his future |
course, determining meanwhile to avoid the
one and pursue the other.
Christmas is a time for the reunion of fam
lilies. The aged heads of the household hail
it with Joy on that account. Some loved one
has been absent from the old homestead Tor
a twelvemonth, and is expected to return
again beneath the parental roof and to min
gle, it may be, with brothers and sisters, who
like himself have gone out from the home OF
their childhood to build home of their own,
leaving the aged parents the sole occupants OF
the family roof-tree that sheltered them from
infancy until now How this hallowed season
knits and unites in the bonds the tenderest
affection those who have thus been sundered. |
The bosom swelIs with delight at the return
of the season, ard the heart ovcriows with
its richest treasure of love.
Children hail the time with an intensity OF
delight unapproachable by their seniors
They anticipate the good cheer which it brings
in its train They have learned the old, old
story of good Santa Claus, and their thoughts
are busy with the good things they expect the
Saint to bring them Their mirth and mer-
riment are contagious. 1t runs through all
the household, and seizes upon father and
mother in particular. Their hearts overflow
with the kindliest feeling and it manifests it.
self in gifts which gladden. the hearts OF the
children in turn. Nor is this feeling confined
to the home circle alone. 1t flows out to
neiehbors and friends, and to the poor, who
are made glad by these Christmas offerings,
while the donors themselves realize that 1t is
'more blessed to give than to receive
The devout Christian, perhaps, has the
liveliest appreciation of the holy season OF all
More than eighteen hundred years have passed
away since the great event which the recur-
renee of Christmas commentaries. and yet
its influences upon the heart and mind are as
fresh and strong to-day as they were then.
More than eighteen hundred years have passed
since the shepherds upon the plains of Judea
heard with wonder and delight, from celestial
visitants, 'gad tidings of great JOY on the
advent of the Messiah, and yet the theme is
as dear to the heart to-day as when 1t was
first heralded down to earth by the songs OF
the angels.
Guided by a strange peculiar star, the magl
came to pay him homage, and to offer gifts OF
gold frankincense and myrrh. AS they were
moved to offer their alteration to the Babe OF
Bethlehem, so does the devout christian, on
the return of this glad festival, adore him with
an intensity of feeling which language may but
feebly express The Hottest Inscriptions OF
praise and alteration fall short of the soul s
desire when filled with gratitude for the inf
mite condescension and Unreasonable love set
forth in the scheme of mans redemption.
Even the song of the angels-"Glory to God
in the highest, on earth peace, good will to
men''-fails to measure up to the sublime
height of the souls yearnings and aspirations
for fulness of utterance under proper reall-
cation of this great boon to the human race
The advent has been the theme Of the poet
through all the centuries since. Pope and
Pollock, Milton, Young and others, stirred
bv the divine afiatus, have sung Of the Mes
siah, attuning their harps to the Hottest min
strelsy; but nothing we can now recall to
memory exceeds in fervor of spirit and charm
of poetic numbers, the sacred eclogue OF
Pope's Messiah, extracts of which we append,
by way of close.
Rant into future times the bard begun,
virgin shall conceive, virgin bear son.
From Jesse's root behold branch arise,
Whose sacred flower with fragrance fills the skies;
The ethereal spirit DER its leaves shall move,
And on its top deScends the mystic dove.
We heavens from high the dewy nectar pour,
And in soft silence shed the kindly shower;
The sick and weak the healing plant shall aid,
From storms shelter and from heat a shade. ,
All crimes shall cease and ancient lTauus Silall la
Returning Justice lift aloft her scale;
Peace DER the world her olive wand extend,
And whiterobed innocence from heaven descend
Swift fly the years and rise, the expected morn
Oh spring to life, suspicious Babe, be born!
IIark! glad voice the lonely desert cheers;
Prepare the way \ God God appears!
God a God the vocal hills reply,
The rocks proclaim the approaching Deity
IO! earth receives Him from the bending skies.
Sink down, We mountains and we valleys rise,
With heads declined We cedars, homage pay;
Be smooth We rocks, ye rapid floods, give way,
The Saviour comes! by ancient bards foretold!
Hear him. ye deaf, and all We blind. behold;
He from thick films shall purge the visual ray,
And on the sightless cye-ball pour the day:
'Tis he the INSTRUCTED paths of sound shall clear,
And bid new music charm the unfolding ear;
The dumb shall sing, the lame his crutch toreSo,
And leap, eXulting, like the bounding roe
No sigh no murmur, the wide world shall near;
From every face he wipes off every tear;
In adamantine chains shall death be bound,
And hells grim tyrant feel the eternal wound
Rise crowned with light imperial Salem rise!
EXait thy towering head, and lift thine eyes
See a long race thy spacious courts adorn
See future and daughters yet UNBORN
In crowding ranks on every side arise.
Demanding life impatient for the skies!
See barbarous nations at thy gates attend,
Walk in thy light and in thy temple bend; 49,.
See thy bright affairs thronged with PROSTATE klsS
And heaped with products of Sabean springs!
For thee Idume's spicy forests blow,
And seeds of gold in Ophirs mountains glow
See heaven its sparkling portals VIDE display,
And break upon them in a flood of day
No more the rising sun shall glld tne morl'
Nor evening Cynthia fill her silver nom;
But lost dissolved, in thy superior rays,
One tide of glory, one unclouded blaze, -.
Overflow thy courts; the Light himself snail shllic
Revealed and Gods eternal day be thine
The seas shall waste, the skies i'll smoke decay,
Rocks fall 10 dust and mountains melt away;
But fix'd his word his saving power remains
Thy realm forever lasts, thy own Messiah relshs
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