The Brookhaven leader., 1885-12-31
Sabbath School Christmas Dinner.


According to announcement large
number of children and ladies and gen
tlemem asstmbled at the little new church
near Captain Milam's Mill on the oath of
December. The morning opened gloomy
and threatened rain, but about MONDAY
the clouds cleared away and the sun
came forth Illuminating the earth with
splendur unusual in winter. The Sc
we're brightness of the midday sky fol-
lowing morn of low hanging clouds
seemed like the Star of Bethlehem shin
ing on q darkened world. The pupils of
the Sabbath School soon assembled under
the direction of Mr. Raymond Phillips
their Superintendent. He is peculiarly
fitted for this position, amiable and
patient, fluent talker, his words accom-
panied by u pleasant smile that wins the
hearts of children. After going through
some exercises and short speech by
young Smith on temperance, the Rev.
Mr.. Parish delivered an appropriate adj
dress. He knows exactly how to talk TO
the children and at the same time enter
tain the old folks. While his speech was
a feast of reason and flow of soul, we
did not forget that there is another kind
of feast always attractive to boys and
girls, so amid bOisterous applause he an
nOunced that dinner was ready. And
good old fashioned country Christmas
dinner it was. The long table literally
groaned with the weight of the good
things which the kind hearted Mrs. MI
lam and the other good ladies of the
ne'ghborhoOd had spread upon it. There
was roast beef, roast pig, and roast tur-
key, fried chicken, baked chicken, stewed
chicken and chicken pie, fruit cake,
sponge cake, pound cake, apple pie,
peach pie, and potato pie, besides the i'm
portant ineidentals of corn bread, light
| bread, biscuits and excellent hot coffee.
Though all partook heartily of the ele-
giant repast, the colored folks winding up
the feast, the supply was greater than the
demand. l cannot say that the surplus
remaining after the repast would have
| filled forty baskets, but assert the fact
| TO be that there was enough left to feed
forty more people, and this, be it remem-
bered, notwithstanding the presence at
that table of such veteran consumers of
good things as Mr.. Parish, Mr.. Larkin
! and myself. What better idea can be
given of the magnitude, the amplitude, the
plentitude of this dinner of multudinous
cakes and pies! l shall go there again
whenever the bell rings After dinner
came the speech of the day, delivered by
| Capt. Milan in his happiest vein. The
| Captain has entered into the building of
this Sabbath School with all the wonted
enthusiasm thar characterizes every
| thing he undertakes. In his logical
life there is ho snch word as fail.
No father ever took a deeper interest in
his own children than he seems to
take in this large crowd of boys and girls
III no way related to him except by the
| great tie of hunau brotherhood. Many
of these children are poor and live several
miles away in the hills, and they probably
never would have known what IA Sunday
school was if it had not been for his devo-
ton and liberality. His soul being in the
work he speaks ably and interestingly,
occasionally rising to the heights of gen
uine elOquence. He alternately amused
and Interested the children by anecdotes
and apt illustrations. Altogether it was
one of the best speeches for such an occa-
sion | have ever listened to, and the
the rounds of applause that greeted his
peroration was a just tribute to its excel
| lence.
lie spends his money freely for this
| school, but he feels that he is amply re-
| warded by the unbOunded affection of
his pupils. Many a poor boy laboring
under the disadvantage of low birth and |
iron fortune, is perhaps by his generosity
having his little bare feet placed in the |
pathway that will lead him to future sue
cess, wealth and the laurel crown of hon |
or Mr.. Menelas has generously aided the |
school by sending from New York good |
supply of cards and pamphlets, and prom
ises to furnish it with library in the |
near future.
Then came the merry part of this mer-
~ Christmas meeting. After Mr.. Parish. |
by request of Mr.. Philips, had passed |
round an immense basket of big red ap- |
| pies, old Santa Claus in proper costume |
appeared upon the scene loaded down |
with nice presents for every boy and girl, |
which he delivered amidst the Joyous |
laughter of the crowd,
And now happy New Year to all those
dear country children. May the day be |
emblematic of your coming lives. Though |
1t began with clouds and discouraging
portents of stormy weather. soon soft |
breezes from the "Sweet South" cleared
the atmosphere and permitted the sun to
spread his seeen of etfulgent beauty over
the bleak December landscape. Howev-
er discouraging may be the untoward cir
eumstances which surround your child
hood. may the sunlight of prosperity and
happiness beam benignly upon your path
in the COMING iOurDau of 1ifa