The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-12-25
b f. l. A 1 r, M d.
Friday Morning, December IS, 1885.
Christmas.

Christmas will never grow old. Year by
year the wonderful story of the first Christ
mas 10 carried to the remotest parts of the
earth, and thus the circle of listeners is wi
dened and the observance of the day becomes
more general In lands where the gospel
light shines brightly; in the dark abodes of
heathendom, which the heralds of the cross
have penetrated in the busy workshop and
in the mine in the counting room and on
the street; in the factory and on the farm,
everywhere, on land and on sea, Christ
mas is the one glad day in all the year when
the whole brotherhood of man is united and
rejoices, some with and some without know
ledge of the meaning of the festival,
The festival of Christmas is regarded as
the greatest celebration throughout the &c.
clesiastical year. So important and joyous
a solemnity is it deemed in the Christian
church that a special exception is made in
its favor, whereby in the event of the ami
versary falling on Friday, as it does this
year, that day of the week, under all other
circumstances fast, is transformed into q
festival.
Christmas day, though somewhat shorn of
its ancient glories and no longer marked by
the boisterous jol)ity and exuberance of ami
NAL spirits which, in Europe, at least distin-
gushed it in the days of yore, is nevertheless
still the holiday most dear to the hearts of all
classes, ages and creeds. Families, separated
it may be, during the rest of the year, are re.
united and meet together around the Christ
mas board. Hallowed feelings of domestic
love and early associations, pleasing remem-
ORANGES of the past; joyous anticipations of
the future, cluster around these family gath
erings. In the sacred associations with
which they are intertwined and the active
deeds of kindliness which they tend to call
forth, realization may be found of the an
gelic message to the shepherds of Bethlehem:
"Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth
Peace, Good Will to Menu
Amid so many popular customs observed
in some parts of the world at Christmas full
ofso much sweet and simple poetry, there is,
perhaps, none more charming than that of
singing Christmas carols, which celebrate, in
joyous and devout strains, the Nativity of the
Prince of Peace. The practice appears to be
as old as the celebration of Christmas ITSELF
We are told that in some parts of Europe,
particularly in England, Germany, France
and Italy, bands of children march about the
streets of the cities, long before day, singing
beneath the windows their sweet and melo-
dious Christmas carols. We heartily wish
that this beautiful custom were generally OBJ
served in this country
Some of the carols of the seventeenth cen.
fury were very simple and sweet, and one of
the most poetical is Robert Herrick's Star
Song written for Epiphany, but of which the
first three verses are as fully applicable to
Christmas. They are as follows:
Tell us, thou clear aud heavenly tongue,
Where is the Babe that lately sprung?
Lies He the lily banks among?
Or say, if this new Birth of ours
sleeps, laid within some ark of flowers,
Spangled with dew-light; thou canst clear
All doubts, and manifest the where
Declare to us, bright star, If we shall seek
Him in the morning blushing cheek,
Or search the beds of spices through,
To find Him out?
AAaPPhy VIC aic uot lelG " tne SuluduCe Vi
star to find Him; for He who is our light
and guide has taught us that in the poor and
suffering we may find Him, and that in min
istering to them, His brethren, we minister to
Him.
And now we wish every reader of Tile
1fgas, young and old, rich and poor, Merry
Christmas We sincerely hope every little
stocking has been filed by Santa Claus and
every little owner thereof made happy; that
every plate may be heaped high with good
things; that good digestion may wait on ap.
petite and health on both and SO, as Tiny
Tim observed, "God Bless Us, Every One |"