Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-12-25
CHI RISTMAS.

l
journey to Bethlehem; and arriving late
in the evening, found all accommodations
taken, so that they wers forced to take
refugs in rude clubhouse, or shed, attach
ed to the public inn. In this p ace, which
was really place of some comfort and Sc
curity, so far as the weather and exposure
were concerned, Jesus, the Christ, was
born-his mother being scarcely seventeen
years old. Christmas day is set apart to
represent this birth day although We are
not certain of the day, and oniy know thai
it was a winter day near the close of what
| is now the month of December In fs W
words this is the history of Christmas.
But why is it such a day of gladness
and joy9 Why does the heart of everyone
rejoice at its approach9 Why does it rep
resent to everyone season of happiness
and peace9
| Throughout the South, the co ored pop.
ulation have always considered it the
''maddest, merrlest day" of all the year
and in our homes the lii tie ones s'ways
associate it with an abundance of good
les" to be devoured, regard ess of health
or comfort. 1t is the day of gifts to kin
dred and friends. 1t is the season OF
kindly greetings, and of renewed friend
ship, and of generous thoughts and deeds
But why is this?
This seventeen year old mother, in Civ
ing birth to 'the Chris" started the stream
of glad tidings of great joy, which should
be unto all people That stream has al
ready widened and siren thened, aad over
flowed, until it has developed myriads of
our race, and deluged all our hearts with
its abundance of hilarity and joy; until
great and small pay their tribute of CAD
ness to the young mother and her darling
boy.
This boy when grown to mans estate,
gave to the world the promise and proph-
ecy of entire freedom from al that trou-
bles, Injuries and destroys the happines Of
mankind and in doing this wakened in
every heart response which has only
grown deeper and louder as the ages have
moved on. In this fact is the secret Of
the gladness with which the coming of
Christmas is welcomed. Tired humanity,
suffering humanity, toiling humanity, sim
ming humanity, see in Chris mas the pro-
mise of relief. The JOY, the rest, the glad
ness will come in the future. Time does
not boun the vision Of it, and eternity is
bit vista mo which we may look to
discover the glory in store for US. We
msy all be happy as the day draws nigh,
and join with the shepherds and the an
gels, at Bethlehem. in rejoicing over his
birth
1T came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending nesr the earth.
To touch their harps of gold:
Peace on the earth. good will to men
From heavens all -gracious King
The world in solemn stiffness lay
10 hear the angels sing
Still through the cloveu skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their h.svealy music flats
Ger all the weary world
Above its sad and lowly plains
And Th: vel FH aPa n Fl. BB9 st5ef s5aads
The blessed angels sing
But with the woss Of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angle Straits have rolled
Two thousand years OF wrong;
And man, at war with mta, hears aot
The love song which they bring:
Oh, hush the nois-, We men of strife,
And hear the angels sing
And We, beneath life's crushing load
Whose forms are bending low.
Whs toll along the climbing way
With painful step and slow
Look now; for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing:
Oh. rest beside the weary road,
And hear The angels sing
For, 10 the days are Fastening on
By prophet bards foretoli,
When with the ever circiing years
Comes round the age of gold
When pesce shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendor, fling,
And the whole world give back the song
Which now the angels sing"
And where in ali this wide world should
these hopes and promises bring more hap
piness than in the home Of the farmer
The toll OF the year is over, and he has
the leisure now to think upon the years
trials and discouragements, and to realize
that the good time coming" is a proph
ecy based upon the very birthday of the
Chris, and to be wrought out surely 10
the progress of the ages. Every farmer
should gather around him his best COM
forts, and resolve to make Christmas day
an era of true enjoyment fer every soul be
can influence. Let his family. first of all,
have cause to rejoice from morning until
night; and after their happiness is secured
diffuse further occasions Of joy to al
OF hers.-Karyland Farmer.