The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1889-12-20
FREDERICK w. BAKER, Editor.
Christmas.

head left? Well, l will have that, seeing l
cannot have more of him." Washington
Irving prefxes this quotation to his holiday
papers in the Sketch Book, and one of his
critics has said that his works furnished the
original model for Dickens and Thackeray's
Christmas books. Whether this is true or
not it is certain that Irving in a certain sense
Introduced Christmas to us and that his sun
ny, CHEEKY pictures Of Christmas games and
festivities quickened the observance of the
day in this country.
The Puritan element in the country long
held old Christmas at bay. In Virginia,
however, and wherever the church was es-
tablished, there were relics of the traditional
day. AS this Puritan influence decreased
and that of the Irish and German element
among immigrants began to be felt more
festal spirit was developed. This genial
spirit seems even to change the course of ma
ture and Christmas almost turns December
into May. 1t Eliminates the shortest days
and the darkest month of the year. so that it
has come about that this is the merriest,
most cheerful time in all the year, notwith-
standing the sun has gone away on jour
ney. Just at the time by the Calendar when
the sympathies ought to be all frozen up,
with the thermometer below zero, 10 human
nature, in utter disregard of the bitter season,
blooms out in the sweetest Towering time of
all the year. 1t is bad season for pessimists
and utiltaran philosophers who maintain
that it is the first duty of every man to take
care ofhimself.
Christmas comes In, not only to make De-
cember tolerable month, but to teach that
he who does most for others does most for
himself, and that a mans only sure posses
sion is that which he gives away. Perhaps
this holy day season does more than any 9TH
er one thing to keep alive in the world that
old fashioned virtue, loving-kndness. We
could preach little sermon on this theme
without invading any pulpit in the land, but
1t is quite unnecessary it has come about
that at Christmas-time nearly everybody is
practical preacher Of charity, so far has the
Divine contagion gone towards transforming,
ioi thO timc DCluR, luC SU-Cdlleu SuIlstlhu
world.
Christmas is and should be, the greatest
day of the year, for it is the day upon which
we commemorate the hestowal of Gods good
Gift-God's best Gift. For this reason we
greet one another cordially and make our
little gifts to those we love Is there feeling
among the more thoughtful and earnest mind
ed among US that there is getting to be too
much of this? Not too much of 1t in the
way OF kindliness and brotherly love, but in
the way of worry and expense. The weeks
before Christmas are full of feverish excite.
ment, of nervous expectation, of perplexity;
the days following it, Of exhaustion.
Childhood is on tiptoe and childhood has
become so conscious of its conceded rights
and its supposed deserts at this time that it is
next to impossible to surprise it, except by
too small gifts. The day is thus made to car
ry tremendous load. The abundance that
might be distributed in healthul streams
throughout the year is, by some, poured out in
prodigal waste, glad, as it were, by one act to
relieve themselves of what is a continual OBJ
legation. Year by year this goes on ever in
creasing. Is this the "Peace and good will'
that the angels sang on that night long ago
to Shepherds watching their tlocks ON the
plains of Judea? Or is it obedience to the
dictates of fashion? Is it in spontaneous re-
Spouse to the spirit of the day, or do people
make gifts because they are expected to and
because everybody does and because there
has grown up OF late years kind of rivalry
in such things?
Since the Puritan disirust of this great
feast day abated, the American people, who are
the most generous people in the world, have
taken up Christmas with the same enthus-
asm with which they take up everything.
We are inclined 10 excess and to an excess
which often defeats the objects we seek.
Even to be amused and diverted we work
harder than other people and in consequence,
perhaps, get less rest by our amusements.
Christmas is already period from which too
many date nervous prostration. Instead of
making the season simple, refreshing holt
day, we are in danger of making it an intol-
lerable burden.
This is regarded as peculiarly the chidren's
festival and so in sense it should be. There
are no more engaging creatures than child
rem and young maidens giving way to the
gaiety of heart that belongs to youth, and en-
joying "Merry Christmas" and we are far
from wishing to curtail their innocent pleas
ures and proper privileges; but it cuts across
the spirit of the day when children are more
eager for costly gift than for game of
blind man's-bluf and the madens do not
value the salute under the misteloe unless il
is accompanied by some sparkling gem.
Children are the hope of the world we hear
much of Home Rule" in these days and it
will be far better for the next generation
that the children should not he the home ruI.
ers-give the parents that place and all will
be better for it,
We repeat, there is smalldanger that char
ity 10 the poor will be overdone; that the
spirit of the day in the direction of peace and
goodwill may go to excess, or that the leav-
en- of the Sermon on the Mount will work
too powerfully in society which would be
mass of selfshness without it. We may not
calculate the good that the spirit of Christ.
mas has done and is doing. "The sun that
rises on that day may not melt the ice in the
streams or the frost on the window panes,
but there is no sun like it for thawing the
human heart 1t is the day that draws all
Christendom together in one brotherhood.
In the wondrous birth of Child all
the world renews its childlike faith
and simplicity. Why pervert the holy
season The perpetuty of the best
institutions depends upon moderation. Let
us endeavor, then, to preserve the "old old,
good old Christmas" the best of the worlds
holidays, in the old spirit of transformations
charity and the exercise ofmirth and festiviy
that relreshes and does not weary.
w
= Franklin B. Gowen, formerly President
of the Reading Railroad and one of the most
able railroad managers in the country, was
found dead in his room at Wormley's Hotel.