The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-12-31
THE CHRISTMAS SEASON..

HE CHRISTMAS SEASON.
The Lesson 1t Teaches Of "Peace on
Earth. Good VIII Toward Men,"
Once more the rolling year brings
around the glad Christmas season. with
its wealth of religious associations, its
tender traditions Of the joy Of children,
its annual lesson to humanity Of peace
on earth, good will toward men," To
US of the older generation, around
whose knees cluster our own little
ones. the joy and happiness with which
they hail the great festival brings back
recollections of tho long-gone days
but how short time it seems in mem
ory's pect!-when we were chill
dren like them, happy in our ignorance
OF the carking cares, the anxieties and
sorrows OF manhood and womanhood.
God bless the children! Would that we
could shield them from the trials OF
maturer life as we do from the ills
which beset their childish years!
To the religious mind, the high fes-
tival of the Christmas year is freighted
VAoh " 0SOpOis q AuOAO PLOVAOuo
ing. 1t is the feast of the birth of the
Redeemer, who shall save the world
from its sins; the Intercessor, Without
whom man would be lost indeed, and
the eternities, instead of being freighted
with rich promise Of eternal life, would
be but black abyss Of despair, from
whose verge the soul would shrink back
affrighted. What matters it that the
exact hour and day and month and year
of the birth of the Child Wonderful is
not known to certainty? What mat
ters it If the preponderance Of proof be
to the effect that His advent on this
earthly scene was in the spring,
and probably Of the year B. c.
3? For we'll on to two thou
sand years the Christian world
has united in celebrating December 25
as the date of that event. and the day
is now hallowed by centuries Of asso-
citation and worship and rejoicing. 1t
matters not the day-the event itself is
the thing which is celebrated, and one
day is as good for that purpose as an
other.
ITO every one who has in his bosom
heart that beats responsive to the
chord of humanity-a heart which
thrills with joy when others rejoice,
which beats in sympathy when his
fellowmen mourn, the glorious Christ
mas tide comes as benediction, giving
surcease from sorrow, and turning life
into scene Of festal gladness. peace
on earth, good will to men"
was the Heavenly pean chanted
by the angelic hosts as the
beatidc vision opened the por-
tales Of the unseen world to the awe
struck shepherds on the plains Of Beth.
lehem, as they watched their aocks by
night under the starry Judean skies;
and it is the keynote Of the symphony
OF rejoicing that fills the hearts and
homes Of Christendom now that the
steady march Of time has brought us
again to the portals Of the day we cele.
brate as the anniversary Of the advent
on earth Of Him who was the first to
preach the eternal brotherhood Of man
and Fatherhood of God.
Let every one who is unit Of the
countless family groups around happy
flresides, every one into whose soul and
life enters the true meaning Of the Low
ing. yet solemn command, Love one
another remember, amid the rejoic
ings and innocent mirth Of this
festal season, those, too numerous
even in this fair land Of ours, tt
whom Christmas is but a name. Lee
your remembrance 60 out to the hungry
and weary, to the ragged children O
the poor, sad even on the threshold O.
life because the heavy hand Of povert.
and privation is upon them, and the
gaunt wolf Of want peers in at thu
broken windows. Give out Of the abun
dance of your own blessings to the poo
and needy; make glad the day for thu
fatherless, and cause the widows hear
to sing for joy. Learn again tho bless
edness of giving, evince by your prac
tice your belief in the fundamental doc
trine Of the religion preached BY Hin
whose birth you celebrate with rejoic
ing, and extend your charity and car
to those who are weary and hesv,
laden, remembering that He tina
giveth unto the poor lendeth unto tn,
Lordr'-TOledo Blade, n =