The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1890-12-25
A Merry Christmas to All.

y
to us old fellows it seems as though |
the last Christmas were only few
months in the rear. Father Time is
decidly unkind to hurry US up SO as
we ase verging upon, the ffties.-
Whether.itsis that he wants to get
rid of as and clear the field for
younger generation, or is tired of our
blunders and follies and thinks we
would be better off in some other
world, we can't say; but that he shows
an unfair partiality to the boys and
girls by making the weeks appear
long, while he hustles us with ever
increasing speed from year to year,
is fact not to be doubted
Well, it's all right, and we won't
grumble any more than we can help.
This life has a good deal in store yet,
perhaps, and we will just roll up our
sleeves and do an honest days work
until we are called from labor to re-
fteshment and sleep. It's glorious
season, as Dickens sings, 'SThe king
of the seasons all" and we we must
adorn it with such merriment as our
surroundings permit.
Eighteen hundred and ninety-one
years ago an Eastern King wishing
to know if the war he was about to
engage in would be successful, sent
an embassy laden with rich gifts to
consult the oracle of Apollo at Del
phi. Over sea and island they held
their way AMI at last saw browning
the height before them the marble
fronted temple of the god whose
oracular responses disclosed the Sc
crets of the past, the present and the
future. Invigorated by the sight,
they press onward up the deep ascent,
confident in the ability of the god to
make known the future and almost
equally confident that his prophecy
would be favorable. The ascent is
gained, the slaves and asses relieved
of their burdens, the rich presents of
gold and of precious stones delivered
to the priests, and the god invoked
to grant a favorable response. What
was the answer returned to these
pilgrims who had come so far to re-
ceive it? IF the tradition be true,
that answer was the most wonderful
ever delivered there: "Lo! One
greater than has this day come into
the world; He alone can henceforth
disclose the secrets of fate"
Far away from the classic groves
of Delphi knelt other pilgrims and
offered gifts; but no Parian marble
sheltered the object of their devotioni
no priets, bound with laurel, bore
presents to chambers already heaped
with treasures from every cline; no
affairs smoked with the blood OF
slaughtered victims but over the
mother and child in the lowly man.
ger the angels of God sang the first
Christmas anthem of peace and good
win, and earth and heaven reioiced
together at the sound.
To the devout christian that winter
night, when the angels sang the birth
Of the Prince of Peace, must OF
course be one of intensest interest.
Then begun, the fulfllment of the
long line of,prophecies whose consu
nation. viii be the second coming
anduponwhich depends every article
of his faith.
To-day we celebrate the eighteen
hundred and ninety-frst anniversary
of the birth of Christ and of the new
religion which He taught The won.
derful spreadof the Christian tenents
is ofsurpassing interestin many ways
The arstan9 most important is, Of
course, thespiritual one that a knowl-
edge of the true God has borne COM
fort and solace and fresh inspiration
to SO many Of earth's denizens, wear.
led with the struggle of life and the
conflict of right with wrong Second