The Irish standard., 1891-12-26
THE FEST OH RISrlIA s..


a Graphic Description of the Scene ct
Bethlehem.
Winter had thrown It's robe Of spotless
white over the fair face Of Nature; the
strifes az contending hosts and the din
of arms had for the first time in centur-
1es died away. The victorious Eagles OF
the Imperial Caesars had taken their lof-
test fight and spread their wings over
conquered world.
When, on a cold, bleak December
night, the stars drifting unconsciously
across the sky and shining serenely
through their azure homes, out upon the
midnight air, the silence enveloping q
slumbering world. Behold, He was
born whose Word pierced the realms of
ancient night. He whom myriads of an
gels adore, born IN poor stable, hold
ing court with the shepherds. He who
could form creation from naught. He
who hurls the thunderbolt, was wrapped
in swaddling clothes. He whom the
heavens cannot contain, was peacefully
slumbering in the arms of the Virgin Of
Nazareth. How feeble the effort when
man attempts to describe this solemn yet
lovingly tender mystery.
The angels, appearing in the solemn
stiffness of midnight, chanted their
heaven born canticles, which were heard
by the ravlshed ears of the listening
shepherds. Suddenly the vision disap-
pears! The mystic symphony is hushed
into stiffness. The midnight watchers
hear naught but the signing of the wind
or the bark of the watch dog--which
ever and anon disturbed the solitude of
slumbering Bethlehem. Wrapped in
wonder and amazement, the shepherds
go over to Bethlehem to adore the SPAS
tor Pastorum,
Looking into the cave in order to as
sure themselves that they had reached
the end of their nightly pilgrimage,
these s'Men OF Good WHIP discovered
Him who came to preach the gospel to
the poor and to abolish the curse of slav.
cry, there reposing under the form Of a
little babe peacefully resting in his hum
bile crib.
The Infant God was next visited by
the Magi, who had followed the guiding
star from the far Orient to the 'fhallowed
hamlet of Bethlehem The found Him
not wrapped in soft garments, nor re-
posing in the cradle of luxury surround
ed by numberless worldly attendants,
but they found Him occupying His
throne Of perpetual poverty, protected
from the chilling cold blast by the
breathings OF the humblest of beasts
What sight must have met the gaze of
the Magi skilled in ancient lore The
feeble light of the lovely luminary en-
abled them to perceive an aged patri-
arch, a tender Virgin, and helpless In
fant-whom theY recognized as God
What a spectacle ! The King of
Eternal Ages born in time, adored by
the wise of the earth. The cradle OF
Him who came to abolish sacrifice was
not to be covered with blood. Hence
the Magi did not offer Him either spot
less lambs or white heifers. They offer
ed Him gold as an earthly prince, myrrh
and incense as God.
"Oh!' exclaims Chateaubriand, chow
antiquity would have expatiated in
praise Of this wonder! What a picture
Homer or Virgil would have left us
of the Son of God in a manager, of the
songs Of the shepherds, Of Magi con.
Quoted by star, Of the angels descend
ing to the desert. of Virgin Mother
adoring her newborn babe, and of this
scene of innocence, enchantment aud
grandeur.
What pleasing reco,lections the time
of Christmas brings with it. Again the
family gathers round the domestic
hearth and recalls the memory of by
gone days. The absent dear oners are
present in spirit. The old relate the
many soul-stirring events that time, in
his hurried march, has wrought upon
their checkered career. The aged sire
and the venerable matron, whose locks
have been whitened by the winters long
ago, are young again. and the counte-
nances are lit up with the joys of youth.
The weather-beaten sailor, far away on
the seething sea, whose frame has be,
come Injured to the blasts of perpetual
winter, has joyful Wis ons of his far off
happy home on Christmas day. Even
the poor exiled soldier, who wears the
badge Of his adopted country, thinks
tenderly of the violet Wales and spark
ling streams of his native land; and his
heart warns, his pulse beats quicker, as
he hears the boom of musketry and the
chimes Of thousand bells-proclaiming
II S~krr To- 81