The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-12-21

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~ heard a song
so full of sweet melody and so freight
ed with possible good as that sung by
the angels on the first Christmas Eve.
Who can Sing sweeter than angels?
And what sentiment surpasses that of
"Glory to God" and "Peace on Earth2"
II mortals could perfectly weave these
sentiments into character each life
would be a psalm of sweeter music
than that sung by these angels. This
indeed is the meaning of the song,
and of the remarkable child, and of
Christmas. Where, also, on our green
earth, is there a spot more worthy to
be the birthplace of such babe than
Bethlehem in Judea? This quiet viii
lage hangs upon the crescent hillside
like birds nest among leaves, and
the circling hills form natural era
die, sheltered from the winds, and To-
cusing the suns December rays. On
almost any winter night you can stand
upon their oriental housetops and sec
the moonlight flooding this cradle val
ley with its silvery halo, and watch
the shepherds now, as of old, tending
their flocks of sheep and goats, and,
80 real is the scene, that you can al
most h ear again the angel song, and
fancy that hope is dawning anew on a
weary world as the morning dawn
rises over the Moab uplands eastward.
The setting of these sacred hills is not
unworthy of the jewel it bore.
Now, for eighteen centuries, once a
year, at least, men have turned their
thoughts toward the sacred village,
the sun and the manger and, like the
wise men of the East, have laid their
gifts and homage at the feet Of this
newborn babe.
Christmas day = the best of all our
holidays. There is more meaning in II
than in any other we celebrate. 1t is
cheeriest and has the most reason to be
so. 1t is by emphasis day of the heart
and of the home. Motherhood and babe
hood, and home and hope, are its
touches of nature that make the whole
world kin. What is holier than moth
erhood? 1t subdues the warning race
of man into brotherhood by its tender
memories of years long gone and its
tepderer ministering Of years now pres.
ent. And what Is sweeter than babe
hood? Artists have painted this
Christ-babe as the perfection of all
babe loveliness. The babe of the Sistine
Madonna expresses our thought of
what the Babe of Bethlehem was, and
who does not love babe? With a babe
and mother we have home and child
hood. Nazareth, like Bethlehem, Is a
garden among the hills, and here was
the home and childhood of Christ.
Here yet Mary's fountain flows from
the rock and the women water-car-
riers, erect and IN single file, bear tho
graceful water jars upon their shoul-
ders. The stone dwellings and simple
furniture are as of old.
1t was in a mangcr at birth and a
humble dwelling through childhood
that the divine-human babe was intro,
duced to life that has brought hope
and cheer to multitudes.
Thus Christmas speaks to man
through some Of the dearest relations
ships he sustains, and the words II
speaks are that all men should live for
the glory of God and for peace among
men.
Christmas is well celebrated in song,
after the example of the first celebra-
tion. Music Is the language of Joy.
Heart joy speaks in the soft murmur-
ing music of the soul when no ear Is
near; home Joy finds expression in the
chorus of mingled voices around the
hearthstone; a nations Joy breaks
forth in martial hymns or peans Of lib
erty; universal joy demands angelic
harmonies. Once the stars sang to-
gether for Joy and the trees of the
fields clapped their hands, and once
angelic messengers sang a Christmas
anthem of universal peace.
Christmas is well celebrated with
gifts. When Heaven gives so royalty
to men, men may well give to each
other. How rich in self-forgetfulness
and how beautiful in service was that
life which Christmas celebrates. Santa
Claus with his loaded pack has stood the
criticism of the years largely because
of the spirit of giving which he repre-
sents-Christmas gifts and Christmas
songs. GILBERT FREDERICK.