The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-12-19
A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Do Some Act to Make 1t u Happy One For
Your Neighbour.

Scarcely less wonderful than tue
mystery of the first Christmas night IS
the mystery of the perpetuatlon Of the
festival, says writer in Once Week.
1t is far cry enough from the shep-
herds who tended their tlocks on the
hillside of Judea, and the believing
kings who followed the star from the
east, to let US say, the average Amer.
lean citizen, and the modern rulers OF
kingdoms. Reverence and simple
faith are not exactly the prevailing
characteristics Of the former, nor DO
the latter betray sufficient keenness of
interest in things supernal to warrant
the supposition that they would leave
their Kingdoms and go forth laden
with treasure to follow a mysterious
sign in the heavens. Yet withal
Christmas brings its message to these
as we'll as to their widely different
prototypes OF nearly two thousand
wears ago. The echo Of the angelic
voices that sang of peace on earth.
good will to men. still resounds IN
the heavens on Christmas night; and
brothor is reconciled to brother, old
enmitieS are laid away, past sins for
given. and the bonds of friendship
and family affection drawn tighter
over the Christmas board and round
the cheerful hearth. The rich and
powerful still open their Golfers and,
with large-handed liberality. scatter
their goods srong the poor, thereby
initiating the Magi of old; for IS 1t not
written ''Whatsoever We shall do uE-
to the least OF Ny brethren, ye shall
do unto Me?" Thus, in spite OF the
evil forces with which modern mate
rialism and 1nfdelity are seeking to
subvert the influence Of Christianity,
the Star of Bethlehem is still III the
ascendent, and Christmas is the great
est and most joyous festival known to
the civilized world.
A Merry Christmas, then. let 1t be to
all. 4 divine religion IS not a sad one.
1t brings peace to the heart, and joyls
an exUberance Of peace. Therefore
let the bells ring out, and hang out
the mistletoe, and bring on the smok-
ing turkey, 'and gather round the fire
side, and join in the frolics OF the
vouncsters-anything, everything, so
that the day be merry, and all hearts
rejoice because Christ the Lord was
born. Forget for time the cares OF
bushes. the pressure of hard times,
the threatening future. Lock up the
family skeleton and, with 1t. all
frowns and harsh words and petty ty-
rannies and jealousies of common
days. If you can lose the key Of the
closet. so much the better. II not,
even the brief respite from ugly cares
will leaveits benediction in your heart,
and quicken your longing for the re-
turn of the festival of peace.
If YOU have no fireside Of your own
to enliven, seek out the desolate hearth
of some unfortunate brother. There
are many forlorn little ones to whom
an orange and picturebook would be
foretaste of Heaven. Play Santa
Claus to such, and you will find your
Merry Christmas in the reflection Of
their innocent delight; or carry your
greeting and your gift to some aged
and lonely creature whose last Christ
mas it will be on earth, and earn a
blessing that Will repay your efforts a
hundredfold. There is, happily, no
monopoly of the joys of Christmas.
II they do not come to us, we can go
to them, We have but to open our
hearts and stretch out our hands, and
the messengers of peace will come
gladly trooping toward US. 1t will be
our own fault if we have not each and
all Merry Christmas