Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-12-26
A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
DO Some Act 70 Make 1t Happy One
for Your NeighbOr.

Scarcely less wonderful than the
mystery of the first Christmas night is
the mystery of the perpetuation of the
festival. 1t is far cry enough from
the shepherds who tended their flocks
on the hillside of Judea, and the be-
lieving kings who followed the star
from the east, to, let us say, the aver
age American citizen, and the modern
rulers of kingdoms. Reverence and
simple faith are not exactly the pre-
vailing characteristics of the former.
nor do the latter tetray sufficient keen
ness of interest in things supernal to
warrant the supposition that they
would leave their kingdoms and 20
forth laden with treasure, to follow a
mysterious sign in the heavens. Yet
withal Christmas brings its message to
these as well as to their widely differ
ent prototypes of nearly two thousand
years ago. The echo of the angelic
voices that sang of peace on earth,
good will to men, still resounds in the
heavens on Christm as night; and broth
er is reconciled to brother, old enmi-
ties are laid away, past sins forgiven,
and the bonds of friendship and family
affection drawn tighter over the Christ
mas board and round the cheerful
hearth. The rich and powerful still
open their Golfers and with large hand
ed liberality, scatter their goods among
the poor, thereby initiating the Magi
Of old; for is it not written: "What-
soever ye shall do unto the least of NY
brethren, ye shall do unto Mep" Thus,
in spite of the evil forces with which
modern materialism and infidelity are
seeking to subvert the influences of
Christianity, the Star of Bethlehem is
still in the ascendant, and Christmas
is the greatest and most joyous festi-
val known to the civilized world.
A Merry Christmas, then let it be to
all. A divine religion is not sad one.
1t brings peace to the heart, and joy is
an exuberance of peace. Therefore let
the bells ring out, and hang out the
mistletoe, and bring on the smoking
turkey, and gather round the fireside,
and join in the frolics of the young
sters-anything, everything, 30 that
the day be merry, and all hearts rejoice
because Christ the Lord was born. For.
get for time the cares of business, the
pressure of hard times, the threatening
future. Lock up the family skeleton
and, with it, all frowns and harsh
words and the petty tyrannies and jeal-
ousies of common days. If you can
lose the key of the closet, 80 much the
better. If not, even the brief respite
from ugly cares will leave the bene-
diction in your heart, and quicken
your longing for the return of the festi-
val 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 picture book would be
a 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 you a hundred
fold. There is, happily, no monopoly
of the joys Of Christmas. If they do
not come to US, we can 60 to them.
We have but to open our hearts and
stretch out our hands, and the messen-
ger of peace will come gladly trooping
toward us. 1t will be our own fault
if we have not each and all Merry
Christmas.-Once Week.