The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-12-20
4 MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Do Some Ac. to Make j. q Happy o,e
Fer Your Neighccr.
once Il Ueek.

Oace q U-eek
Scarcely less wonderful than the rny-
.erv Of the first Christmas night IS the .
mystery Of the perpetuation OF the feS-
tival. II Is tar cry enough from the
who tended their fiocks on
the hillside Of Judea, and the believing
kings who followed the star from the
east. to, let Us say, the average Amerl-
can citizen. and the modern rulers o.
kingdoms. Reverence and simple faith
are not exactly the prevailing charac-
teristics Of the former, nor do the lat
ter betray sufficient keenness OF inter
est in things supernal to warrant the
supposition that they would leave their
kingdoms and 90 forth laden with treas
ure 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 re
sounds in the heavens on Christmas
night and brother is recOnclled tc
brother. old enmities are LAID away,
past sins forgiven, 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 llberality, scat
te, their goods among the poor, there
by initiating the Magi of old; for IS 1t
not written: "WhatsOever We shall do
unto the least of My brethren, We shall
do unto Me-" Thus. in spite of the
evil forces with which modern mate
rialism and lnfdelity are seeking to
subvert the influences of Christianity
the Star of Bethlehem is still in the
ascendant, and Christmas is the greet
est and most joyous festival known to
the civilized world.
A Merry Christmas, then, let it be
to all A divine religion is not sad
one. It brings peace to the heart, and
Joy is an exuberance of peace. There
fore let the bells ring out, and hang
out the mistletOe, and bring on the
smoking turky, and gather round the
freside. and ioin in the frolics of the
Notwithstanding, everything, SC
that the day be merry, and all hearts
rejoice because Christ the Lord was
born. Forget fer the time the care
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 pretty tyran
MES and iealOusies of common days. l
YOU can lose the key Of the closet, SC
much the better. If not, even the
brief reipste from ugly cares will leave
its benediction in your heart, anC
quicken your longing for the return
of the festival of peace.
If you haye no fireside of your owl
to enliven, seek out the desolate hearth
of some unfortunate brother. Their
are many forlorn little ones to whom
an orange and picture book would b
foretaste of Heaven. Play SAINT
Claus to such, and you will find you
Merry Christmas in the reflection c
: their innocent delight or carry YOU
greeting and your gift to some age
and lonely creature whose last Chris
mas it will be on earth, and earn
blessing that will repay your efforts
hundredfold There Is, happily, II
e. monopoly of the joys of Christina
If they do not come to US, we can so
them. We have but to open our hear
i. and stretch out our hands, and tt
j messengers Of peace will come glad
: trooplng toward us. 1t will be OF
: own fault if we have not each and a
: a Merry Christmas.
senseless Frett;ng