The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-12-31
CHRISTMAS DAY.

Christmas Day was observed in the
prison in the usual manner. Every
feature of the days program was care
fully arranged to make the occasion as
enjoyable as possible. A Christmas
feeling pervaded the prison. Every
body was on good terms with himself
and everybody else, and the one desire
was to make the most of the privileges
granted and forget the circumstances
that prevented free enjoyment of the
great Christian holiday.
Promptly at A.. NJ. the signal was
given and the inmates filed into the
chapel to be entertained by visiting
talent. The chapel was respondent
with tasteful and attractive decora-
tions appropriate to the season. Holly
and evergreen gave the platform the
appearance of sylvan dell, and
brilliant company of visiting ladies
and gentlemen lent elegance to the
scene. Rev. J. H. Albert opened
the exercises by invocation. Prof.
Moreno, Geo. E.. Chase and E. A.
Meyers, of St. Paul, and VIM. A. Wing,
of saltwater, were present and con-
tributed several selections on the
guitar and mandolin. Miss Phelps,
teacher in the high school of Saltwater,
rendered dramatic readings, her deliv-
cry being we'll received and greatly ap-
plauded by the audience. Her rendi-
ton of "Toby Beck was splendid
portrayal of one of Dickens character
studies and the applause that followed
it's finish indicated its appreciation
among the inmates. The guitar and
mandolin selections, under the direc-
ton of Prof. Moreno, were the best
heard in the chapel for many day.
Rev. DIR. Darner, of st. Paul, deliv-
cred a scholarly address on ''Christmas
and Its Influence on Human Affairs .
After reviewing human history up to
the birth of Christ. he delineated with
great clearness the conditions and
thought that were supreme in the world
when the Star of Bethlehem arose
Rome was the paramount power. In
her was vested the wealth, splendol
and the scepter of power. In the arts
in culture and in all that gave out
ward greatness to nation she repre-
scented the highest type of civilization
then known to the world. But be
meath the gloss of Roman greatness
| there was seething cauldron of greed
selfishness, RIGHTEOUSNESS and the low
of barbarous pleasures. Humanit.
had no claims on the powerful, cruelt..
was the rule instead of the exception
the doctrine of love was an unknown
= quantity and through all grades o
society, from the highest to the lowest
vice and lust was rampant.
= The advent of Christ was like toni
S to debilitated world. He invigorate
it. threw into its decaying forms tn
q life of His divine nature and elevate
o. what was good while destroying tn
bad. He was the conquering fore
that charged the legions of sin an
rescued humanity from it's bondag'
" Appomattox was the death-blow t
u the civil war, but there was skirmishe
that followed. He gave sin its deatl
e blow, and the struggles that now al
e being made for its final subsection al
d but the ski1mishes of the great bait
fought nearly nineteen hundred veal
l ago.
The speaker compared the moder
~ Christmas festival with ancient paga
~ rites and showed the relation existin
between them. Christmas has take
the best parts of every heather festive
A. breathed into them the doctrine Of 10y
is enunciated by Christ, and chrystalize
is them from the darkness of superstitit
er into the light of Christian faith.
In closing his splendid address, i
10 banner made an eloquent and beau'
If full reference to Christ's supreme do
er trine of loving neighbor as self al
ev declared it the keynote, the very {
sence of the Christian religion.
At the conclusion of the address, t.
81 choir sang the Christmas carol, ".Jing
d. Bells" pleasing effect being impart
~ to the singing by the jingling Of slei|
W bells with the refrain.
Warden Wolfer closed the exercis
he by remarks incidental to the prlvileg
ms extended. On behalf of the of1icis
to and inmates, he thanked the ladies al
lis gentlemen present for their services
making the day an enjoyable one.
ho made the third grade inmates happy
~ advancing them to the second and
W. pressed the hope that stripes won
-; be kept out of sight hereaft
Privilege tickets were restored to
who had lost them, so as to allow eve