The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-12-25
CHRISTMAS DAY.

Christmas day! and over all the earih
the bells of Joy are ringing Christ
mas day! and the organs of cathedrals
throb. in tumultuous ecstacy. Christ
mas day. and the ships on the tossing
waves hear the pillows of Old Ocean
shout their jov-tones to the shores.
Christmas day! and the hearts OF little
children beat fast with expectation
and the hopes of men grow strong.
Christmas day! and each OF those
that have borne the burdens OF
life and suffered its cruel sorrows,
looks out upon the merry passers by;
upon the sunlight and the mrth, anu
thinks, All, nearly nineteen hundred
wears ago. to-day, there was born on
earth. He, who, alone, in this vast
multitude of pleasure seekers. sees Tue
sorrows of my heart. =
How cold the gray dawn OF the morn
mo must have been in that stable at
Bethlehem: and the Christ Child must
have shivered there in the wretcned
manoer. And the Mother OF God, how
tenderly she must have tried to shield
her Child from the bitter cold.
! Alas! There came day when she
could no longer shield HIM; when
more cutting than the icy wind, she
felt breathed upon His life the breath
of mans ingratitude. =
Heavy. weary and foot-sore, lie
walked through the streets OF Jeruse,
lem alone, though, in the midst "i
its crowds. Tired and discouraged
sometimes, He went through the lanes
of Judea.
Once He stood in the church OF HIS
native town, before the people with
whom He had PASSED His childhood.
and tried to tell them OF the great
truths lie had come to reveal. But
they seoffed at Him; they lnsulted
Him, and so He closed the volume OF
the book, and left them' to their Jeer-
, mo and their scorn, "because OF their
! unbeiief."
But always-wherever He went, the
sick, the poor. the broken hearted
drew near unto Him. These knew lie
, would not scorn them, however ao-
sorbed He may appear to be, by the
eager questions of tue Scrlbes anu
Pharisees.
e They drew near unto Him, ana no
n matter what their sorrow was-whetp-
err it was some grea. tragedy. that foi
an instant cuts into the hearts OF all
u men and so reveals their kinshlp, OF
Il whether it was some simple infirmlty
as deafness or blindness. that few
notice .ouly they to whom it is sent ane
o whom it forever deprives OF all the en-
N ;oyment to be obtained from the SOUNDS
!, of GENTLE words and childish merri
:, ment. from the beauty OF the sunshine
10 flowers and star-light-they Knew ina
'g He would sympathize with them
ne would. perhaps, heal them. Then TOO
no when thew would think. longingiy Q
= The rest of the grave and yet shudde
&C Of its oblivion, He would tell them Dc
ct. to fear death, that it is not the END {
-, all things. 1t is but the beginning
another life-brighter, purer-Iar none
an and better than any life they coui
sc. know on this earth :,
TX And because He, Himself, was u
he Man of. Sorrows. and they saw III
walking straight toward the death
10 the cross. and never flinching say
| once or twice to. utter some cry
we human anguish. they beliered Hum.
70 Yes. they believed Him, and throus
all the years since then-even unto u
m present Representations after gene
atoms of men. have taken the facts
that life into their hearts; have WOW
=" its principles into their governmei
! They have believed Him, and beilevi
asst, Him. they have beheld. with aw,
his Joy, His promises, like beacon ngl
,ro fiaring upon the raging waters OF un
10 to tighten men to the, shares OF eter
nus tv. They have believed Him a
aud many of them who have believed M
t it firmly in this divine Man, have lei
20 strength as of that of personal pr
euce sustain them in affection. ana
'"- to-day they celebrate the birth
Christ.
May the JOY and solace OF
rich Christmas-tide abide with us all thro'
ars' each day of the coming year.