Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-12-23


With the first deep hush Of the approach.
ing Saturday midnight, softly and silently
~ the dew that steals down In the bosom Of
the violet, or as the footballs Of an angel
moving In path paved with liquid light, the
Christmas Of 1898 will fall over and around
the world-the anniversary Of that morning
when Jerusalem, In the ripeness Of her glory,
was illuminated by star which led the
wise men to the mAnger In the stable where
the infant Jesus lay-the anniversary Of that
holy night when upon the cold, crisp air
fell these words Of ponderous import:
"For unto you Is born this day, 10 the
city Of David, Q Savior which is Christ the
Lord"-and when mid the increasing Grim.
con splendor of that star, the flashing of
white wings and the coming and going oil
radiant forms, voices, mellowed BY distance,
were heard chanting In unison: "Glory 10
God In the highest and on earth peace 10
men of good will"
Il has been said with much force, and with
o. much Of truth, that no anniversary In the
calendar is 90 crowded with love and hope
% is Christmas Day. The little child wakes
on Christmas morning with its heart full 70
overlooking with gladneas, and by every gift
in stocking, or beside cradle or bed, 10 taught
anew the old, old lesson of love. Husband
and wife, brother and sister, lover and sweet.
heart, friend and friend, as they receive their
gifts are reminded once more that love ls
not q dream, but q reality, and reality
which grows more vital, more precious and
more enduring with the years. The sick 10
chair or in bed, as they receive their Christ
mas gifts, are almost reconciled 70 loneliness
and pain. The poor, the outcast, the leper,
the orphan child, the iamishing man, the
hungered, naked and rooaess, the betrayed,
with the great wrong doors and rejected,
whose name is legion and whose portion
wretchedn ess-all who are weary and heavy
laden, from the fields and by places and eel
lars, the walls on the street, men brutalized,
women unsexed, children gray In iniquitV,
who never felt the balmy breath of limo
cence, will realize new love new hope
As they are cared for on this anniversary
OF the great Christmas Day and invited to
come in from the storms that they be taught
the way OF lite and virtue
Christmas comes in the cold of winter,
and is hallowed with love and hope. All
OF its associations and ell its influences are
OF the best kind. 1t re unites families and
friends. 1t Awakens kindly and generous
sentiments. II promotes peace and good will
among our mixed population. 1t gives &
festival Tor the homes Of ell. and to the
homeless IL brings one day in the year oil
gladness and plenty. Thousands Of spires
will rise TO heaven. on Sabbath next, above
countless roofs, and under the shadow of
each, it will be declared IN awful accents OF
inspiration, that the poor are to be our first
and special care.
Low and sweet a. the lullaby of the in.
FAINT, soft and rich a. the mourning of the
ring dove, sad and thrilling Is the wAilng
of the night wind, wild and high as the call
Of the bugle, grand and awful as the roar OF
the ocean, the blended waves OF love and |
charity wlli beat against and around the |
world oB tais Christmas anniversary--tell
ing the old, Old story Of love.
"God bless ~ every one" THAT is Christ.
lnAs ~ If 1t has not exactly been our
Christmas oil the past, let ii be, at least, our
Christmas Of this year. This 10 Christmas
10 its truest sense and Its highest and most
Divine aspect" And 1t should be TO each
and all our Christmas Of 1898.
That our readers and sr.sads-all may
make it such, 10 the best Christmas saIuta.
ton we could offer them. Make It such-it
will bring the hsrmonies oil your home life
in unison with the highest intelligence OF
the human mind. Take this flower of love
with you TO the altar where you worship
let II adorn the walls Of your firesides-its
fragrance will lull, warm and gladden. every
heart--and its mystic voice, blushing into
types Of living beauty, will become the har.
monies Of our hamlets, and Its roseate bloom
the pride Of every household.