The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-12-22
cHRIsTMAs-THE 10TH CENTURY.

Yet few days and the Christmas bells will
be ringing out for the last time in the Nine
tenth Century-"Peace on earth, good will to
men,"
Christmas tide brings with it cheer and
kindly feeling that comes atno other season OF
the year. Men forget for the time, the sordid
cares and the trials and troubles of active bus
mess or professional life, and recognize in
larger measure the kinship Of man and the
kingship of the Supreme Being who rules and
governs all
| To our patrons we extenda hearty Christmas |
greeting and remind them of the many little |
acts of kindness and charity that they can |
perform for their less fortunate fellow-beings, |
at little cost or inconvenience to themselves,
but which may bring happiness and cheer on
Christmas day in homes where poverty and
want are made all the harder to bear because
| of the festivities entered into by their more
fortunate neighbors.
As we stand on the threshold of the New
| Century and compare our condition and civil
ization with that of the past, we recognize that
we are indeed highly favored and are devoutly
thankful that we enjoy the blessings of Chris
tianity and of our present civilization, and we
must recognize that this civilization is only
possible through the influence of Christianity
The celebration of the anniversary of the
birth of our Savior should mean more to us
each year. What would not the Christian
Martyrs have given TO have enjoyed in peace
good cheer and joyous plenty just one such an
niversary of Christ's birth as we shall celebrate
next Tuesday? What would not pious but
oyer-zealous Crusaders who left their bones
to bleach on the sands of the Orient, in at
tempting to wrest the Holy Sepulchre from in
fidels have OF u, tho ei~-'r''s """'--~ IS
of one such Christmas morn?
We are better than they only in so far as
our opportunities are greater than theirs. We
are accustomed to speak and think of the GEN.
turies that have elapsed as the old centuries
and of ours as the new, but in point of ciyiliza-
ton and the age of the earth, and the age of
our race, we are living in the Oldest century
| The years which our Savior spent upon earth
! were years when civilization was in its youth
Biologists tell us that it has taken thousands
| upon thousands of years for the earth to as
| sumo its present habitable shape. Ethnolo-
| gists tell us that the race is no longer in its
cradle, and Archeologists point out the evil
dences OF prehistoric man and say that the
race as well as its habitat is nearer the grave
! than the cradle
The Wise Man of the East travelled to Beth
lehem to stand by the cradle Of Christ and to
do honor to his birth and to let the world
know that this was indeed the Christ, the
Savior of the world. Not one of us can read
the history of His birth, and the circumstances
of divinity surrounding it, without feeling
| hat Al ho tome
! event in the history of the human race.
Christmas is thus by far the most important
celebration of this or any other year, where
ever Christianity or Christian influences
prevail.
Though the times change and civilization
marches steadily onward Christmas means,
| and ever will mean, the same to us. The Wise
Men of nineteen hundred years ago knew less
than schoolboy of eight today. They be-
lieved, among many other fallacies, that the
earth was fiat like board, and that if men
Travelled far enough they would fall off, yet no
matter what else may change, the birth of our
Savior and the anniversary of His birth is the
bright and shining star in the years calendar.
THE GERMAN EMPERoRs order that English
be taught in the higher schools of Germany to
the displacement of French is a striking trib-
ute to the growing use of English throughout
the world. A german merchant in China says
he writes all his business letters in English,
because he can write in page of English what
it would take three pages to express in German,
and besides he can express himself much
| more accurately in English. Our language is
rapidly becoming the world-tongue. Language
| 10 SoYnefhipo which snralv follows tho fac
and the banners most seen on every sea and in
every port are the Stars and Stripes and Union
Jack, both representing the mightiest peoples
and greatest tongue on earth.
THE CAREER of the late Senator Cushman X.
Davis, of Minnesota, was another illustration
of the fact that the prizes in all spheres of en-
deavor in the United States are open to every
body with energy, character and intelligence.
Davis was poor at the outset, and remained
poor to the end of his career. Neither fortune
nor political pulls had anything to do with
his success. Ability and character won him
his place in the public service For years past
he had been one of the most distinguished
men in the Senate. As chairman of the Com
mittee of Foreign Relations he gained repu-
tation which has made him known through
out the world.
THE LITTLE city of Hampstead, Carroll
county was treated to the novelty of bank
robbery at 2 o'clock on Thursday morning
last. A savings bank was lately started there
and for want of better place a room in the
| furniture store of Mr.. Charles N. Upton was
used for the purpose. The burglars easily
gained entrance to the place and then dyna-
mted the safe. The explosion wrecked the
safe and almost blew the house down, but the
cracksmen, who afterwards escaped toward
Baltimore on the handcar got only about $50
| for their trouble.
A HORRIBLE affair occurred ON the farm of
Mrs. l,. T. Cartwright, near College Park
Prince Georges county, few days ago. Florin
NJ. Crew, manager of the farm had disagree
ment with one of his hands, colored man
named Buttons" johnson. While Crews
back was turned Johnson fired two charges
from a gun at him, almost entirely blowing
| off his head. The colored man then went be-
hind the house and, drawing pistol from his
pocket shot himselfthrough the head and died
instantly. Mrs. Cartwright was the only wit
ness of the killing.
CLARK, of Montana, who was turned out of
| the United States Senate because be had Sc
cured his seat through bribery and fraud did
not fail to collect S444 10 for witness fees and
mileage for himself, although his regular in
come is said to be $4,000 day There were
ninety-one witnesses in the case examined by
| the committee and their fees and expenses
amounted to S25, $50.
ATFoRDs Opera House, Baltimore, on Thurs
day afternoon the Empty Stocking Club dis
tributed1, 500 full stockings ZOO dressed dolls
6OOtin trumpets ard lots of other things to many
hundreds of poor children who had been
brought together to receive them. The ladies
and gentlemen who are engaged in this work
| have good hearts that are located in the right
place.