The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-12-25
CHRISTMAS DAY.

east, and are come to worship
1im.-Matthew ii, 2.
To-day, throughout Christen
dom, the anniversary of the birth
Of Christ will be celebrated by
Christian people.
"Peace on earth, good will to
men," sang the angels long ago
when the Star Of Bethlehem light
ed the Eastern sky and brought
the glad tidings to sin-laden
earth that Savior had come to
redeem-sent to earth as mes
senger from Heaven to warn, to
teach and spread the seeds OF a
gospel that have brought forth
fruit in the magnificent civiliza-
ton that marks the world to-day
in startling contrast to the condi-
tons existing at the beginning OF
the Christian era and for many
centuries previous.
Christmas is a splendid hope
that awaits fulfillmet-the festival
of the home-the annual jubilee
of the heart. The year that is
passing, like its predecessors, has,
of course, brought different indi-
vidual experiences to each one OF
us. It has not brought unalloyed
happiness to any, and to very few
has it brought unmixed sorrow.
Beyond doubt this Christmas
morning finds many homes in the
shadow of hard experience and
painful memories, which not
the cheerful influence of the joy
GUS festival can entirely dissipate.
To such households the retrospect
of the year brings ''more tears
than mirth, less joy and more re-
greet" Yet we may say with
confidence that wherever the true
Christian spirit of the season per-
vades the home, there will be felt
a warm glow of hope and cheer
that will do much to sooth what
ever aches and sorrows the
experiences of the passing year
have brought. In our Southern
land Christmas is and always has
been the true Thanksgiving Day,
on which, after a year of toll,
families are regathered around
the old hearth to rejoice and rest,
as did the soul of the poet by
THE Shaded Water -
when the far-traveling breeze, done
wandering,
Rests here his weary wing"
Washington Irving drew a faith
full picture of Christmas as it is
kept here in the South. He speaks
of it tenderly as 'sthe season for
gathering together of family con-
nections and drawing closer again
those bonds of kindred hearts
which the cares and pleasures and
SORROWS of the world are continu-
ally operating to cast loose; OF
calling back the children of a
family who have launched forth in
life and wandered widely asunder
once more to assemble about the
paternal hearth, that rallying-
place of the affections, there to
grow young and loving again
among the endearing mementos
of childhood" It is our privilege
to-day to throw wide open the
doors of our hearts and bid ''the
angels Of our better nature come
in. This is the time of all times
togive free play to all the gracious
and genial impulses that help not
only to make sunshine in our own
homes, but to spread it by happy
contagion of cheerfulness to the
homes of our neighbors and
friends.
This is not a perfect world, and
it is the common lot of mortals to
walk now in the shadow and now
in the sunshine. The nature of
things is not abolished because it
is Christmas time, and, except in
the poets dream, it is not posi-
BILE to change the fundamental
conditions of life rapidly, nor 20