The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-25

often bap,,e,,s that observances are more closely
followed which are left to the good Will each than
Gthoss witch have been designed and prescribed
instance of this ~ the CONNER Ion ~ the
birthEof Christ, compared With that OF his dealt
FOR tile latter Christ took measures He who had
hardly Instituted Or appointed anything, taught HIS
disciples to- take bread and wine together In rene
Sbrance of Him He uttered Upon that occasion words
which have remained rable anon and fol-
lowed them with the request: 90 insremetl-
Ebrance 81 It has happened this solemn
trepast has become through the ages the Meeting
ground ofscontroyersy. Similarly n certain families
days 81 reunion are days Sofs battle Not word
pronounced BY Christ the last evening OF His life
has had the fortune to pass down history
Every one Of them has been the toy OF sectarlan ag
nations, sectarian heat. And now that the antago-
nsts have Gained down, ind fference has succeeded
hostility. The Last Supper is deserted w here it is
celebrated, "A how rare are true communions! Do we
not appear ut usually, like mere figures In g. Pic
ture Of fraternity, belied by facts
Z Was that what Jesus asked OF us, when, already.
upon the threshold OF the invisible word He US
this prayer y" This do In remembrance OF Ne?
M AS to His BIRTH Christ gave no thought to. the
manner Of its celebration by His disciples. They do
not appear to have bered It during His life
Had He ever any knowledge OF the adorable stories
begarlandng His crib for us I? It&is hardly probable
And, behold that forgotten, neglected birthday has
conquered a place OF honor. celebrated IN con-
dtons in which the Saviour mght recognize HIS own
purposes TO speak OF one aspect only Jesus loved
children as no one has ever owed them. Let them
come to He said to the apostles, anxious to
guard Him from that merry crowd, suspected
incapable OF edfcaon No doubt, those most serious
ancestors 81 our traditions had occasion that
often In similar circumstan believe tho Master
touched with a harmless insanity. s55
No matter, the Intentions OF the Son OF Man have
been largely realized His birthday has become the
day OF the children No earthly day has shed more
brightness upon No church festiv gives
more life the immeasurable truth #of the PROMISE:
81 shall be with you to the end Of the world, None
Z II axes .it sweeter8 to the heart.
# Christmas has charm beyond them all. It was
the Christian soul filled full with Jesus created this
festival Every generation has given IT of
its own. There has been rivalry Of In the
Eucharist, according to doctrine the abuse OF which
must not make us forget its true and sorrowfud pro-
#foundness Christ dies from age to for our sins
and will suffer until the last sinner Is saved. IN the
radiance Of Christmas, Christ smiles #eternally upon
#the little ones and the groWn-up who make them
selves children again # 8S y
Where else in the world can one find such an
Acumulatio ION Of memories NJ The Christmas Of his
childhood light up blessed in the heart OF
every m an SD The more He becomes aged and joyess
the brighter shines the light there beloved past
Let me close my eyes, forget the present, and for
a moment live over again the happy time when had
a grandfather, a grandmother} father and mother,
and athe wealth Of life and hope God sows 30 bonn
&tifullyin the childish soul 8S4 81 Fl 55t
ST can see on winter evenings, the ~ lite earth and
the glowing western sky We knew what It meant,
thatred 81 ow In the neighborhood Of Christmas day.
Our grandmothers had told US: The Christmas lady
us baking her cakes And the lively CHI dish #imag-
nation which nothing is impossible, readily erected
up in$the golden clouds heavenly X tchen in which
#conely angels heated the ovens and Ekneaded the
dough. Heaven was SO near that the smoke Of our
roofs seemed to us to float toward It's courts
At the coming of evening however and the q osing
in OF night, could not be but should fall
upon the picture. For il chill ren see
angels naughty boys are afraid Of some one making
readyto give them their deserts This parsonage was
Hans Drabb made the personal acquaint of this
merchandising indiy preceded by few
treasures In gets Inn
sailors fling their silks gold to another on