The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-25

J the wear send you greeting and y Merry
Christmas -
When | was a boy in the Sunday-school one
summer there appeared in the sky a spectacle such
no boy Of this generation has looked upon-the
great comet OF rS5S. Its coming had been pre-
ciicc,i and on TN. very dav and hour expected
and in the very spot in the sky. it rose to view:
at like itl.iv by through
powerful telescopes. but after few nights visible to
the r,flai,lcd eye, bright light followed by
trail as OF star-tus Rapidly it grew, evening by
evening. until it covered a quarter OF the irnanent
with its ircing sIlcldor. making the brightest
consultations dim under its radiance. For weeks
it stood in the sky at night. attracting every eye:
the smallest children gazing up and pointing
little fingers toward it. Then it began to lessen;
and faded rapidly than it had riscn until
night ii passed from system Of and planets,
and more
Like that great comet vet unlike it. a Star arose
from this earth little than nineteen centuries
ago. So faint and feeble its first rays that few
people noticed it in the SKY for it shone not on Rome
the city OF empire nor on Athens the city OF learn
ing but the small rndstingriShed land of iudca:
and there the people who the Star were not
princes scholars. but plain and 50 few
they. and humble, that when they told others
the wonder which they had seen scarcely any
people listened them. No mention OF the Star
made in books writings of that time: and
not that know the day
the year when the Star first shone. The few plain
people who it followed its to their source.
and found that its light stood the rlangcr in a
stable where a Baby was living while Its young mother
wearing the garments OF a working man wife, watched
beside it. That Baby. Jesus the Son of Mary.
the Star that shonc first Bethlehem and has been
bearing upon the world through the long centuries
since He like the His gradual rising:
though unlike that comet in that His light has
grown dim. but brighter.
After thirty years OF shining a few fishermen and
farmers had seen the light: Peter. John Matthey.
and little circle OF others following the Star
\ hundred wears. and the light flashing upon :.
thousand cities and villages around the Mediterranean
Sea \ thousand years. and shone all Europe:
now. the Star beams upon the whole world And in
the light of that Star. Christmas Day, the Young
and the old rejoice together.
This is the season of the year when all the civilized
earth keeps the birthday OF Him Who shonc and
shines still the Star of Bethlehem. Every Christian
home bright and rnulttudcs who have lived twelve
month with scarcely thought OF Christ think of Him
Christmas Day and open their eyes 4 little to
Him and their hearts to be warmed hy His spirit.
When they the Star they rcjoiycd with
ccccling great 10Y So it was with the Wise Men who
came from aar and 50 it is with everyone who i'll
spirit the Star to-day OF all days in the year
Christmas is the happiest. day when JOY breaks
loose and hides itself. when is almost
forgotten and poverty is
touched with gcam OF bright TUE
for on the table in the tcnc- ~ .o'oe so.t' e
1ncnt-holsc stands the little ''ii " 0sauhu.
Christmastrcc with its tnsc and young "o'iiaf''
toys great a delight the over "nIn III APPtafs
circle around it the tall 1'o'' 'iS Asai 'i
which lifts its wide branches above
a gailv dressed company in the George R. Barse
library OF the brOwnstonc palace Artists. winner of the
Rich and poor alike find happ of pastel dra
ness Christmas Dav souely reproduced in
The Sundly-School army and on the appropria
the American continent counts be only worth Sc