Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-01-04

Kingdom there snail ne
not you see her breast hea.
you not see her cheeks pale with eIl..
tion and then flush! DO you think
Mary could ever look back upon the
scenes OF that first Christmas day
without picturing the scene where the
angel Gabriel told her that she was TO
become the mother of the promised
Messiah?
The Greatest Christmas of All.
Many Christmases have come and
gone as they came and went for Mary.
But, as with the mother of Jesus
Christ. there Is one Christmas which
stands out above all other Christmases.
That was the Christmas when for the
first time we felt that our hearts were
one with Jesus Chrlst's heart. Before
that time we looked forward to Christ
mas MS the time we received a lot of
presents and could eat n pile Of candy
or toward the time when we could get
vacation from school and go skating
upon the river or go sliding down hill
upon our new sleighs. But one day
there came to us message from
heaven MS significant MS that which the
angel Gabriel delivered to Mary. II
said: christmas is not simply time
for fun. Christmas Is the day we cele-
brate the birth of Jesus In Bethlehem
OF Judea, that we. through him. may
become one with God" oh, then. how
different were the Christmas saluta-
tions with which we greeted our
friends. oh, then. how different were
the hopes with which we looked for
ward to our sacred Christmases. Has
the angelic messenger appeared to you?
If he has not will you not pray that
he may appear to you now. as he once
appeared TO Mary TO tell her that the
child who was TO be born was the Son
things and pondered them in her
heart"
There was another fact which must
have preyed much on Mary's heart
and mind when she thought Of the
events preceding that first Christmas
day That was the love and the gen
tleness and the falthfulness of her
companion and husband. Joseph, the
carpenter. who was TO her what no
| other human being was In her time of
| trial and distress. Whenever she
thought of him ii was always rs the
same dear, gentle, kind. loving. faith
full husband. When he went to Beth.
lehcm he could not leave her behind.
| because her descent from David was
more important than his own. Then
he did not want to leave her behind
| for fear she would not he treated well.
| Then his gentleness on the journey!
In order To make her trip easier 10
seph brought her donkey to ride
| That Is the mode of transportation
which the poor In the east always use.
But, Joseph" think | hear Mary
say, you cannot afford TO buy that
beast for me Why. In all probability
to buy II you sold some of your car
pentcr tools" We'll" | think hear
Joseph say. MARY. 1t Is best. You
could never walk all that long dis.
lance In your present condition. | will
be able TO pay for him by working n
| little later at night"
Mary and Joseph.
Then as Mary thinks OF all that long
journey down to Bethlehem think
she pictures Joseph as carefully lifting
her on the beast of burden. Then
| when night comes and the camp has
| TO be made | think she sees him cook
| ing the simple meal and carefully COW
In, N fp I'm
warm blanket. He brings her water
to drink. Then how careful and anx-
| ious he Is toward the end of the trip.
| Yes. Mary could never think of the
events which led up to that first Christ
mas day without picturing Joseph. the
| tender Joseph. the loving Joseph. the
| protector and friend Yet Marys re-
membranes of Joseph are not unlike
those we have Of our dear ones who
during the merry Christmases have
| come and gone.
! Have we not had our faithful Josephs
IN our past christmases? How kind
and loving some OF them have been!
There was your mother. the central fig
ure Of your childhood's Christmases
| How she ever enjoyed those Christ.
masses is beyond US. She used TO work
So hard to prepare for them that she
was more fitted 10 be In bed than TO
be moving around and making her
happy laugh the loudest OF the merry
making. Can't you see her sitting up
and sewingf She used 10 think you
were asleep but you were not. How
she ever got so much together for that
Christmas tree was wonder. Talk
about geniuses Of finance! Why, she
Nd make Il dollar go further than
one you ever knew. And. then.
IL ere was your father, and there was
you older sister. Don't you remember
how she sat down and cried when you
/ found out where some OF your presents
/ .,l.. ..I.a a