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SHRISTFJVLHS
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU !
HYMN BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
K > 3 |
O thoul who onco on earth wast born.
When shepherds on the plain
Beheld the midnight turn to morn ,
When wilt thou como again 1
Come to thy world , astray and sad ,
That groans with want and pain ;
Come , make its dese't places glad !
O , Christ , bo bora again !
Como to thy church. who e weeds of woe
The sons of men disdain ;
Thy face before thine altar show.
Our master , come again 1
Come to our darkness and our death ,
Whose homesick hearts complain ;
Renew their faith , Creative World !
Jmmanuel , como again 1
What gifts of Rood , what sontre of cheer ,
What wreithsto duck thy lame
Are worth thy gracious presence here ?
O , Savior , come again !
Not to the manger and the cross ,
To death , and shame , and pain.
To faithless friends , to grief and loss ;
O , King , return to reign 1
MOSES'S HAPPY THOUGHT.
A CHRISTMAS TALE , BV ERNEST GILMORE.
There were lour children in our log cabin ;
Epb and I , the twins , twelve years old ; Mose ,
who was not bright , just ten , and last but
not least , Mehitable. The latter was only
eight months old , but she ruled the family
and we all loved her sweet tyranny. No
queen upon her throne could have been more
beloved or admired. We considered her the
most beautiful baby in the world , with her
dimpled cheeks as delicate in hue as the fair
est rose petal , with eyes as blue as the love
liest summer skies , and little short rings of
gold , covering her round head.
No one manifested more love for the baby
than poor Mose. Mother trusted him with
the care of her with perfect confidence. For
poor Mose , who went about with a perpet
ual smile on his thin , homely face , was in-
variablv gentle , and cared for the "little
queen" "as tenderly as if she were some bit of
rare bric-a-brac that a rough shake would
utterly demolish.
Those were troublesome times , then , away
back over a hundred years ago , and though
we had as much fun then in our way as boys
do nowadays we had more excitement of a
certain kind ; an anxious , blood-curdling
kind , that often made our hearts beat like
trip-hammers while our hands grasped our
muskets. .
The day before Christmas was a busy one
in our log cabin. The big fire-place glowed ,
and the huge iron kettles sputtered away as
they cooked savorv messes for the morrow's
dinner. Eph and I picked chickens and ducks ,
while mother baked huge loaves of white and
brown bread , doughnuts and pumpkin pies ,
Mose meanwhile , watching dear little Mehit
able. The little witch would persist in creep-
in" toward the andirons on an exploring ex
pedition , to get a nearer view of the sizzling
of hot water in
tea-kettle , or of our pails
which we dipped our ducks , or in attempt
ing other ventursome journeys. Poor Mose ,
how patient he was. how untiring !
In the middle of the afternoon mother
said "Now. boys , take the basket of provis
ions to old Eben Barter's. You must hurry ,
too , so that you can get back before night. "
We did hurrv , but such a basket , packed
lull to the brim with bread , cakes , roast
and who knows what else !
chicken , spare-rib ,
Didn't our arms ache when , at last , after
wading through snow drifts and climbing
over ice barriers , we reached the little hut
of Eben Harter and delivered up our burden !
Eben Harter was an old man , so helpless
that it was with difficulty that he could hob
ble around his one small cabin room. The
other members of the family were his feeble ,
aged wife and a young granddaughter.
"You folks are so kind , and you boys so
eood to come to us through the stinging
cold , that 'twould be selfish to ask more ,
" 'What is it , Mrs. Harter ? " asked Eph ,
quickly. "If there's anything we can do lor
you , we'll do it. "
"Bless your dear heart ! " was the fervent
response , "I feel dreadful fearsome to-night ,
somehow : s'pose on account ol the dom s ol
them savages at the Corners. 'Twould be
BomellnV to be forever grateful for if we
could have one of you stout lads here all
"We'll get mother's consent , then , " Eph
said , and in another minute we were on our
way homeward. Mother willingly pave per
mission , BO we trudged back to the Harters ,
carrying apples and corn which we roasted
and popped while the old man told us stones
of his childhood. In the morning we burned
homeward , wondering if there were any gifts
for UH ; but when we reached the place where
there had been a little unused hut , half wny
between the Harters' and our house , nil
thought of gifts was lost in fear , for only the
aslirs remained of the hut.
"Oh. Eph , the Indians must have been
here. S'posing they've been to our house ? "
Epli's face blanched , but he said reassur
ingly , "If they've been there father's man
aged them. "
We raced on toward home , upon reaching
which , ' lather said , in a voice heavy with
emotion , "Mehitable's gone. "
"My baby's killed , " sobbed mothei.
Mose lifted his terrified eyes to our faces ,
his hands working convulsively.
"Tell us , quick , what do you mean ? "
begged Eph , dropping on his knees beside
mother. In broken words mother told us
the harrowing tale , how she and father had
been called away in the night to go to Unqle
Hiram's , whom they thought dying. There
was no other uaybut to leave Mehitable
in Mose's care , and so they did , with many
injunctions to ' 'let no harm come to the pre
cious baby. " At 4 o'clock , Uncle Hiram
being considered out of danger , our folks had
returned. When they saw the ruins of the
old en bin , they were greatly disti eased , and
upon reaching homo they found that nn at
tempt had been made to fire that. Moses's
greeting to them was , "They never touched
the bread-tray never even looked at it , oh ,
goodygoody ! ! "
"Where is the baby ! " mother asked ; but
there was no answer , only the same silly jar
gon , ' "They never touched the bread-tray
never even looked at it ; oh , goody ! goody ! "
"Where is the baby , Mose ? " mother asked
again ,
"Never touched the bread-tray ; oh , goody !
goody ! "
"I thought until this morning that the
boy had some feeling , if he had no sense , "
said father , hotly. "Oh , if the Indians had
only taken him instead of Mehitable ! "
Over Moses's terrified face there crept a
look of unutterable grief , and Eph looked at
father , with a world of reproof in his dear ,
brave eyes , as he rushed over to his weak-
minded brother and put his arms about him.
"Poor little Mose , dear fellow ! Tell us all
about Mehitable. Where is the darling that
we all love that you love so much ? Where
is she , dear little Mose ? " Eph asked tenderly.
"Tell me , please do , " he begged , still with his
arms around Mose.
"I will , I will , " shouted Mose , rising to his
teet. "They never touched the bread-tray
never even looked at it ; oh , goody ! goody !
Eph , get thebread-tray. Mehitableis in it. "
A minute later the bread-truy was at
mother's feet. In it a little head nestled on
its pillow , a little hand rubbed a sleepy face ,
and then two blue eyes opened and a rosy
mouth smiled up into our longing , loving ,
relieved faces. Mother caught her up in a
transport of joy , kissed her rapturously and
then passed her to fnther. She then took
Mose in her arms , kitted him over and over ,
laughing und crying over him until he smiled
not the old tiresome , stereotyped s.nilo ,
either , but one with intelligence in it.
Of course you want to know how Mehit-
nble got into the bread-tray ; poor , dear
Mose told us brokenly , but. with great earn
estness. The baby had been crying pitifully ,
although he had walked with IHT until ready
to drop with fatigue. Going outside the door
a mhiute to see if mother and fnther were
coining , he had heard an Indian war whoop.
He was tenibly frightened , but soon recalled
what mother had told him about God al
ways watching His children and listening to
their prayers. He prayed then as he ran in
and barred tile door , and God must have an
swered his prayer , giving him some wise
thoughts. First , he gave the baby some
quieting drops as he had seen mother do at
certain necessary times. Then he walked
around with her until she wns asleep , pray
ing to know where to hide her narely should
the Indians come. He thought of the empty
bread-tray ; and. though it was so heavy
that it required great effort to lift it up to
the top cupboard nhelf , he finally put't there ,
fixed it soft and nice inside , and laid the
baby in it.
-Then , " said Mose , "I thought of that
verse mother taught me , 'God is our refuse. '
He must be my lefuge , 'c.inse I'm a poor lit
tle know-nothing boj % and somehow , some
one it must have been God whispered ,
'Fix up the victuals your mother's been
baking for Christinas , and unbar the door
and hide somewhere , then il the savages
come , they'll think the folks is gone and
they'll carry off all the good things and
won't touch Mehitable. So I put all the
loaves of bread on an undershelf , and the
pies above them , and the chickens above
them. My ! what a show they did make ; and
then I heard a yelling not far off , and I hid
in the old hair trunk that has that big hole
in it. I wasn't a minute too quick. Was I
white as snow ? Was I stiff as marble ? I
thought so when those shrieking , horrible In
dians , three of them , came bounding in the
door. They had knives and tomahawks ,
and brandished them wildly , but all of a
sudden one of them said , with a grunt , 'Fam'
be all gone ! ' Then another said , spying the
good things , 'Kis'mas dinner , Kis'nms din
ner , hi ! hi ! ' and they filled a bagful to the
brim with our Christinas provisions. Then
they went out and made a great noise
around the house and all
, by-and-by was
still. I smelled smoke and crept out of the
trunk. I knew Mehitable was safe , 'cause I
had seen through the hole of the trunk that
no one disturbed her ; so I opened the door
softly and crept out. There wasn't an In
dian in sight , but the cabin had been fired
and the flames were slowly setting fire to the
lower logs. I put 'em out. though , I put
'em out , " cried Mose , delightedly.
Our Christmas dinner was only some fried
bacon and roasted potatoes with hot pan
cakes and baked apples , but the rich sauce
of joy and gratitude that went with it made
it a delicious banquet.
THE NATIVITY.
It is the world's gla < i morn ;
The royal child is born-
First born of Heaven of the mother maid.
No palnoe walla surround
Him who the angels crowned ,
Kng in the cradle of the manger laid.
The skies are dark and dim ;
One star comes down to Him
The star all glorious in truth arrayed
Stiir from a brighter sky ,
Light that shall never die.
Points to the manger where the King is laid.
Say not that thou hast found
Him whom the angel's crowned.
Firstborn of Heaven of the mother maid.
Till from the sky afar
The smrifs morning star.
Points to the glory of thy Lord displayed.
It is thy Christmas morn
When in the heart is horn
The child of Heaven and the mother maid ;
Dark though the sky may be ,
'TJs thy nativity.
Then in the glory of the Lord displayed.
THOLUCK'S CHRISTMAS TREE.
The Christmas tree is sometimes called
Christ's tree by the Germans. Their child
ren usually speak of it as the sugar tree.
For , in their eyes , its attractiveness is due
to the candies and sweetmeats which it
brings.
The tree has taken root in our land. But
its growth will be promoted , if we surround
it with the simple tastes and quiet "amuse-
"ableness" which have made it grow so lux
uriantly in its native soil.
An English clergyman , while a student at
HIT OR MISS.
* t
the University of Halle , was invited to cele
brate Christmas e\e at the house of that
eminent Christian scholar , the late Prof.
Tholuck. His description exhibits the sim
plicity and childlikeness of mind with which
the Germans enjoy their Christinas tree. He
says :
"Down each side of the room into which
we entered there were sixty students in
vited was a long table. In the middle of
each table was placed a large Chris I mas tree ,
profusely lighted up with little wax tapers
and decorated with colored and gilt papers.
"On each side of the two tables were ar
ranged plates filled with small cakes and
sweetmeats. Before each plate lay a book
or books.
"This room opened into the professor's
study , in which there was also a table. On
it were a.Christmas tree , a miniature repre
sentation of the shepherds tending their
flocks , of the appearance of the angels , and
of the manger , with its heavenly child , with
Mary and Joseph standing near. There also
were plates and cakes , books and small ar
ticles of dress.
' 'As soon as the visitors had greeted their
host and hostess , four students struck up a
choral.
"When they ceased. Prof. Tholuck re
minded his guests of the great gift which the
festival commemorated , and begged them to
accept the little gifts he laid by their plates.
"Each one was then requested to look for
his plate and book , which was Indicated by a
slip bearing his name. On every slip Tho
luck had also written an aphorism , such as :
" 'Thou. O God , hast made us for Thyself ,
and our heart is restless , until it rests in
Thee ; ' 'We can only know God by living a
divine ife ; ' 'First receive the kingdom of
God as a little child , then press into it as a
man. '
"Tea wns then handed around , and the
company separated into small groups for
conversation. After they had thus spent
the hours , Tholuck read a few verses in the
New Testament , commenting on them , and
closed the evening with a brief prayer.
"The guests then gathered their cakes ,
loaves , sweetmeats , and books , and bidding
their host and hostess good-night , departed ,
filled with a quiet delight. "
AS TO CHRISTMAS GIVING.
"I am coming to dread the holidays , " said
one a day or two ago , w ho was , I know , the
soul of generosity and dearly loves her
friends.
"Why so ? " I asked. "It always seems to
m a ? if that should be the brightest , gayest
f\ - .V V v . f.K _ - Kt ja , f
PREPARING THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.
\
time of the year , because it brings so many
pleasant thoughts of those one cares for.
Cluistmas present giving has come to be
just as it is in the case of wei'dings. Now to
remember and be remembered by one's
friends by some pretty little gift , conceit or
odd fancy is delightful , but the day of small
things is passing , and presents are growing
more and mom costly , so that the custom is
becoming an absolute but den.
'There is something wrong , " ! answered ,
"and it is just here. We have , not any of
us. independence enough to do just what we
know ue oiulit , but try to fulfill what we
imagine are other people's expectations. If
e.ich one would nhow our Christmas thought
of those we love by some simple gifts , which ,
in the aggregate , would be no but den , there
could be no dreading > f * ht > beautiful holiday
time by anybody. And then if one did not
feel able to afford even a little thing , there
are always pleasant words and warm wishes
to offer. "
"I know it , " she said with a sigh , and then
with a bright look sheadded , "but I wnnt to
do something more , and I'm going to if I live
on bread and water for four weeks after
ward. The bother is , though , that Fred
don't take to the bread and water diet
kindly. Men never do , you know. Senti
ment don't count beside a good dinner. "
It seems to me that therf is something
very beautiful in this custom of putting
heart thoughts in gome little gift , that all
over the land each one is trying to give
pleasure to others , to make 'lire a little
brighter by these tokens of friendly regard.
Even if it has been done at a little self-sac
rifice , it is well , for the effort has driven self
in the background , and made the world a
brighter place for somebody to live in. There
is one thing , however , to be kept in mind ,
and in a forgetfulnessof this lies the trouble.
It is not the value of what is given that is to
be considered. It is the friendly thoughts
which counts. Never , therefore , be betniyed
into the folly of giving what you cannot af
ford , because you may think it is expected ,
or you imagine that the recipients have so
much that a simple thing will be mi cared for.
I shall never forget the remarks I heard once
by a rich woman who had received a present
from an acquaintance in limited circumstan
ces. The gift was beautiful , and was evi
dently costly. I spoke of its beauty. "Yes , "
she said , "but how inappropriate. I know ,
and everybody knows , that she cannot af
ford that sort of thing. I would rather have
had a single ro&ebud , for I would have been
sure then that she need not pinch herself for
weeks to make up for giving it to me. "
Give , for it is a pleasant thing to do , but
give justly. Lay aside w hat you can spend
without embarrassment to youn-elf , and
then do the best you can with it. If you can
spare no money , and have no leisure to
make pretty and inexpensive things , give
pleasant words and wishes. Have faith
enough in your friends to believe they will
understand you. Peace and good will !
That is whaf the season means.
Christmas and ( he Children.
The golden gates that will soon swing open
for the festive season will gladden many
hearts as the myriads of favors are received.
The children nowadays value their gifts nu
merically. Last Christmas one little girl re
ceived over twenty presents. Now the ques
tion arises does the child so richlv supplied
value the gifts so easily obtained ? The
hoarding and storing away of such things in
drawers and repositories to refresh the eye
with now and then , may lead to selfishness ,
whereas the little one who divides with her
less favored schoolmates is doing the good
that lies in her power , and , by making an
other happy , is bringing happinesn to her
self. There are hundreds of children to
whom a pretty little toy or little gift of some
sort would mark a golden epoch in their
young lives. A pilgrimage through the lanes
and alleys , with a view of entering the homes
where some children are compelled to live ,
would call forth benevolent feelings into ex
ercise , and the annual visit would soon be
come periodical , for when the sympathies
are thoroughly enlisted in behalf of the suf
fering ones , they reach through some avenue
or other for the amelioration of their condi
tion. It is worth a. trial.
The fashionable racket now is for ladies to
embroider suspenders for gentlemen. The
young clergyman will be covered with sus
penders at Christmas. They will keen up
his trousers so that the slippers worked for
him last year can be seen.
If a meek and long-suffering wife finds a
heavy rolling pin in her stocking on Christ
mas morning she will think Santa Clans gave
her something which her husband's head
stands the most in need of.
On Christmas eve a stocking on the mantel
piece is worth two on the feet.
