§
N a place built, like Bethlehem, in
many cases against the soft
limestone rock it often happens
that the existence of a cave where
the house was to be was a great at-
traction since it offered a ready
made, dry, above ground cellar as
well as a specially suitable spot for
the household animals and for a
storeroom. It would seem that Jo-
seph was at last able to get room in
some such back portion of a house,
and there, we are told, Mary bore
her divine Son.
A cave below the high altar of
floor of marble wrought into a star
words, “Here
Born of the Virgin Mary.” A row
of lamps hangs round the outer
edge, the right to attend to them be-
ing a jealously watched matter, each
of the ancient churches, the Greek,
the Latin, the Armenian and the
Coptic, having one or more of these
under its care.
The evidence for this site is so
strong that most persons accept it as
sufficient, reaching up, as it does, to
within living memory of the days of
the apostles. But even if this be an
fllusion the fact remains that in this
petty village the Saviour of the
world was made man for our re-
demption. No wonder that we read
of the anthem of the angels, for
surely nothing could draw forth the
interest of the heavenly population
like the exceeding grace God was
showing to sinful man.
The scene of the visit of the shep-
herds is pointed out as on a rough
slope, facing the village, at some
distance to the east, Bethlehem ly-
ing far above on its mountain seat.
One can follow the shepherds in
their journey to see the unspeakable
wonder. They would go i)
nor is it
led by angels to the manger, the
high priest and the great of Jeru-
salem, so near, slept through that
quite unconscious of what had hap-
feted But we know of it, and may
od grant that if we cannot go with
the shepherds to Bethlehem we may
sne day go to the right hand of God
and worship him there, who that
night lay a little child in Mary's
srms.~Dr. Cunningham Geikie.
Pernape the most heroic at- Wi
tempt te keep Christmas in
conveniional [fashion under
unconventional condi~
tions war that made by the
late Loré Wolseley, when a
young ojpcer, in the trenc’ves
before Semastopol during the
Crimean twwv sixty years ago.
He and his “omrades decided
that the Cwistmas should
be honored and that there
should be « plum pudding.
The “puddefy”™ was com.
pounded oy Yisouit, grease
and such frus as could be ob-
tained, the wgpredients being
mized in a fragment of a
Russian shell Wrapped in a
cloth, it was o dled for some &
hours, and a tasiy reminder
of the great festival was co-
gerly looked forward to by
the hungry officers. But before
the pudding was considered
“cooked” orders came trans
ferving Wolseley and his tent
companions to a distant part
of the works. =
Should they leave the pud-
ding until their retu-n or cat
it gs it was? They were hun
gry, and the lotter of urse was
decided upon. The “pudding”
was duly swallowed, and
away they went in obedience
to orders. Late that wight
Wolseley was troubled with
inlernal disturbances that no:
cessitated the doctor's Risdly
ministrations. it seemed, said
the future field marshal, as if
pleces of Ruseion shell were
rolling against cach other
inside. It was the only pud-
ding, the first and last, he
ever made,
ARTE PE TR I
Pa
TT
“Ton’t Open Until or
Christmas!”
My Love hath gent a gift to
me,
But though that gift I long to
gee,
The packet's label says vic
nay-—
“Don't open until Christmas
day.”
Till Christmas day— how long
fo wait
And pine, yet hold inviolate
The ban, too strict for Adam's
clay,
“Don't open until Christmas
day!”
On Christmas day shall I be
here
To joy in that twhich now
were dear?
And must I heed these runes
that say, :
“Don't open until Christmas
day?”
Should Time, the churl, have
power to hold
In check each word,
deed of old!
Through this decrec of drear
cach
delay,
“Don't open until Christmas
day.”
there be. hearis—andd
purses, too—
Locked fast to Love the jong
year through
By that same word,
fools obey,
“Don't open until Christmas
day.”
For
chick
Ah, Love, the sages ail allow
The time for any joy is now!
Then charge me nCrer more,
1 pray,
“Don't open until Christmas
day!”
—Arthur Guiterman in Life.
The Golden
Christmastide
NDER the far blue Syrian sky
Was born the Congucror of
Death,
Who bore credentials from on high
In Bethlehem and Noazarcth,
Then came the new and better times;
One lone stor signaled far and wide,
And now we ring melodious chimes
To mark the holy Christmostide.
Come young and old from every ride;
Come rosy maid and gentic swain,
It is the holy
Christmas
tide
That
Wwe
again.
The holly hangs
upon thc
door. i
It i8 no time for |
work or woe. |
Now jollity commands the joor,
And joy comes with the mistictoe,
joyously
meet
Bring in the Yule log's ancient flame,
The souscad boar's head, a rich re-|
past, i
Let sorrow go the way if came; i
Let care be to oblivion cast. i
The sweet clear voices sound without |
Sackbuls and shawm make whole- |
some glee, }
With garlands rich and rosemary.
§
Shall bring us comfort and delight. ,
This is the sea-
son of the
soul,
From golden
morn to star.
ry night.
for the pierce
ing cold,
Thedrifted
snow or rage
ing blast,
For Christmas never shall grow oid
From cons new or centurics past.
Quaint mummers mingle in the scene
Where pudding mates with Christ
mas pie.
The rooms ere thick with evergreen,
And happiness lights cvery eye.
Let Fortunatus turn his horn
Of basket loads to famished nced,
For on this day the One was born
Who knew no mark of class or creed.
Then welcome, merry Christmastide,
Another hour before we go.
The rosy girl
cloge at our
side
We'll kiss be
neath the mis:
fletoe.
Deep, moillow
bells salute
the air
With Denigons
Good will and joy go everywhere
Upon the golden Christmastide,
Joo} Benton,
an
The Sweetest of All.
Christmas is a Jolly day, but lot us
not forget that it is Christ's birthday
and that to make someone else happy
fr ————_ ot
SACRED MISTLETOE.
The druids with ceremonies of great
solemnity used to collect mistletoe with
a golden sickle “against the festival of
winter solstice.” Only the oaks bear
ing mistletoe were sacred fo this an-
cient order of men.
It is reconled that the people's rov-
erence for the priests proceeded in
great measure from the cures which
the priests effected by means of this
curious green plant of the pear-like
berries. Jt was collected thus cere-
moniously by the druids because it was
supposed to drive away evil spirits
The reason among the druids for
bringing in bits of evergreen from the
woods and sdorning the house is a
most charming and lovable one: “The
houses were decked with evergreen
in December that the Sylvan spirits
might repair to them and remain un
nipped with frost and cold winds until
a milder season had renewed the foli-
age of their darling abodes." —Crafts-
man,
ss
Forerunner of Christmas.
The spirit of merrymaking that
i
{
i
i
!
i
§
1
!
|
origin with the Roman {east
the Saturnalia. This was a festival In
honor of Saturn, father of the gods,
It lasted for a week or two, be
about the 19th of December,
the occasion for great revelry
all classes, No business was transact.
sinning
i
pended, private
ship reigned Friends
changed presents
supreme,
with one
thelr masters and mistresses,
A Wish,
'd fain have no centipede’s etpekings
To bang by the fireplace tonight
And then have an octupus Santy
With eight arms to fill them up tight.
New York Pun
A Tong Brat Out
@hristmas
In many parts of Switzerland
he Yuletide customs and
festivitics stil! have their be
ginning on Dec. 6, which is
ihe anniversary of Bt. Nich
olas. Markets and fairs are
then held in villages and cit-
ics, and, secing that the old |
traditions prescribe for this §
day the purchasing of press
entg for the children, it is an
event of utmost importance
to all younpsters. In some
districts St. Nicholag parades
around in person in an atlire
very similar to that of our
American Santa Claus, gener.
ally carrying a big bag jilled
with apples, prunes, nuls and
homemade cookies, which he
distributes among the children §
who have been obediont during
the year,
The next and in modern days
the most important festive day
of the whole Yuic scason 1s
Ohvristmas doy. History relates
_ that it was only in the year
354 A. D. that the Roman
Bishop LAbcrius regarded this
particular day as the birthday §
of Christ, and as they were fur-
thermore desivous of giving a
more religions importance to
too important Roman festivals
which also fell due in the
same period. Wilh the obser 3
vation of Christmas day the §
Christkindll, described as “ao §
lovely angel with wings,”
gradually started to take old
Ranta's place in many sections
of Rwitzeriand, , Christhindll, §
the Christ Child, ia said to &
come from the far north and
always brings a wonderful
Christmas tree, decorated with
all the glittering things asso:
ciated with fotryland and heavy:
ily laden with manifold gifts. §
Fei y
=
Ll
.)
fy
7
bh
3
Ss
b
H
EH
LEER ETRE,
LER ER RETR EE RE
i
E
Christman Gifts of
a @entury Ago
In a New York newspaper of §
181} Christmas gifts were ad
verlised as follows:
“An assortment of Books,
well calculated for the amusc- §
ment and instruction of Young
Persons, among which are——
Barton's Lectures: on Female
Education and Manners; Fos- |
ter's Essays on various sub- §
jects; Rasgelas Chatechism of
Nature, an excellent little
book, price 38.; Burder's Vil
lage Bermons; Mrs, Chapane's
Letters on the Improvement of
the Mind.”
“A. T. Goodrich, No. 12}
Broadway, corner of Cedar
slreet, has just received an exr-
tensive assortment of fancy ar- 3
ticles, Books, Prints, Medal §
lions, Landscapes end small
books for children, that are
well adopted for purchase or
gift, at this season of compli
mentary prescnts.
“By the last arrival from
Burope, were also received
geveral of the latest and best
Novels, Poems and Misceila-
neous Works;
“Fine lectterpaper; visiting 39
cards; Ladies’ and Gentlemen's §
Pocket Books: Wallets and
Memorandum Books: Fine Pen
knives: Cases of Best Bilver
Eyed Needles; Opera Glasses
oss
PDR BUNS BI
Che Christmas
Rf and Snuff Boxes”
HERE was peace on the lone Ju
dean hills,
And the shepherds
their flocks by night,
When there come from the silent, stor.
ry sky
A burst of plory, a dozsling light,
Aud the ongel choir from far cway
Song “Peace on earth, good will to
men,"
And we hear the song o'er lapse of
years
As it cchoes in our hearts again,
watched
They sang in notes of heavenly jog;
They brought ¢ message from God 0
men,
Por the Prince of Peace had come 10
carth
wos born al
Bethlehem.
Che Christ had
come, the
Fin of
kings,
Thot swe might
God in his
beauty sec
And hearts be light in blessed hope
That death should be swallowed én
victory.
y
And they left their flocks and hasica-
ed on
To the city of David to sec the babe,
The Boviour of men and the Son of
God,
The humble child in a manger loid,
And they marvel of that which hed
cowie {0 pass
And return with glory end praise (0
God,
While the chorus cchocs within their
hearts
As back to the lonely Milas they plod.
As the shepherds of old, let us hosten
on
This Christos day to Bethichem
To be with Mm
through the
whole of
ife,
To bear the
lowly child,
But there forever with God above
He woiches and guides our feeble steps
T41 he bears us home with his in-
finite love.
How sweetly, how gladly to all the
world
There comes a message of hope
today,
For Christ is born ond man 3 free
And pain and sorrow wiust pass
away.
How sweetly ond silently into the
heart
The Christ Child comes this blessed
night
To make ug noble and pood and irse,
Por the light of the world is a won
drous lght.
Dear Christ, may we follow with will
ing hearts
The path of duty, where thou host
led,
That gin and shame may have an end
And that jou
may All our
souls in
stead,
And on this thy
glorious natal
day
We shall catch
the sound as
the glad bells
ring ;
Tit we hear thy summons fo come
away
And in heaven adove thy pralscs
«Rev, Norman Van Pelt Levis in Phil-
adelphia Public Ledger.
*
i
|
Sang #
HAT an interest centered in
that babe, wrapped in swad-
dling clothes, lying in a man-
ger at Bethlehem! Prophets were
interested, angels werd interested,
the ages have been most deeply in-
terested since. The shepherds had
perhaps some premonition. The
seventy weeks of Daniel's prophecy
were about fulfilled. It may be at
that very time they were talking of
the coming of Christ.
Suddenly their attention was ar-
rested by a strange sight in the
heavens. It grew brighter and took
the form of an angel, and then they
heard a voice announcing the birth
of Christ as glad tidings for all peo-
ple, not to the Jews only. Then
suddenly the air was iilled with
gels singing as if they had come
right out from the air.
We know not their wonderful
song, but part came to mortal ears,
“Glory to God in the highest,” ete.
We know not who those angels were,
but we fancy they were the redeem-
ed. Adam was there; Eve was
there. Eve, who in ber maternal
carnestness declared at the birth of
her firstborn, “I have got a man
from the lord,” hoping that that
was he who should bruise the ser-
pent’s head. Now, in the fullness
of time she had come to witness the
birth of the babe who was to be the
Saviour of her race. David, Elijah,
Moses, the patriarche, we believe,
were with the heavenly host.
This song reveals three things:
First. —The glorification of God
through the incarnation. God has
glory through his vast work in na-
ture, his providence building up and
casting down nations, etc.
In the incarnation there was spe-
cial glory. It was glory to God in
the highest
above all other glory, in that it ex-
an
aba ™
Second.—The great results to the
earth. It would result in peace.
Strifes, thorns and thistles were
abounding. The earth was torn and
bleeding by constant contention.
With Christ came peace. The result
woifld be universal peace.
Third.—The effect on the individ-
ual man. “Good will toward men,”
from one another, from God. Out
of this good will would finally spring
peace on earth and glory to God in
the highest.—Dr. Matthew Simpson.
i ————————————
To Make a True Christmas.
Don’t forg® the lonely, the suffering,
the poor, on Christmas. Remember
that the first and greatest Christmas
gift was sent not to the rich and pow-
erful, but to the poor and needy. Give
to those who are near and dear to you,
but somewhere, somehow, in your ordi-
nary life find some one who is near
and dear 0 no ome else and make
Christmas for him or her.
PEPER ER ER ER EER ETN BERR PS
Some Christmas v
Brews]
There ia 6 Bosnion legend 3H
that the sun leaps in the heav- §
ens ond the stars dance around
it. A great peace comes sioal- &
ing down over mouniain and
| forest. The rotten stumps stand
straight and green on the hill
side. The grass ia deflowered
with blossoms, ond the birds
ging on the mowntgin tops in
thonks to God. In Poland the
heavens open and Jacob's lad-
der is set up betwoen earth and
sky. In Austria the condles are
set In the window that the
Christ Child may act stumble
when he comes to Ddiess the
home. In north Germany the
tables gre epread and the Ughts
left burning for the incoming
of the Virgin Mary and her al-
tending angel.
The English superstition is
admirably voiced by the myriad
minded Ehakespeare in “Ham
let”:
Some say that ever 'gainst that J
Bf wherein our © birth fs col-
& The dawning singeth all
And no spirit can
b_ No Plakes, nor witch hath 3
and to gracious is
ERECT
The Beautiful
tiethlehem Bells
Bethlehem bella,
Bringing joy to the souls that =
are sighing in the hovels
where poveriy dwclig—
There is Hfe—there da life for &
the dying, in the beautiful
Bethlehem bells.
Far off in a lond that ig lovely,
for the tender sweet story @
it tells, .
In the light of a glorious morn §
ing rang the beouliful
Bethlehem bells; s
And still in the heorts of crea 3
tion an anthem crullingly
swells
At that memory sweet of the g
ringing of the beautiful 2
Bethlehem bells.
They ran o'er the hills and the &
valleys, they summoned the
glad world thot day,
From regions of night to the
radiant light of the col @&
where the Beautiful lay,
And forever and ever and ever
a wonderful melody dwells
the tender sweet ringing
and singing of the deouti- &
ful sethichem bells.
i For they #ing of 6 love thal is
deathicss—a love that gtill
triumphs in ss;
They sing of the love that is
leading the workd to the
Calvary cross;
Ring sweet o'er the sound of
the cities—vring sweet o'cr
the hills and the dells
And touch us with tenderest
pities, oh, beautiful Bethic-
hem bells!
-Frank L.
Stanton.
C
CHRISTMAS CHILDHOOD. 1
“
Christmes ia, perforee, a winter fes-
tival, a family and fraternal reunion.
“Suffer little children to come.” Lo,
they have come, And the music of
their child voices! The concert of the
morning stars, what were they to the
natural untreined melody of innocent
childhood in Hs joyous expectations?
A brief, bright morning picture with
fervid expectant fancy ettuned to
“neace and good will to men,” a sacred,
solemn, confident, joyous, “peace” a
“rood will” and fraternal friendship
that shall £ill and froctify and sanctify
| the yenrto come
Ah. childhood, Christmas childhood!
See how for one the
poet's lpes, “Some traces of Eden ye
still inherit. but the trail of the ser
pent is over them all. Its own gift
is always the best, and it rejoices that
Bill and Jim and Lizzie and Sara fared
as well. “Peace on earth,” but not of
j earth; “oaod will” that shall inform
the coming vear and mold the man and
woman of the foture.
day it mocks
First Christmas Celebration,
The birth of Christ was not original-
iy observed at this time of the year.
It was not until nearly 100 years after
is death that there was any attempt
at a celebration of the event at all,
and then for 300 years or more it was
celebrated at various times in the year
by the Christians in different parts of
the world. Some chose the Ist and
some the 6th of January, others the
o0th of March, the time of the Jewish
passover, while still others observed
the day on the 20th of September, the
feast of the tabernacies. The 10th of
April and the 20th of May were also
kept as the birthday of Christ. By
the fifth century, however the 20th of
December was the day generally adopt-
ed. —Pittsburgh Dispatch.
An Old Anglo-Norman Carol.
| Lordlings, listen fo our lap—
We hove come from faraway
To seck Christmas;
In this manson we ore told
Heo his yearly feast doth hold:
‘Tis today?
May joy come from God adove
To all those who Christmas love!
Lovrdlings, I now cil you true,
Christmas bringeth unio pou
Only mirth:
His house he fills with mony a dleh
Of dread ond meat ond also fish
To grace the day.
Moy joy come from God above
To all those who Christmas love!
Lordlings, through our army's bond
They say, Who spends with open hand
Free and fost,
And oft repales his many friends
God gives him doudle who! he spends
To grace the day.
May joy come from God above
To all those who Christmas love!
Kick and boat the grumbiers out
To prace the day.
Moy joy come from God obove
To all those who Christmas love!