The midland journal., December 14, 1917, Image 3

About The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947

Image provided by: University of Maryland, College Park, MD

                
IN’ 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
the Church of the Nativity is now
shown as the very place where this
august event transpired; a little re
cess, shaped like a clam shell, its
floor of marble wrought into a star
in t the center, bearing in Latin the
wdrds, “Here Jesus Christ Was
of the Virgin Mary.” A row
BK lamps hangs round the outer
W 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
illusion 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 along the
rich valley of Boaz and then up the
terraced hill by a path still in use,
nor is it uninstructive to reflect
that, while simple shepherds were
led by angels to the manger, the
high priest and the great of Jeru
salem, so near, slept through that
most illustrious night of all history,
quite unconscious of what had hap
pened. But we know of it, and may
God grant that if we cannot go with
the shepherds to Bethlehem we may
one day go to the right hand of God
worship him there, who that
lay a little child in Mary's
arms.—Dr. Cunningham Geikie.
Sr <@tt? (Cfyriatmaa S
jjr Pitting y
y Perhaps the most heroic at- y
Kf tempt to keep Christmas in vg
SC conventional fashion under 5C
5r unconventional condi- Sjr
y tions was that made by the y
Kf late Lord Wolseley, when a mf
raw young officer, in the trenches &C
5T before Sebastopol during the 2r
y Crimean war sixty years ago. y
mf He aiid his comrades decided £*
ftC that the Christmas should &
1 be honored and that there 8r
l y should be a plum pudding, y
p The “pudding" was com- %f
L Sf P°unded of biscuit, grease SC
A & and suctl f ruit as could be ob-
Sr tained, the ingredients being y
■if mixed in a fragment of a Qp
Russian shell. Wrapped in a St
SC cloth, it was boiled for some SC
5r hours, and a tasty reminder y
Wt of the great festival was ea- y
gerly looked forward to by &
SC the hungry officers. But before SC
Sr the pudding was considered 2f
gp “cooked" orders came trans- y
ferring Wolseley and his tent
SC companions to a distant part SC
Sr of the works. Sr
gf Should they leave the pud- y
£jjf ding until their retu-n or eat gUf
SC it as it wast They were hun- SC
gry, and the latter ci urse was Sr
decided upon. The “pudding ” y
' f was duly swallowed, and fjfa
SC atcay they went in obedience SC
y to orders. Late that night Sr
y Wolseley was troubled with y
ttg internal disturbances that ne- Wg
SC cessitated the doctor’s kindly SC
Sr ministrations. It seemed, said 5r
the future field marshal, as if §0
fig pieces of Russian shell were fid
SC rolling against each other SC
Sr inside. It was the only pud- S'
y ding, the first and last, he y
fU ever made. qfc
Until fir
dUpriatmaar S
My Love hath sent a gift to SC
But though that gift I long to y
The packet's label says me jjjc
“Don’t open until Christinas y
Till Christmas day—how long Sr
to wait y
And pine, yet hold inviolate
The ban, too strict for Adam’s SC
“Don’t open until Christmas y
On Christmas day shall I be Sr
To joy in that which now fif
were dearT SC
And must I heed these runes gT
that say, y
“Don’t open until Christmas £•
Should Time, the churl, have ST
power to hold y
In check each word, each y
deed of oldl S*
Through this decree of drear Sr
delay, y
“Don’t open until Christmas Mf
For there be hearts —and y
purses, too— y
Locked fast to Love the long
year through SC
By that same word, which y
fools obey, y
“ Don't open until Christmas &
Ah, Love, the sages all allow y
The time for any joy is now l &
Then charge me never more, SC
I pray,
“Don’t t open until Christmas y
—Arthur Guiterman in Life,
XASi-SjJhSiSi&SiSjSiSiSs
Cbc Golden
Christmastide
, TT 7NDER the far blue Syrian sky
1/ Was born the Conqueror of
j Death,
Who bore credentials from on high
In Bethlehem and Nazareth.
■ Then came the new and better times;
l One lone star signaled far and wide,
■ And now we ring melodious chimes
. To mark the holy Christmastide.
, Come young and old from every side;
, Come rosy maid and gentle swain,
' flj ** tiie
It is no time for
[ work or woe.
r Now jollity commands the floor,
And joy comes with the mistletoe.
1 Bring in the Yule log’s ancient flame,
r The soused boar’s head, a rich re
l past.
t Let sorrow go the way it came;
3 Let care be tq oblivion cast.
The sweet clear voices sound without
Sackbuts and shawm make whole
i some glee.
j Twined is the boar’s head round about
f With garlands rich and rosemary.
f
f And now the foaming wassail bowl
, Shall bring us comfort and delight.
This is the sea
f ing blast,
f For Christmas never shall grow old
* ' From eons new or centuries past.
f
f Quaint mummers mingle in the scene
I Where pudding mates with Christ
mas pie.
' The rooms are thick with evergreen,
I And happiness lights every eye.
f Let Fortunatus turn his horn
f Of basket loads to famished need,
* For on this day the One was born
t Who knew no mark of class or creed.
r
f Then welcome, merry Christmastide,
Another hour before we go.
* The rosy girl
f JJJJ mm close at our
\ (Sli We ’ n fc * be
" ■VfL -P neath the mis
f Deep, mellow
bells salute
9 the air
f With benisons
* -vk- gent far and
r. wide.
f Oood will and joy go everywhere
ff Upon the golden Christmastide.
P —Joel Benton.
f
f The Sweetest of All.
t Christmas is a jolly day, but let us
g not forget that it is Christ’s birthday
i and that to make someone else happy
Ij is the sweetest thing of all.
MIDLAND JOURNAL, RISING SUN, MD.
I:venj6ocig!
liMPita
S%
%u$ or safe
‘ftoimau
tj>
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 to this an
cient order of men.
It is recorded that the people’s rev
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-Uke
berries. It 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 adorning 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.
Forerunner of Christmas.
The spirit of merrymaking that
marks our Christmas holidays had its
origin with the Roman feast called
the Saturnalia. This was a festival in
honor of Saturn, father of the gods.
It lasted for a week or two, beginning
about the 19th of December, and was
the occasion for great revelry among
all classes. No business was transact
ed during this period, war was sus
pended, private feuds were forgotten
or forgiven, and general good fellow
ship reigned supreme. Friends ex
changed presents with one another,
and the slaves were waited upon by
their masters and mistresses.
A Wish.
I’d fain have a centipede's stockings
To hang by the fireplace tonight
And then have an octupus Santy
With eight arms to fill them up tight.
—New York Sun.
I A £mtg Irahm ©ut G
(Diristmaa ft
In many parts of Switzerland Jr
he Tuletide customs and Iff
festivities still have their be-f&f
ginning on Dec. 6, which is
the anniversary of St. Nich• 2r
olas. Markets and fairs are Jr
then held in villages and
ies, and, seeing that the old 2#
traditions prescribe for this S*
day the purchasing of pres- 3T
ents for the children, it is an Jr
event of utmost importance w 0
to ail youngsters. In some fw
districts St. Nicholas parades fifr
around in person in an attire Sr
very similar to that of our Jr
American Santa Claus, gener- w
ally carrying a big bag filled Sji
with apples, prunes, nuts and Sr
homemade cookies, which he
distributes among the children wf
who have been obedient during
the year. Sr
The next and in modem days SP
the most important festive day wf
of the whole Yule season is 2ff
Christmas day. History relates
that it was only in the vearSF
354 A. D. that the Roman
Bishop Liberius regarded this 2#
particular day as the birthday jffir
of Christ, and as they were fur- Sr
thermore desirous of giving a Jp
more religious importance to 2#
two important Roman festivals &g
which also fell due in the Sr
same period. With the obser- Jr
ration of Christmas day the 2p
Christkindli, described as “a ffijt
lovely angel with wings,” SC
gradually started to take old gr
Santa’s place in many sections Sp
of Switzerland, Christkindli, Sg
the Christ Child, is said to S£
come from the far north and Jr
always brings a wonderful wf
Christmas tree, decorated with &
all the glittering things asso- S£
eta fed with fairyland and heav- J r
ily laden with manifold gifts. fif
|jj GUjriatmas (gifts of &
G a (frntury Ago G
Kf In a New York newspaper of
SC 1814 Christmas gifts were ad- ©L
Sr vertised as follows: Sr
W “An assortment of Books, Jw
I well calculated for the amuse- yg
ment and instruction of Young ©C
Persons, among which are — Sr
Barton’s Lectures on Female J
Education and Manners; Fos- 5f
ter’s Essays on various sub- BU
jects; Rassclas Chatechism of Sr
Nature, an excellent little w
book, price 35.; Burder's Vil- fj#
lage Sermons; Mrs. Chapane’s ©V
Letters on the Improvement of Sr
the Mind.” Jr
“A. T. Goodrich, No. 124 2*
Broadway, corner of Cedar &
street, has just received an ex- Sr
tensive assortment of fancy ar- Jr
tides. Books, Prints, Medal- 2#
~,g lions. Landscapes and small Sg
Sr books for children, that are Sr
gp well adapted for purchase or J
| jf gift, at this season of compli- Uf
©C mentary presents. Sf
“By the last arrival from Sr
w Europe, were also received jff
m several of the latest and best 2*
Tfg Novels, Poems and Miscella- ffljs
2P neons Works; 2P
W “Fine letterpaper; visiting Jr
cards; Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Sff
©f Pocket Books; Wallets and St
Jr Memorandum Books; Fine Pen- Sr
Vf knives; Cases of' Best Silver Jy
2*. Eyed Needles; Opera Glasses Si
and Snuff Boxes."
aaahsaaas&aaaaJi
Cbe Christmas
Story
7 HERE was peace on the tone Ju
dean hills,
And the shepherds watched
their flocks by night,
When there came from the silent, star
ry sky
A burst of glory, a dazzling light,
And the angel choir from far away
Bang “Peace on earth, good will to
men,”
And we hear the song o’er lapse of
years
As it echoes in our hearts again.
They sang in notes of heavenly joy;
They brought a message from God to
men,
For the Prince of Peace had come to
beauty see
And hearts be light in blessed hope
That death should be moallowed in
victory.
And they left their flocks and hasten
ed on
To the city of David to see the babe,
The Saviour of men and the Son of
God,
' The humble child in a manger laid,
And they marvel at that which had
come to pass
And return with glory and praise to
God,
While the chorus echoes voithin their
hearts
As back to the lonely hills they plod.
As the shepherds of old, let us hasten
on
This Christmas day to Bethlehem
town,
B To be with him
through the
whole of
> M To bear the
itey cross and to
rzfi gain the
No more shall
we find him a
lowly child,
But there forever with God above
He watches and guides our feeble steps
Till 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 bom and man is free
And pain and sorrow must pass
away.
How sweetly and silently into the
heart
The Christ Child comes this blessed
night
To make us noble and good and true,
For the light of the world is a won
drous light. *
Dear Christ, may we follow with will
ing heart 8
The path of duty, where thou hast
led,
That sin and shame may have an end
And that joy |
may fill our B
souls in j 9j
stead, ra I
And on this thy i §S
glorious natal ™
the glad bells ■
ring
Till we hear thy summons to come
away
And in heaven above thy praises
sing.
— Rev. Norman Van Pelt Levis in Phil
adelphia Public Ledger.
Sang"'- ft
WHAT an interest centered in
that babe, wrapped in swad
dling clothes, lying in a man
ger at Bethlehem! Prophets were
interested, angels were 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 filled with an
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,” etc.
We know not who those angels were,
but we fancy they were the redeem
ed. Adam was there; „ Eve was
there. Eve, who in her maternal
earnestness 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 patriarchs, 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—highest, in that it was
above all other glory, in that it ex
tended, to all time and in that it
wrought such wondrous good.
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
would 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.
To Make a True Christmas.
Don’t forget 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 to no one el'se and make
Christmas for him or her.
G (EJjrtßtmas §jf
ft HwjfttllH ft
Jr There is a Bosnian legend Jr
2jf that the sun leaps in the heav- 2#
&t ens and the stars dance around &
SP it. A great peace comes steal- 3P
Jr iug down over mountain and Jr
2* forest. The rotten stumps stand |V
2 t straight and green on the hill- &
8P side. The grass is beflowered ©L
Jy with blossoms, and the birds Jr
S&? sing on the mountain tops in IW
2* thanks to God. In Poland the Jjg
y heavens open and Jacob’s lad-
Jr der is set up between earth and Jr
u sky. In Austria the candles are Jj
2 g set in the window that the 2#
g Christ Child may not stumble ©P
Jr when he comes to bless the Jr
iff home. In north Germany the wf
Sg tables are spread and the lights Jug
y left burning for the incoming ©P
Jr of the Virgin Mary and her at- Jr
m tending angel. ff
& The English superstition is yg
y admirably voiced by the myriad ©L
y minded Shakespeare in “Ham-
Sr Some say that ever ’gainst that Jr
*Xf season comes St
Sr Wherein our Lord's birth is cel- JSr
Sr The bird of dawning singeth all Jr
uf night long. Wt
Sr And then they say no spirit can 2r
St walk abroad. St
Sr The nights are wholesome. Then Sr
S lt no planets strike, nt
Sr No fairy takes, nor witch hath Sr
fj/l power to charm, S lt
Sr So hallowed and so gracious Is ST
| Qttp Beautiful gjf
W Stella S
SC Over the roar of the cities, over 3E
5r the hills and the dells,
u With a message of peace to the w
nations, ring the beautiful fw <
Tfg Bethlehem bells, SL
gf Bringing joy to the souls that Sr
jw are sighing in the hovels ujf
m where poverty dwells — yfa
& There is life —there is life for 5*
5r the dying, in the beautiful 2r
Vf Bethlehem bells. jy
fi* Far off in a land that is lovely, &
JjT ) for the tender sweet story 2r
& In the light of a glorious morn - ftV
TU ing rang the beautiful &g
y Bethlehem bells; 2r
And still in the hearts of crea- jff
tion an anthem exultingly
8? At that memory sweet of the g!
Jy ringing of the beautiful ay
Sp Bethlehem bells. w
They ran o’er the hills and the ST
Jr valleys, they summoned the sf
tfiad tcorZd that day, 5a
urf From regions of night to the Sg
radiant light of the cot 8l
3t where the Beautiful lay, Jy
And forever and ever and ever
& a wonderful melody dwells Sg
/ <7ie tender sweet ringing
3r and singing of the beauti- Jr
ful Bethlehem bells. y
For they stny o/ a love that is
y deathless —a love that still 5r
y triumphs in loss; y
They sing of the love that is
leading the world to the ©L
y Calvary cross; gr
jy Ring sweet o’er the sound of y
the cities —Hny eteeet o’eru
St the hills and the dells S
y And touch us with tenderest 5r
y pities, oh, beautiful Bet hie- y
ffif hem bells! Wf
&f —Frank L. Stanton. £
C
CHRISTMAS CHILDHOOD. |
o.— a
Christmas is, perforce, 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 untrained melody of innocent
childhood in its joyous expectations?
A brief, bright morning picture with
fervid expectant fancy attuned to
“peace and good will to men,” a sacred,
solemn, confident, joyous, “peace,” a
“good will” and fraternal friendship
that shall jflll and fructify and sanctify
the yearilto come.
Ah, childhood, Christmas childhood!
See how for one day it mocks the
poet’s lines, “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
ns well. “Peace on earth,” but not of
earth; “good will” that shall inform
the coming year and mold the man and
woman of the future.
First Christmas Celebration.
The birth of Christ was not original
ly observed at this time of the year.
It was not until nearly 100 years after
his 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
29th of March, the time of the Jewish
passover, while still others observed
the day on the 29th of September, the
feast of the tabernacles. The 19th of
April and the 20th of May were also
kept as the birthday of Christ. By
the fifth century, however the 25th of
December was the day generally adopt
ed. —Pittsbufgh Dispatch.
An Old Anglo-Norman Carol.
Lordlings, listen to our lay —
We have come from faraway
To seek Christmas;
In this manson we are told
He his yearly feast doth hold:
'Tis today T
May joy come from Ood above
To all those who Christmas lovet
Lordlings, I now tell you true,
Christmas bringeth unto you
Only mirth;
His house he fills with many a dish
Of bread and meat and also fish
To grace the day.
May joy come from Ood above
To all those who Christmas love!
Lordlings, through our army's band
They say, Who spends with open hand
Free and fast,
And oft regales his many friends
Ood gives him double what he spends
To grace the day.
May joy come from Ood above
To all those who Christmas lovet
Lordlings, wicked men eschew,
In them never shall you view
Aught that’s good;
Cowards are the rabble rout.
Kick and beat the grumblers out
To grace the dqy.
May joy come from God above *
To all those who Christmas love!
Lords, by Christmas and the host
Of this mansion hear my toast —
Drink it well.
Each must drain his cup of wine.
And I the first will toss off mine;
Thus I advise.
Here, then, I bid you all wassail, /
Cursed be he who will not say Drink
hail.