The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 304, 24 December 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1867.

Although all that can be said on the subject of Christmas has been so often : well said by the most eloquent and the most gifted of mankind, that any consideration on the recurrence of this most joyful festival of the Christian year can only be the- reflex of what has alreadyappeared on the subject, yet over the whole habitable globe the season is one of such joy aud thanksgiving, thit we cannot resist the temptation of adding our humble tribute to the stream of congratulations which are interchanged on all.sides. From the earliest ages, when Christianity hid itself from persecution in the Catacombs •down to our own day, the return of the festival of Christmas has, in all ages and among all nations where the religion of Christ has established itself, been observed as a season of religious joy and festivity, . and its advent has been celebrated with social festivity; and surely, if any of the nations on the face of the earth are bound to offer up hymns of gratitude at Christmas, there are none more so than we, who, by the providence of God, nre commissioned to extend the blessings of religion and civilisation in these far-distant colonies. It is true that we do not experience that inexpressible feeling of comfort and social enjoyment felt by the inhabitants of the bleak North when they pile the Yule-log on the glowing fire, and draw close around its cheerful blaze; but there are other considerations than these with which the idea of Christmas and its traditionary .customs are associated in the minds of many of us, that more than compensate -for the loss of those we have been acjx7 customed to look forward to with so much X \--T joyful anticipation in that country which, :^;,-,aUhdugh-mos.t-pi' us are parted from it for 77X&v4e^ _-we still, fondly, delight to denominate W'hpnVß^ To: those' who have never visited f^<;Eiirop6"if Jtvodlil beimpossible to convey ■Ipi-i^'-artf^^ social, enT77ij(yyw^jo^f> 1 pervades every - community -of Christmas; but this ig^l^yanlag^ than' counterbalanced" fl^fl^?^ ■ endured T |$$li>__^

this season form a more thah ord inary proportion as compared to the reßt. of the population. Happily in this part of the world the consideration is not forced upon us that whilst we are taking part- in all those soiial festivities peculiar to the seasou, myriads of ow fellow countrymen are suffering the utmost pangs of cold and hunger. At this great festival, which first introduces us to the contemplation of the sufferings endured even from the cradle by Him who died that He might save inankind, and which uuites all the members of the Christian Church iv humble supplication to the Author of all grace aud mercy, that He would showef His blessings upon us, let us not iv our petitions forget those throughout the world whom poverty or misfortune prevent from participating in the joy which is the peculiar characteristic of this season. Following a good old custom, we nre accustomed to wish each other ' a happy Christmas;' but let us not permit this invocation for happiness to be confined to our own neighbors, our friends, and our relatives, but let it expand itself iuto that holy sentiment of unirersal charity and forgiveuess of injuries to all mankind, by which we shall best imitate the life and actions of Him whose nativity ail Christendom, arrayed in its most festive guise, celebrates on Christmas-day.