THE CHRISTMAS WELCOME.
Tune—"Tramp, Tramp, Tramp"
When the summer time is passed and the harvest housed at last,
And the woods are standing bare and brown and sere,
When the frost is sharp at night, and the days are short and bright,
Comes the gladdest, merriest time of all the year.
Chorus—
Shout, boys, shout the hearty welcome!
Greet Old Chrisimas with a roar!
He has met us with good cheer for this many a merry year,
And we hope he'll meet us all for many more.
Then away with every cloud that our pleasure might enshroud,
And away with every word and look unkind;
Let old quarrels all be healed and old friendships closer sealed,
And our lives with sweeter, purer ties entwined.
Since We know the blessed power of this happy Christmas hour,
We will keep its holy spell upon our heart.
That each evil thing within that would tempt us into sin,
May forever from our peaceful souls depart.
CHRISTMAS DAY.
Everybody knows that Christmas Day falls on the 25th of December. Of course! So it does—now. But it did not always do so. In the early centuries of Christianity, the feast was kept up at various dates in the months of January, April, and May. For more than three hundred years, January 6th was Christmas day in the Eastern Church. The Abyssinians call June 21 Christmas day; while among the Armenians Christmas day has always been January 18, and so it is now; but since the middle of the fifth century Christians of both the Occident and Orient have generally agreed to celebrate the 25th of December.
A CHRISTMAS PROBLEM.
Suppose the reindeer that Santa Claus drives,
Should get frightened and run far away,
And no one could ever find them again,
What then would the children say?
Then Santa Claus couldn't come any more,
For he never could find his way
And walk so far in one short night,
Unless each day was a Christmas day.
