IVERSITY OF

Hl ll il hy i

030 158LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

 

PRESENTED BY

DELEVAN MUNSON BALDWINTHE CHRISTMAS FEASTty

i

MA

if h)

nN

ny(G Christmas —

\
,

 

AN AT UBGORY.

TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.

PUBLISHED BY THE

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF
EVANGELICAL KNOWLEDGE,

No. 2 Brste House, FourtTH AVENUE, Nerw- YORK.ENTERED ACCORDING To AcT oF ConaREss, In 1871,

BY “THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL SOCIETY FOR THE PRO-
MOTION OF EVANGELICAL KN OWLEDGE,”’

IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS,

AT WASHINGTON.

ST. JOHNLAND STEREOTY?E FOUNDRE, }
SUFFOLK county, %. $. & °
« e ea
ee eTHE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

—2059400—_—_-

4 HO has not heard of the Duchy

of Christburg, whose situation

 

impresses the traveller so
favorably, with its lofty castle built upon
a rock, and surrounded by green vine-
yards, through which runs a_ lovely
brook, flowing busily here and there, as
if eager to carry coolness and refresh-
ment to the blooming valley below ?

In its garden stand palms and ever-

green oaks, stretching forth their arms6 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

to the traveller as if to allure him to
seek, under their shadow, protection
from the storm and shelter from the
sun’s ardent glow.

In this lofty castle lived a duke,
whom God had placed over the land as
a father over his children.

Notwithstanding his noble birth, he
did not disdain on Christmas eve to
light a tree, and hang upon it gifts for
the old and young with whom God had
surrounded him. Hach year the kindly
old man tried to devise something new
to add to their pleasure ; and as if he
had the power of looking into the hearts
of his people, every one found his wishes
fulfilled on the gayly ornamented tables
at the castle.

As Christmas Eve drew near, whenAN ALLEGORY. "

all hopes were to be realized, each one
was accustomed to utter the desires of
his heart freely. The steward wished
a country-seat; the lord-chamberlain the
great cross of his order ; the first maid-
of-honor a set of diamonds ; both of the
court ladies, dresses adorned with pearls
and precious stones, and the little
children, wagons, sleds, horses, and
every imaginable kind of toy. Hvery
day their desires increased, and each
one became more and more impatient
for the momentous hour to arrive, which
was to make known whether their
wishes were fulfilled or not.

So the happy eve drew near. The
duke was, as usual on that day, very
busy in the great drawing-room of the

Castle, and none of the courtiers dared8 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

cross its threshold. Now and then one
passed, as if by chance, through the next
room, in the hope of overhearing a con-
versation, or perceiving some sound
which might reveal what was passing
therein ; but everything was managed
so silently that even the customary
moving of tables was not heard, though
there had never been so many needed
as on that day, for the simple reason,
that there had never been so many
wishes to gratify.

This stillness especially troubled the
chief maid-of-honor, who was very apt
to think that nothing could be done
unless she had a-hand in it. The
steward, in order to calm his old friend,
condescended to go up to the place
where the tables were usually kept, andAN ALLEGORY. 9

from which they were only brought
down on festive occasions. He had not
been up there for many years, and the
staircase was a very difficult one to
ascend. But what was his surprise, to
find all the tables standing there, just as
usual !

Pale with emotion, he turned back to
confide this discovery to the old ma-
demoiselle, and assure her that all must
go wrong since she had not arranged
the programme, and he had not been
called upon to see it faithfully carried
out.

“The noble lords and ladies need not
expect anything from such an arrange-
ment, and it will be quite as well for
them to have nothing to do with it,”
whispered the old lady, softly, to her10 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

neighbor.. Those at the end of the
room could not hear what she said, but
by the emphatic shrugging of the
shoulders, and shaking of the head, it
was not difficult to divine her meaning.

The duke paid little attention to the
murmurs of his court, and went quietly
about his work. He was a very pecu-
liar man, as joyous and simple-minded
as a child, like them loving surprises,
and always thinking how he could
arrange things differently from what his
court expected.

He was on this occasion exceedingly
happy, as the Christmas bells rang out
« merry peal, and the doors of the great
saloon were opened, disclosing to the
expectant courtiers, not the customary
heavily-laden tables, but a brilliantly-AN ALLEGORY. 11

lighted Christmas-tree, hung with gay-
colored strings of almonds, nuts, and
raisins. The steward took his opera-
glass to convince himself that this was
really all that could be seen; and the
excitement of the old mademoiselle con-
tinually increased as the drawing-room
became more and more crowded, not
only with troops of merry children, but
with all the country people far and near,
who pressed in through the wide-opened
doors of the chief entrance, and re-
mained standing at a respectful distance,
as if they had merely come to look on,
but not to receive anything.
‘Christmas is especially a child’s
festival,” began the duke, ‘‘and all my
arrangements have been made in refer-

ence to them. ‘Whosoever therefore12 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

will become as a little child,’ may come
himself and choose an almond or a
nut.”

The children, at first, looked puzzled
and stood still, for they also had
expected something else; but, as if
drawn by magic towards the beautiful
tree, they approached nearer and nearer,
and stretched out their little hands to
seize the variegated strings. All but
William, who had counted upon having
& pony wagon, and considered himself
much too large for almonds and raisins.
He now stood sullenly in the doorway,
concealing his displeasure, and trying to
imitate the air and manner of the
steward, who was leaning against the
opposite door, looking contemptuously
at the childish group before him.AN ALLEGORY. 13

The old maid-of-honor had turned
pale with anger, at what she considered
an interference with her rights, in
allowing the peasantry to enter the
ducal saloon without her permission.

‘Will not your highness,” said the
friendly old duke to her, ‘‘ become a
child again, and take one of these -
nuts ?”

“Tt is a long time, your excellency,
since I laid aside childish things, and I
feel no inclination to resume them,” she
answered spitefully.

“Do you all share this feeling, my
lords and ladies?” asked the duke, as he
elanced around the circle of courtiers.
“Do you all disdain my nuts and
almonds? Will you not receive them

in remembrance of me? I selected14 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

them myself, and hung them upon the
tree, and if you consider yourselves too
old to eat them, you can, at least, keep
them, in memory of this Christmas
exe,”

“I will not rob the dear little ones,”
rephed the steward, bowing very low.

But the kindly speech of the old man
touched the heart of one of the court
ladies, and she approached the duke.
and begged him to give her a nut with
his own hand, saying, that she should
preserve it henceforth as a precious
treasure. A few followed her example,
but most of them were restrained by the
stern expression of the old mademoiselle.
and stood as if transfixed.

‘And how is it with you, my loved
people ?” said the duke, turning quicklyAN ALLEGORY. 15

to the peasantry. ‘Do you also despise
my singular gifts, or will you to-day be-
come, with me, lke little children 2?”

Many stepped forward, but most of
them stood there as if they neither
heard nor saw what was going on
around them.

Two of them were engaged in a
business m which each was to have an
equal share, and they could think of
nothing but their gains and profits.
What wonder was it, that they heeded
not the festival nor the -Caristmas tree,
especially when the latter bore nothing
but nuts and almonds ?

Near them stood a young man, who
had just hired a piece of land ; he wished
to lay it out so as to secure the best
succession of crops, and like a mole dig-16 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

ging in the ground, his thoughts were
fixed upon the earth, so that when he
looked, at last, towards heaven, the
advent star had vanished.

‘Another husbandman was. thinking
of the best method of stall-feeding, and
his thoughts were now concentrated
upon that. He had often stood and
filled his crib for hours together, but he
had never yet discovered the manger of
Bethlehem, so that he did not even
honor the green Christmas tree with a

elance. reat

A. betrothed couple also stood there,
poor in this world’s goods, and in their
hopes for the future. In vain had they
both striven for a situation which would
give them their daily bread, and enable

them to go to housekeeping. It is oneAN ALLEGORY. Ei

of the hardest trials, to have one’s hopes
again and again deferred, to be per-
petually carving out some new road to
fortune, only to be driven back, when
near the desired goal. This period ot
disappointment and useless endeavor is
often the test which God applies to our
faith and constancy, though we often
grow weary by the wayside, becoming
gloomy and distrustful. Upon the
young bridegroom this trial had espe-
cially failen, and he believed himself far
from the attainment of his clesires,
though be had only to stretch out his
hands to grasp them.

‘Did I not tell you that this was a
useless thing to do?” said he to his
betrothed ; ‘“‘but you talked to me so

much about the beauty of the Christmas
218 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST,

tree, that I allowed myself to be made a
fool of, and thought, perhaps I might
find some treasure there. And now I
stand stupidly staring at this childish
thing. If the strings had only been
hung with gold dollars, instead of nuts
and raisins, I might have put up with it;
but now it grieves me when I think of
the time that I am wasting here. I
might have gone, instead, to the rector,
and applied for a situation in G——, but
now some one will surely get ahead of
me, and you alone will be to blame for
it, with your silly, childish longing to
come here.”

The poor Louise could only answer
by tears, and stood looking at the fresh
green tree, spreading wide its branches

on every side, as if it would proffer itsAN ALLEGORY.

   

19

oifts to the bystanders. Then covering
her face with her hands, she cried
bitterly: ‘Alas! how often we poor
women weep, instead of perceiving, by
faith and prayer, the out-stretched hand
of ous: God {”

Quite differently thought a young
married pair, who looked smilingly
and trustingly forward to the future,
though there was little promise in it for
them. ‘Though there be little in our
store-closet,” he often used to say, ‘we
have never known hunger.” Looking
up at the brillantly-lighted Christmas
tree, he became as merry as a child,
and taking his wife’s hand, said :

‘ Dear Lottie, have I not always told
you that we are very lucky ; we ask for
bread, and God provides dainties for us.20 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

Who would have said early this morn-
ing, when we were praying for our
daily supply, that this evening we should
be eating almonds and raisins? I shall
preserve one of them, in memory of this
happy festival, and as a proof that God
is always near us, with sweetest conso-
lation.”

A. woman was standing by their side,
but she did not hear their conversation.
She had accepted the invitation of the
duke, but her thoughts were far away
at her loom. She was just setting up
some drilling in stripes of red, white
and blue, and was trying to calculate
how much it would cost a yard, if she
should put two threads of red, instead
of one. She kept turning over and

had

over in her mind whether sheAN ALLEGORY. 1

teed

better weave the cloth in stripes or
plaids; and however trifling this may
seem to any one else, it was of the
greatest importance to her, and bore her
thoughts far away from the tree under
which she was standing, and whose
glorious light fell all around her.

Who of us has not had the same ex-
perience? How have earthly thoughts
arisen between us and our God, in His
very house, or when under the shadow
of some deep affliction, so that we have
not received the comfort so near us!

The duke walked up and down the
room, urging all present, im the most
friendly way, to accept a Christmas gift.
“Why do you stand so far off, my
friend?” said he to a plain old man, who

stood leaning with folded hands against22, THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

the door, while his beaming eyes were
fixed upon the tree.

‘Ah! my lord,” he answered, ‘I am
indeed not worthy to approach nearer,
but I have no words to express my
gratitude for being permitted to enter
this hall, and rejoice in the light of the
tree.”

“Qh, be not foolish!” replied the
duke ; ‘‘ what does it avail us to bask in
its light, if we can show forth none of
its fruits ?”

This servant held the lowest place of
all ; yet to-day no rank, name, nor dress
forbade whoever would from approach-
ing the tree and partaking of its
treasures. He therefore stepped to the
duke’s side, and broke off, with a
thankful heart, an almond.AN ALLEGORY. 25

“Tf no one else desires a memorial of

” said the duke, in a loud

this evening,
voice, ‘‘ then I will ask you to follow me
into the dining-hall, and partake of the
evening meal, with which our festivities
will close. Whoever has a fruit in his
hand will readily find the way.”

The great folding-doors were thrown
open, and a brilliantly hghted room was
seen, in which stood a profusely laden
table. The Christmas tree had been
carried there, as if by unseen hands, and
now stood in the centre of the table.
By an irresistible impulse, all those who
had tasted its fruits crowded around it,
and a holy joy, such as they had never
before experienced, filled their hearts,
as their happy, peaceful glances rested

upon ih:24 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

When the supper was announced, all
the courtiers prepared to take their cus-
tomary places at table. One could hear
the rustling of the old mademoiselle’s
heavy silk dress, as she walked quickly
through the hall. But how did it
happen that as she approached the door,
entrance was forbidden her? Had
everything conspired against her to-day ?
Why was all so different? She, the
first lady in the land, who had the right
of entrance after the duke, could she
not go into the room, while men without
rank, wealth, or title, passed in unhin-
dered ?

The same thing happened to the
steward, and to the lord-chamberlain ;
till, too late, they discovered that the
despised nuts and almonds alone couldAN ALLEGORY. 25

procure access to the festive-banquet.
In vain they looked at the tree, to see if
they could snatch a nut from it, but it
was far out of their reach, and no power
could bestow upon them the treasure
which had been offered them so lovingly
a short time ago, and which they had so
scornfully refused. As they stood at
the door, without being able to go in,
the servant came along, whom they had
never thought worthy even of a greeting,
and by the power of his uplifted almond,
passed in, and took his seat at the great
table.

Those who were left behind, both
high and low, drew closer together, for
the same pang shot through each heart,
and the same anguish impelled all
towards that light, which had now26 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST,

vanished for them, though it had so
long shone, unheeded, around them.
Before all had entered and taken
their places, those standing outside had
time to see that every one laid his
almond down before him, and that a
closer inspection revealed that they were
not nuts, but curiously wrought caskets,
which, by pressing a little spring, flew
open, disclosing brilliant and costly
cifts. The court-lady had a set of
jewels spread out before her, that a
queen might have envied; and the bride
had one no less beautiful, composed
entirely of diamonds and emeralds, the
colors of hope. The bridegroom found
in his nut, the title-deed of a most com-
fortable little estate, at the foot of the
mountain, and the faithful, humbleAN ALLEGORY. oT

servant received a sufficient sum of
money to purchase the very country-
seat which the steward had longed for
so ardently. Nothing more was to be
seen, for the doors now closed; but
enough had been revealed to fill the
lookers-on with envy and sorrow, vexa-
tion and repentance.

‘Tf I had only known this,” exclaimed
the old mademoiselle, wringing her
hands, “I would not have been so
foolish as to disdain plucking one of
those almonds for myself. Might we
not have supposed that the duke, who
always bestows so lavishly, and who
delights to present his princely gifts in
some simple, unattractive form, that the
surprise may be all the greater, did not
intend to mortify us by giving us nuts?28 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

I was considered a clever woman, and

yet I have shown myself more stupid
than the very scullion himself.”

The poor old lady had not only to
bear her own sorrows, but the re-
proaches of all who had stood near her,
and who now declared that they had
not ventured even to approach the tree,
so intimidated had they been by the
stern expression of her highness.

Ah! it is indeed hard to suffer our-
selves, but how much harder to feel
responsible for the unhappiness of
others, and to learn, when too late, that
we have been the means of keeping
back our relations and dependents from
the Christmas feast, instead of leading
them, like the shepherds of old, to
Bethlehem, and pointing out to themAN ALLEGORY. 29

the Advent-Star, whose light would have
illumined their daily walk; or showing
them, by words and deeds, how the Holy
Saviour stands with hands outstretched,
ready to receive those who will come
unto Him, and even intercedes in heaven
for those who confess Him on earth.

This is indeed the duty of the house-
hold gods, the father and mother, but
who can affirm that he has been released
from such a responsibility? More or
less must every one beat his breast, and
feel himself as guilty in this respect as
the poor old mademoiselle.

Nor did it fare better with the others.
William sprang like a madman upon
the lord-chamberlain, and seized him so
roughly that his ‘‘ orders” fell from his

breast, saying: ‘‘If you had not stood30 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

so stiffly and proudly opposite to me, I
could not have resisted the pleasure of
following my brothers and sisters, and
gathering almonds and raisins with
them ; but when I looked up and saw
how contemptuously you glanced at all
who approached the tree, I said to
myself, it must indeed be foolish, or that
distinguished, wise-looking man would
not laugh at it; and as I desired above
all things to be considered grown up, I
avoided whatever seemed childish, and
behaved as haughtily as you did, laugh-
ing at that which I now long for so
earnestly.”

Thus did the impetuous boy vent his
rage, and the words filled the heart of
the old steward with remorse. OQ,
that all grown-up persons might reflectAN ALLEGORY. ob

how narrowly children observe their
actions, and that often a careless glance.
or a thoughtless word, sows the seeds of
evil in their pure hearts. May you
older readers be especially watchful to
avoid the fate of the poor old man !

‘Was I not right in begging you to
come to the Christmas feast?’ Louise
asked in most reproachful tones.

“And who prevented you from
gathering a nut for yourself,” answered
her betrothed, angrily; ‘instead of
crying like a woman, and laying the
blame upon me, you would have been
wiser to look out for yourself.”

‘“ Ah! my God and Saviour,” sighed
the poor woman, who had been so busy’
thinking about her loom, ‘if I had
thought more of Thee and less of the redoe THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

threads, how different would it have
been with me.”

But now let us turn our eyes from
this scene of strife and discord, which
always takes place when men forget
God, and abandon themselves to their
passions, and look instead into the great
banquet-hall where the good duke is
seated at his bounteous table, surround-
ed by his faithful followers.

The guests looked in _ speechless
astonishment at the unexpected riches
so suddenly showered upon them ; they
knew not what had happened to them,
for never before had they experienced
such joy, nor such inward peace.

The duke rejoiced in their silence, for
he needed not words to tell him what
was passing in their hearts.AN ALLEGORY. a

” said he, ‘‘ how

“Tl cannot tell you,
happy I am to sit once with you, like a
father with his children. Take this day
as a type of life, and let us for a moment
study it in detail. The Christmas-tree,
which offers to us the fruits of salvation,
is always growing upon the earth ; but
just as my visible tree was disregarded
by some, and despised by others, so the
“tree of life,” which God has placed in
our midst, is recognized only by the few,
because it is plain and simple, and we
earthly creatures love only that which
attracts the eye. To the proud and
haughty it is an offence; they do not
honor it with a glance, and turn proudly
away from it, while others are too
deeply absorbed in earthly cares and

anxieties to think of it at all. These
334 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

indeed are not wilfully evil, but they
are alike spiritually dead; and, uncon-
scious of its nearness, they see not the
Christmas tree, though its branches
overshadow. them.

“Where is then this tree? Have we
ever seen it?’ [ hear you ask. Do you
not recognize it, my beloved? The
Christmas tree is the Church, the ‘ com-
pany of all faithful people,’ which God
has placed in our midst, as a green tree,
extending on all sides its branches,
heavily laden with treasures. But these
blessed gifts, the sweetest of all, are
concealed in as plain an exterior as were
my pearls and precious stones in their
disguise of nuts and almonds.

“It is only given to the child-like be-
leving heart, to discover and pluckAN ALLEGORY. 35

them, and he who seeks no other salva-
tion than that offered to him in Christ,
will taste these fruits in this life, and
feel himself as happy as you and the
children did, when you gathered the
almonds without the least suspicion of
the treasures contained in them, receiv-
ing them as a gift from a father’s hand.
There is a wonderful mystery in this
peace, which must ever remain hidden
from those who do not recognize Christ
here below as their Lord and Master.
But to those who trust in the Saviour
with their whole heart, who look to him
for help and redemption, and ‘‘ build
their nests upon the altar,” he will give
a joyful foretaste of that holy mystery,
a presentiment of that which awaits

them at their life’s end, when the gates36 THE CHRISTMAS FEAST.

of heaven shall be opened, and entrance
given only to those who bear a fruit of
the ‘tree of life’ in their hands, and can
prove that they both know and are
known by the Lord, entering as his
companions and friends, to partake of
that ‘great supper’ of which we are
told in the Bible, and which is known
to all those who search the Scriptures
and derive their happiness from them.

‘““O! how happy shall we be when we
see those fruits, which we gathered in
faith, transformed into blessings, our
plain garments exchanged for a crown
of light, and ourselves numbered among
the angels.

‘‘Let us then seek after the fruits of
the Christmas tree which shall procure
for us an entrance into the kingdom ofAN ALLEGORY. St

heaven, that we may not be found
sD ee ee Tamper cua
and the gates are thrown open.”

So spake the duke to his children,
and so speaks the Lord of lords to us
at every happy Christmas feast : ‘‘ All is
yours.”

Let us listen to His voice, and say
with the poet:

‘‘Saviour, where’er Thy steps I see,
Dauntless, untired, I follow Thee ;

O, let Thy hand support me still,
And lead me to Thy holy hill.”’

»

ga
a>
OSD

)

(< WA
Gk.