CHRISTMAS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 431, 25 December 1889, Page 3

CHRISTMAS.

(By John Blackmast.)

Old Christmas comes in genial guise With soetnly mirth and fairest flowers. With love light in his friendly eyes And carols sweet for jocund hours. Bright Christmas does not lave and blowAs in the old familiar time, With holly branch and mistletoe, In fair New Zealand's golden clime. We only dream of snowy days And Christmas berries, red and white: The stout yule log with fit c ablaze. The ice-hound stream and cold, crisp night. Zealandia's sky e'er trightly shines, Her trees are green from shore to shore : Her children sport 'mong ferns and pines T.ll star-crowned twilight gathers o'er. Her coastal steamers leavo the town, With pleasui 3 seekers, freo from care. To pace the beach and climb the down. And breathe th? fresh, pure mountain air. On woodland slopes the stranger sees. In Kindly concord trlenda recline. The picnic under spreading trees, And beardless boy with rod and line. Boats on the sheeny waters ride, With oarsmen skilled and pennons fair. While maidens view the scene with pride. W ith summer roses in their hair. But Christmas brings far richer joys Than aught from games or Plenty's horn. In that grand trut , which never cloys— On Chri-tmas Day our Christ was born. He came sin-sti ickeu souls to bavc. Work out the great redemption plan ; Unbar the portals of the grave, And tench the brotherhood of man. And shepherds heard with listening ear* The angel's message, > ong sublime ; The woi drous music of the spheres Still sounding o'er the hills of time. Soon, soon our Christmas pleasures pass?. Like mist in sunshine's me. ting dawn, Cr shadow s o'er the wavy grass, Or wind-blown leaves across the lawn. % But freshened hearts in God's dear smile Will strengthen as the years 101 l by; And blessings follow honest toil Beaneth our blue empyrean sky.

(Br George M. Pole, Clevedon, Wairoa.) "The heart might res Content with smiles from those we love the best." Scarcely was he a stranger in the land. For years had passed— he owns it with a sis?h And memorj diawing near with tender hand. Brashes the record of tho'-c long years by ; Leaving the pn-sent and this lovely scene. To throw a radiance on what 1 »th been. The boat lies idly tossing on the sea. The wavelets glittering in the sunbeams ray Creep up to kiss her prow— half wearily. As though tl.e lustre of the god of Day Were too consuming, like Love'b ardent fire. Whose too much passion kills it 1 - own desire. Alone he sat there, and his roving eyes Ea iged on the towering cliffs— afar and wide. Where the unruffled sea so tranouil lies Sleeping in glory ; at that Christmas tide. He in his solitude could but declare ZeaLndia mid the fairest would be fair. Oh, but this land is beautiful, and Heaven Blends beautifully with earth, s a, and air. Until we marvel what there can be given T ) raa'ce more lovely what we dream of there, And the soul, tilled with beauty, fain must cease To dream there can exist a greater peace. And yet he would. Something like this he dreamed Where the wild sea waves, tossed 'ncath sullen sky, Dished on the rocky shore, until they seemed Like spirits writhing in their agony ; Striving and sobbing, weary and unblessed, Cursed with perpetual torment of unrest. Where rnowflakes whirling on the maddened w'nd. Mock at the blessed thought, of " On Earth Pjace,"' He can hear voice 3 long since left behind, And in their gentle sound the storm doth cease, The landscape fades— what if his eyes grow dim, While mother, sister, pray and pray for him? Oh. but to feel the pressure of that hand. To see upon the face that tearful smile; Oh, but so thoroughly to understand How we can love when we have " lost awhile.'' To have them here afar from winter's spell, Aad feel that promised Peace he'd love <?o well. To dwell beneath this blue, unclouded heaven Until the sunlight penetrates the mind. And we know why, unasked, our God hath given Himself to leave his "Peace, goodwill" behind; Still looking down with pity from above When dibiant hearts unite in dreams of love.