I love finding these gems in the Woman’s Exponent. The language is just a little more formal, but the subject still rings true. In our day and age, we have to dig deep to find the true meaning of Christmas and what we are really celebrating. And when we do find the true meaning, we need to simply share it. (Source: Reuma, Woman’s Exponent, January 1, 1876)
A CHRISTMAS ROMANCE
We will commence this romance by introducing the heroine—an agreeable young lady of marriageable age, say twenty, plainly and neatly clad, who devoted a portion of her time serving God, by trying to instruct, happily and better, the condition of God’s children. She was one of the earnest and faithful members of a Retrenchment Society (Young Women’s group), never danced after twelve o’clock, wore neither stays nor high heels, but expanded her lungs with the fresh air and her step was elastic and free (kept a wholesome look about her, not worldly).
Her perfect and healthful form, intelligent, countenance and modest behavior attracted the special attention of a young prince, who bore the name of Joseph. He was of the royal lineage of the house of David, and heir to the blessings, the wealth, and the power of the ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD. He honored his parentage, and cultivated nobility in his nature, and set a worthy example for “fast young men.”
He did not squeeze Mary’s hand and say soft things to her, and tell her that she was handsome and so essential to his happiness; but he went, like a true prince as he was, to his father and mother, and told them that there was a precious girl in their city, Nazareth, for whom he entertained great respect, and he felt that there was a seed of love planted in his heart, that only required their approbation and that of all parties concerned, to take root and sprout and grow until it encircled Miriam (that was the pet name by which he chose to call her).
The father and mother smiled upon their noble son and sealed the smile with their blessing. Then they visited Mary’s family and asked her parents if it would be agreeable to them to have Joseph visit there and try to win their daughter’s love. They consented, and said they would exchange gifts as a token of betrothal; such engagements or betrothals were not usually consummated by marriage under twelve months but were considered very sacred.
While the thread of the life of these lovers is running smoothly, a higher Court has taken cognizance of the condition and passed judgment in the case. Belonging to this court is a popular messenger, a resurrected nobleman, named Michael. He is delegated by the Supreme head of this August Assembly, to bear the glad tidings of its decision to Mary, and coming into her presence, he addressed her in this respectful manner:
Hail! Noble lady! The Lord, King of kings, is with thee, and thou art more favored and blessed than any other woman.”
Mary pondered upon these strange words. She knew that her father’s family—the family of Judah—was promised the honor of rearing a Son of God, Who would yield his lifeblood a sacrifice, acceptable to remove what we term the evil consequences of the sentence of death, which was passed upon Adam and Eve and their posterity in the Morning of Creation. While she thus pondered, a feeling of astonishment and fear caused her to tremble, when Michael spoke kindly to her, telling her that she had no cause to fear; God had decreed that hers should be the honor of bearing the child Jesus, who should sit upon the throne of David, and to whose kingdom there should be no end.
Mary, like a true woman, accepted the condition and braved the perils.
When Joseph was informed of the interview that his affianced bride had received, he became jealous and considered whether he would forsake Mary, for he said the story about Michael must be all a fabrication. He was the affianced husband, and ought to be the head of the woman, and he did not relish being passed by in any such a way; so he mentally told himself that he would do no wrong in the matter, but quietly and silently withdraw the love and protection that, from the depths of his warm heart, he had taught her to expect and rely on.
She soon began to feel the chill of desolation, and her troubled spirit refused to rest in sleep until Joseph should again fully confide in her. To his nature love was less essential than to hers so he with apparent indifference slept while Mary quietly and silently prayed for a return of the warmth of Joseph’s love and as she prayed, an angel disturbed Joseph’s slumber and told him that his rights had not been in the least infringed upon and that for the integrity of his manly heart, he was entitled to this explanation.
Now he was told that he must return to Mary, beg a thousand pardons, and love and cherish her as he ought, and the watch-care of the Most High would be over them, to guide their footsteps until the wise men of the East should do reverence to their reputed son, the Son of God, the real King of Israel.