Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-12-25

There are myrads of little people, not yet Cd
ucated in the accomplishments of their seniors,
to whom this festival will return with the same
round and rudy joy-ful.ness as if there were
peace and contentment in all the land. II is of
little account TO them, since they do not know it,
that the Lord of Msrule, who used to reign over
the eXtravagant mockeries of the season, has
taken the throne in grim earnest with the Alb
bot of Unreason for his prime minister Gifts
this year are as ingenious and abundant
and youthful festivities as cheerful and
sensible at any time since the famous
shepherds of Judea watched their focks by
night. If older people have less heart than
usual for elaborate commemoraton, the little
world of the children glows with the same gor-
geous spangles and jewels as of old. May the
day be far off when they shall have to learn that
there are dregs in the cup and limits to the
largest and the purest joy 1t woull have been
well for us if something more of the winning and
persuasive charity of children survived the
charmed period of childhood, and had its right
influence in perfecting the conduc tof men. They
do not begin to quarrel with their mates about
matters of form and opinion Til they are "set
on" by their seniors. They give each other an
equal chance in their limited world and if their
charity for each other were not universal it would
win admiration for its magnanimous and sub
lime benevolence. Radical little optimists who
insist upon having the best things in the house.
or revolution; conservative little quietists who
acquiesce peacefully in the established order of
the family; Catholic lilliputS whose feet have
already taken root the rock of St. Peter; Prot
lilliOuts who have undnunlODad Tutba
and Calvins under their Sunday school jackets;
they take each others hands unconsciousIy and
babble common blessing to the saint who once
year haunts all their shadows and dspenses
his generous largesses among them all. 1t is
only when they grow tall and strong that they
catch the fever of resistance. Intolerance and
bigotry are the accomplishments of mature
years. Childhood has no attributes with which
they can fellowship. 1t is only intolerant of ex-
clusiveness. 1t is only impatient with cant
Generous years! in which all amabe things take
root, and all charities quicken-we welcoming what
ever is becoming wherever it has been bsp-
tized-feowshipping the germs of all sorts
of faith and opinions in the unconscious inno-
cence of genuine humnnity-how soon they seek
out divergent and hostile ways when the pomp
and ostentation of age crowd them into man
hood! Then every man must fight his way to
the celestial gates-or not get to them. Thus
manly strength and valor that might be put to
good uses gets squandered and lost. Unworthy
fights, carried on with extravaganza means for
insignificant ends-pulling down one order for
the sake of building up another that is no better
and will be pulled down its turn--use up half
the energy that should be saved for the sake of
great causes that need all the support they can
get once or twice in generation. If disasters
come it is one way in which misused and msdi-
rected energies are punished. Stll-it is said
''Winds blow and waters roll
Strength to the braye;n
and while there are agitatng winds all around
us, and rivers without number carrying their per-
ennial tides 10 the sea there will be no room for
disheartenment or despair There are young
hands hardening and young lenrto etrongthen
ing for a conflict that is worthy of them-they
approach it with resoute and intelligent pur-
pose which their fathers have tried TO cultivate
IN VAIN These early years of war with rebellion,
which are phenomenon to us, will be history to
them. The difference between daylight and dark.
ness would be the measure of advantage in their
favor, even If we were cravens, and handed down
the burden undiminshed to them But this will
not be- There must be fixed and not re-
mote limit TO the duration Of the war
Unsettled questions must then abide the
decision Of honest majorlties. This will open q
field for all the intelligence, all the virtue, all the
heroic valor they can command. 10 the mean
time let them make the most Of their privileges
No days can be too merry for them now. They