Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1864-01-01
FROM the Students Repository.
THE MEANING or CHRISTMAS.
By j. Il. HARRISON.

over the earth. Wherever the
name of the worlds Rcdeemer has
been heard, the day will have some
kind OF observance and special in
terest. This Anniversary has
meaning and a lesson.
Each succeeding year it calls us
to listen again to the song of the
angels, for they sing it still, the
same song heard SO long ago by
the wondering Judcan shepherds.
On this night of every year the
heavenly host circle again above
our world, and again the melody
rings out on the throbbing air, that
men may learn the strain; but ma
ny do not hear, and it will be long
before the world, with one heart
and one voice, can join in the mag
niiicent anthem, GLORY to God in
the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men"
The Christmas time teaches us
love to God. lie is the Father of
all. The highest idea of God is
that of his Fatherhood He is
love. Love is his infinite essence
and his eternity. 1t is all there is
OF God. We speak of his immu-
liability and majesty, his justice,
holiness, power and truth, yet we
know that our terms do not dcs-
cribe God; they tell rather how
imperfect are our highest concep-
tons of his nature and life. We
would try to-day to recognize our
Father, to feel our relation to him.
We lift our hearts to him in rever-
ent thankfulness and child-like
trust. We think of him as Di-
vine friend, walking ever with us to
strengthen and uphold; feeling an
infinite tenderness and sympathy
for all suffering and loneliness;
plying us most when we are blind
and will not see him. seeking us
with patient step when we wander,
and never failing or forsaking us
to the last. To him all the weary,
and those who have failed, may 90;
those who can not ask for human
sympathy, but must walk through
life alone with their woe and
wrong. God s care and love for
every human being is actual and
positive. 1t is not beautiful po-
etc conception; it is nothing far
off or vague, nothing to be talked
of with studied eloquence; it is the
yearning of the great heart Of God
for his children, for all whose life
came forth from him; not one is
forgotten.
The other part of the lesson
which the Christmas time returns
TO teach is "good will toward
men," AS God regards all men
with good will because they are
his children, so should we because
they are our brethren. This feel
ing is to be nothing dainty or con-
templative merely. We have
known people who had wonder
full regard for humanity in general,
who vet ground individual human
hearts beneath their heel whenever
it seemed convenient. We have
heard man declaim against all
that is hard and cold in this I'M
feeling world, rs if his pure and
noble spirit were fitted only for
life where all is love and goodness;
Yet he was tyrant in his own
family, cruel and exacting to the
last refinement Of torture, careful
only that appearances were pre-
served. He treated men as if they
were made solely for his own use,
and did not hesitate to sacrifice
any one, and his own honor be-
sides. mkenerer he could safely do so.
Professions are nothing. The re-
quirement is real good ,rW; earnest,
helpful and universal. 1t is not
enough that you "love them that
love YOU" There is no danger,
perhaps, of your forgetting to love
those who are respectable and af-
fluent and happy. But it is these
who have least need This day is
meant TO teach you to love those
whose need is greatest; the I'M
worthy, the vile, the hopelessly
wretched and undone.
There is a d-unkard. His per-
dition began long ago. Would