The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-12-02

A few weeks o and Christmas will
bchcrc, and there will be feasting and fun,
praying and paying, giving and getting,
ard mcrriment and misery. Many are al
ready prospecting as to how they will ell
10Y themselves, and while we hope that
none of their innocent plans will gang
agley," we would suggest that the sons
and daughters of pleasure cast Il small
portion of their supcrtlnities into the
treasury of charity. Christmas should be
Il season of love and charity, and the COM
ing one especially, for Heaven knows the
times are hard and poverty and want
darken many hcarthstones. But we fear
that the grace at too many tables will run
in this wise:
80 Lord. bless me and my wife,
My son John and his wife
Us four and no more"
Alas! we fear that too mary of rs will
forget the Injunction of that glorious Ser
non on the Mount-tO love our enemies
to bless those that curse us; to do good to
them that hate us, and pray for them that
per,ccutc VS.. These preccpts were to be
applied not only to our neiglbors but to
nil mankind. 10 leave no room for mar
row APPLICATION, Jesus of Nazareth related
to his lncllaritable bearers cle parable OF
the god Samaritan, showing that when
we are Commanded to love our nelShDors
as ourselves. the precept applies to every
human bGng. And was not His own llte
the most Impressive example OF charity
ever oiycno man? His sublime Self-de-
NAL LEFT hiniuo home or rcsting-place, To
heal the sick md relieve the miserable
for this lie liNd and laborcd.
Now, we arelpt going to dccry modern
charity in the SOss, for we have known
much of it in Is noblest aspects. But
some of it, We thbk, begins at the wrong
point. Some vcryyoOd people call condo
scendiugly ut the ottagc door OF the half
starved Iaborcr, mNirc piously ifa Bible
can be found in thelOuse, offer a prayer
for the conversion pf the beni9hted in
mates, and leave. petdpS. Il few ounces o
sugar, crowned witha dry controversies
tract. Excellent peole they are. meaning
well. no doubt. but tther narrow. TIL,
sugar and candy willtot quite fill thos,
unfortunate inner sack carried sOmewha
naturally, though unioiwrately, by fathe
and mother and children lOr will the dr..
doctrine fill the hearts ottle young or tn,
old. What they need liza charity tina
commences by gaining ovlrthc body ant
ends with gaining the heal q virtue ant
OGod.
Now. we hope to see judgment displayed
in the matter of giving. Here are per
sops who need to be clothed aud stomach
TINT need to be fed. The col osition arc
delivery OF fine rmOn to III ely-dresse,
People smack too much OF tie Professional
ana not enough of works. Nhu we wan
rs to have the needy souglt out and thGi
necessities supplied. And Wien we ar
resisting on fat turkeys, prddin,s and ricl
.iahds' would 1t not be wdl to end Il por
tion to the poor? Thus Is otr PRAYER
l3r them will not be a mockeIy and
snam' And when we mink to buy fin
anu costly things to givoto those Who ar
700 proud to receive anything COMMON
MuuIu IL not be more ch'istar-likcto bu
something less fine aid tostly f1. moo
iaks who would be glal d gct an,,hin
commons? They will6les ms. wet hini
more fervently and readily than thns
VINO are not in need. and II MAKING ,Io,
lnppy we have caiss to he hnnns CIV nv,
sNyes. To this eni we wrle these ou,
vprds, and wish amerry Christine" ~ 81
- III