The New York herald., 1876-12-25
tn. Lesson or Christmas Day.


the most joyful festival of the whole year,
the birthday of One who had not where to
lay His head at night, and who, born in a
stable, consorting all His life with humble
men and executed as malefactor developed
to the fishermen and other common folk
with whom He spent His days q theory Of
the conduct of life and of society to which
pretending, and with more or less success
attempting to conform itself
If we remember only the number Of pris-
ons and other penal and reformatory insti-
tutions, which constantly increase in civil
lied countries; the multitude Of those who
prey on society, and with more or less sue
cess strive to maintain their places among
the undetected part of mankind; and more
over the greed for wealth and position
which afllicts other multitudes of men and
women, the selfishness and other debasing
passions which appear to rule mems con-
duct toward their fellows; and if we add to
this the attitude of civilized nations toward
each other; the enormous fleets, forts,
arsenals and armies which are maintained
in Europe in times of peace; the great wars
of the last decade the present threat OF
general European war and the disturbed
condition of our own country, where evil
and dangerous passions are aroused by
disputed election-if we remember only
these things we shall be tempted to think
that Christianity has gone but skin deep
after all these centuries, and shall despair,
as did the prophets of old, at the predomiS
nance of evil But this would not be true
view. 1t is easy to pick out evil and wrong
and display them as the Characteristic fruits
Of our social system but the true, because
both the broader and deeper view, is very
different; and though the so-called Christian
nations are as yet in but n lamentably slight
degree animated by a Christian spirit in
their intercourse with each other, and
though of masses Of men it may still be
said that their motives are often low, and
sometimes evil, society as it now exists
could not continue did not everywhere, at
bottom, the truly Christian spirit of self
sacrifice, of contentment, of love to the
neighbor, largely predominate and were
not this spirit continually gaining in power
and strength.
1t has been wisely said that the civilized
man differs from the savage mainly because
and in the degree that he is able to forego
present qualification for the accomplishment
of future end. 1t is true saying, and
has its foundation in that faith in future
life which some German philosophers are
nowadays trying to upset as only ridicu-
lous superstition. Men are intelligent and
moral beings in the precise proportion as
they are able, patiently and in m orderly
and systematic manner, to work toward OBJ
jects in the far-away future; to sac
rifce their immediate advantages for
something worthier in the distance,
something which perhaps not they but
their children or children's children
only shall enjoy. 'After US the deluge"
is the proverb of pagan or an Austria
lian bushman; and as it is the glory of Him
in whose birth all Christendom rejoices to-
day that He anne iced and declared q
future life to mankind and sought in all His
instructions to the disciples to connect
more intimately in the minds Of mankind
the present with this future existence, SO
to-day the essential and necessary spirit of
tions, as the highest and most honorable
achievement, the sacrifice of immediate and
personal qualification for the ultimate gain
Of real and general good.
What else but this is it that has kept the
American people absolutely peaceful patient
and orderly, under the extraordinary ex-
element Of the last six tedious weeks? Here
we stand, arrayed in two opposing parties
each kept at the highest spur and tension by
unscrupulous and reckless partisans, and
the people on this Christmas Day would,
if they were not ut bottom deeply
imbued with the spirit of Christian
ity have their hands at each others
throats in wild struggle for the temporary
predominance of one political party or the
other. The Union was never SO great so
sublime and beneficial spectacle to the
world rs it is to-day. The war presented
us in one aspect great and powerful; but,
after ALL war is the natural condition Of
mankind, and nothing would bo easier for
us to-day than to fall into another civil
struggle ANY fool can get up dog
fight" The ways of peace are more
difficult, for they require patience, self
restraint, and that greater courage, not to
strike. To decide important and deeply ir-
rtating questions without violence or
breach Of order-t this is true greatness in a
nation. If, as we pretend, we are Chris
tian people, this maintenance Of order will
be our greatest pride; for we shall remem-
Der that our Union was not founded for
day or for the temporary advantage OF a
party. We shall remember that it is the
heritage of our children to the furthest gen.
Grafton; tha. we are but as helmsmen tempo
rarily in charge of the ship, in whom it
would be an act of the viest bad faith to