Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-12-23
CHRISTMAS.

How quickly II has come-hoW soon
it will be gonel Meanwhile the man or
woman who thinks, will again ask af-
ter its meaning, and gather from it some
help to better life. Properly our
Churches are more and more making
this a red-letter day, for it signalizes
the most important event the world has
ever seen. 1t is strange fact unac-
countable to human reason that about
the time Jesus was born in Bethlehem's
manger, the whole race was standing
on tiptoe looking after some Divine
King, longing for some supernatural
help. We do not know the origin of this
strange expectancy. Whether it was
the tradition of Balaam's prophecy, or
the scattering of the Jews East and
West, bearing the impress of Isaiah
and Daniel, or that longing that men
then and now feel for Divine helper.
that gave birth to this desire we cannot
tell, we incline to believe it was largely
the latter.
1t is instructive to note another his
torical fact: In the distant East, among
the Persians, Hindoos, and Chinese, men
looked toward the West for this King.
But in Europe and Egypt their eyes
turned to the East, so that the eyes of
the thoughtful centeced on that little
strip of land that bordered the Mediter,
ranean Sea, known by the historic name
of Palestine. Those who believe in the
God of grace and providence, will not
find it difficult to discern a Divine hand
pointing the thirsty, dying race to the
heaven-decreed, but earth-born babe.
Men were tormented by the same long
ings then as they are to-day. Help
was the cry rising from the polished
Greek, from the half-naked, wholly saw
age Scythian, as it is now gasped by the
busy American. Men have always
wanted something stronger underneath
their weakness-hence, in some form,
under some guise, all nations have had
their Hercules, their human leader, su-
pernaturally endowed and of divine de-
tscent.
But you say men still hunger and
thirst; His coming has not satisfied their
longings; true, but is the reason not
found in the existing doubt that He is
not what they want; and in this practi-
cal world men are not likely to seek Him
until they are sure they want Him. The
press teens with the daily record of
these evidences in the restlessness, the
want, the crime of the day. In vain law,
science, literature, even the Church. aid
ed by well-organized charity, tries to set
men right, to make them braver, wiser,
stronger; so little is done in comparison
with what is to be done, in answer to
the mighty cry for help, that the best of
men sometimes find "their hearts fail
ing them with fear" But it may be
even here we misjudge; for may not this
widespread thirst, this heart-rending
cry for help, find its answer in the fact
that the Nazarene has been among
them showing the bond slave his chains,
opening the door toward liberty, and
furnishing them with ability to feel af-
ter the real helper We are not sure but
much of the prevalent unrest may be in
terpreted by remembering that some
Divine hand has rudely torn away the
bandage from the eyes of the wretched
race, and given them glimpse of the
wounds, bruises and putrefying sores
that have not been bound up" and then
stimulated them to hope, to cry, to strug-
gle for help. May the wretched millions
| find a Savior for all their ills.
Christmas is here may it set us
a-thinking. We incline to doubt, to fear
so much that it would be wise in us to
remember that just as the babe of Beth
iehem is known, and the great life of
the man of Nazareth is grasped, and His
manliness pervades the peoples life, in
that measure righteousness and plenty
and helpfulness some how come to US.
Precisely as we practice the teachings
of Jesus do we grow happier, wiser, bet
ter. Another fact will do well to pom
der; that is, the gods and heroes men
have offered were helpful, and are now
venerated in just the degree they ap-
preached the teachings of Jesus. Go
over the long list of legendary gods and
reformers, and they are honored in the
measure they sacrificed to save the race.
1t is good thing to remember as we
gather under our Christmas tree, as mer-
ry faces look thanks for our gifts of love,
that about the only thing that will be
remembered to our credit over yonder is
that we had enough of the Christ-spirit
to help some one. May Christmas make
the readers of The CHRONICLE better
and broader as they, with us, shall catch
a glimpse of the Christ Child May it
bring indeed Peace and good will to
men,"
MIR. A. W. CAMPBELL, editor of the
| T,,4