Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-09
CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTIANITY

Fanny Forester, in Chambers JO1lr1Al.
~
CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTIANITY.
"Glory to God in the Highest, and on
Earth Peace, Good Will Toward
Men,"
Christmas has little in common with
ancient m~ythologies. From Christmas
we date a new era. The stream that
nearly two thousand years ago found
its source in Judea is still flowing on
through the ages, pursuing its way
calmly and increasingly amid all hostile
elements, like the stars, unhasting, I'M
resisting. The star that rose in Galilee
has indeed become the light of the
world.
Never before has Christianity stood
forth so manifestly before the world as
q calm, reasoning, intelligent power.
Evil, the negative principle in human
nature, appears at times and places to
prevail, and if we read of all the wrong
and outrage with which earth is filled
the soul is sick, and we think the
times are out of joint. But always the
dry land has appeared, The oceans of
evil prevail not again, the continents
of good; on the shores are cast the
putrid horrors of the murky depths
intidelity bowls, controversy and dissen-
sion among the churches crests the
beach with foamAbut the firm lines re-
main, the beacons shine out, the world
betters.
All this, Sin His name" 1t is not
civilization, it is not merely the ''nat-
ural evolution of moral character" it is
not merely the subjugation OF the nat
ural forces, as heat and electricity.
Man has ''hitched his wagon to the
stars in many ways, and the gods do
his chores. The world was never SO
well fed, clothed and sheltered; in fact,
was never so rich. To this develop
ment of natural resources and forces
which is called wealth, and is so often
used as a synonym OF civilization, Chris
tianity stands as both cause and result.
Christ stood not for the material-both
Jews and Romans had that, and He
taught them by precept and example
to hold it subordinate. Christ stood fol
the spiritual and taught the world that
it was one, and there was a common in
terest only.
With Him came altruism, overcoming
selfish interest. Sell all thou hast and
give to the poor was the extreme lesson
the world needed. Charity came witt
Christ. Before it existed as precept.
His new commandment, that We love
n another, embodied the Roman, the
Greek and Mosaic, embodied all law
known before or since, and proved its
eNpounder greater than the law and the
prophets.
In spite of persecution and ignomin.
ious death, in spite of the superstitions
and misconceptions of His Immediate
disciples, in spite of the three great
churches, Greek, Roman and Protestant
with their thousand minor sects, the
great thought and principle of this
simple Galilean-who said nothing of {
sect, and who presented no new theo
logical system; who came to fulfil
rather than to destroy-has permeatec
the best parts Of the world and the isl
ands of the sea. Peace on earth ant
good will toward men. This man, DIV
ing upon q cross, watched by brata
Roman soldiers, discarded by His owl
nation, amid the thick darkness tina
might be felt, was consistent to the las
expiring word. His prayer. '.forgiv.
them, for they know not what they do
will never die, and will be the externa
reason for tempering justice will
mercy. In countless hamlets, il
millions of human hearts Throughout
the world, the knowledge of this life i
the n living, vivifying principle
They do not always belong to til,
church; they do not always profess tn,
name; they do not claim perfection
they are humble and modest; simpl,
"meek and lowly followers" But thei
n%eighbors know them as men ant
women of moral and Christ-like char
acter, people into whose lives some
thing has come. And in every nomi
nally Christian country this name ant
life is sacred; wherhet!,er Jew or Chris
tsan, intidel or believer, over half th,
people OF the world regard the Sabbath
recognize Christians, and in their law
literature and social life are dominated
whether they will OF no, by the life an,
Influence of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 the devout and trusting believer
) what images and memories to brin.
comfort in the hours of sorrow! III
widows son called back to life. tn
t solemn figure, with mild and beautiful
l tace' raising the dead girl by the hand
the struggles with temptation and tn
victory, the unjust accusation and sen
tence, and the painful but tiumphan
{ death.
What memories for little children
e to be associated with Christina
, customs. and in Christian homes wit
Christ's life! The angel with the sher