The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-12-23

there is OICen JlmeS mOSC SGT0uS I'll Ill
seeming weakness, and an example
that infinite might itself can oftimes
best accomplish its wise purpose by
submission to inferior forces.
There was in Him of Nazareth no
eagerness to exercise the omnipo-
tence with which He was endowed.
Man in appearance, a perfect man,
His methods were human. His were
the annoyances and vexations of Or
binary childhood. His were the
hardships of the poor in early man
hood. The divinity that was His
sharpened the keen edge of the win
ter's blast and quickened the pangs
of hunger. Throughout His precious
life it was His part to teach what no
man had taught, and to suffer as none
had suffered.
Peace and good will-all the year
we have been in the possession of
what our Declaration of Independ-
ence somewhat pathetically accords
to us, ''life, liberty and pursuit of
happiness" and from this latter en-
joyment it is well to rest sometimes
and see how we have exercised its in
fuence towards others. Whatever
our religious creed, or supposing we
have none at all, still holiday cele-
brated in all climes, in every part of
the globe, is one to remind us of the
great brotherhood of humanity, and
so make us little gentler, a little
more accessible to the claims of
others. It is a pleasant thing to
receive good will, and to have it one
must also bestow 1t. Are there no
weaker companions to help, no sad
der ones to cheer? Out of our store,
material and spiritual, we must give.
Is it grudge, hatred, bitter re-
sentiment that we have been cherish
ing all while? That friend who Of
Tended us may be wishing an oppor-
tunity to atone, that acquaintance
whom we dislike may owe his faults
to inherited proclivities or unhappy
circumstances of which we know
nothing. If we are happy, should
we not be double gentle to those who
are not.
Let the flowers of charity and
courtesy, forbearance and gentle toll
erance grow among us; they will
make happy Christmas for child
hood, maturity and old age alike
peace and good will among men!
We have fully realized that when
the gates of childhood's magic king
dom close softly after us we leave
behind, perforce, much that is very
beautiful-dreams, fancies, hopes,
Illusions, wonders not to be realized
and possible only to the fresh imagi-
nation of those first bright years and
the blissful inexperience which equal
ICES for a short time the child of the
monarch and the peasant, of the rich
man and the beggar. One of the
happiest possessions, perhaps, of that
light-hearted period to which we lock
back with regretful eyes and laugh
which is half a sigh, was it's simple,
unquestioning, profund, exultant be-
lief and JOY in Christmas. Oh! tie
Joy OF those sunny hours-a caltn
space, as it were, beneath sky thst
was sweetly, brightly blue, and each
seasons sun rose on fower-strewn
banks. Ride as we will on the switS-
est billow tomorrow, we are never
out of sight Of yesterday-there It
shines still with fearful, gentle lignt
through the rack of the storm. Tie
heart beats sadder, the tide of life
runs slower, but the Yesterdays come
drifting down to waiting Age-wait-
ing for him who enters hall and howell.
unbidden and unstayed "Don't for
get" Alas who does not remember ?
It is hardly likely that we want
Christmas to come so often now
We have grown older and much wiser,
~ k,~s1