Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-12-25
THE MERRY CHRISTMAS.


varied and general observance and the
broad Christianity its commemoration typ
flies, removes afar off the thought enter
tanned by some that a religious war is a
probability of the future. The Christmas
of to-day is not a creed Christmas only.
1t stands for a Christianity of hui
mainly and peace that does not of
necessity lift up the figure of Savior for
alteration. The world grows better be-
cause its tolerance grows broader as each
Christmas tide visits us. The broader the
acceptance of the Christianity of love and
goodwill and kindliness and charity and
human sympathy by the world of civilized
men, the further removed it is from the
conflicts and strifes born of creeds and
seets, and the greater the liberty Of con-
science men accord to worshipers by
creed and doctrine. And so, we repeat,
Christmas observance is one of the might
lest barriers tolerance upraises between sects
of religious conflicts. But we are told that
the non-religious Christmas is one mainly
of the stomach, holiday given over to
feasting and mere exchange of social fa-
vors and the feeting tokens of affection,
and has no relation to the spiritual senti-
ment that gives birth to the day as a
Christian festival But even If this is adj
mitted for the sake of argument, the
worldly sentiment is wholesome and help
full, and the criticism that seeks to belittle
it by relating it wholly to physical pleas
ures, shoots over the head of humanity.
The spiritual exaltation that is so great as
to lose sight of the physical avenues by
which the better part of man is reached, is
altogether too ethereal for this world. We
are content that the religious devotee
shall mortify the flesh if he will, to-day !;
it does not one whit lessen the excitation
of the generous impulses, the kindly in
stincts, the charitable desire, the loving
heart that the recurrence Of Christmas
hours guarantees to those who do not.
If any there be whose charities and
loves to-day must take on special activity
according to set and severe formula, we
can wish them merry Christmas and go
on merrily enjoying our holiday. For while
the Christmas of the civilized world is
religious festival for those who choose (;
it is none the less worship by others. For
men cannot by gift, or smile, or kindly
word, or happy heartful greeting, cheer and
encourage each other without doing lofty
duty to the Ruler of the Universe; without
worshiping the Great Giver without ex-
employing Christian teaching and trans
muting Christian precept into human good.
Those owhom this day is one for benef-
eence will not less receive the immediate
reward that follows the good deed, that
they do not adopt this Or the other belief
concerning the future state, or touching
the best means to the Hottest attainment
for the immortal part. Those for whom
religious tradition assumes a sacred atti
tude, teaching them that to-day's eelebra-
ton commentaries an event that visited
upon man the greatest blessing he has
known, will observe the Christmas day in
sincerity and with religious enthusiasm,
and all the world viii approve.
For after all, be it by saint or bysinner,
by the unbeliever in religious dogma or by
the most devout worshiper at the shrine
of Jesus; be it by Jew or by Gentle, in
broad aisle or beneath cathedral nave; in
chapel or in hall, in the home of pow
erty or at the table of feasting, the Christ
mas day observance has one broad, gener-
GUS, universal meaning and teaching
which all interpret alike and truly-lcve,
peace, good will, charity, forgiveness, hui
manity for the form matters less than the
spirit in which we give thanks and do good.