The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-12-22
CHRISTMAS.
IFrom Harper's Weekly.

The world does not outgrow Christ
mas. The greatest of religious festivals
is blended with the deepest human
affections. Christmas, indeed, is the
characteristic symbol of Christianity
The maxim of "them of old time" was
an eye for an eye and tooth for
tooth. Buddhism contemplates an
individual perfection; Islam,a personal
happiness. But Christianity is the relig-
ion of the love which sacrifices itself
for brother. The distinctive legend
of no other IS goodwill TO men; no
other is Graded in tradition OF sweet
domesticity. Our Christmas is an ag
gregate OF many traditions. Its roots
run into every soil, and it is enriched
with the experience OF every country.
The mistletoe, the waits, Santa Claus,
the sports, the holly, the carol, come
not in the exclusively Christian so much
as in the universally human line.
Indeed the most vehement protests
against Christmas, its outlawry and
ban, came from the fiercest Christian
sectarians, and those who did much to
separate religion from ceremony and
superstition denounced Christmas rs OF
the devil. 1t was a wild endeavor to
blot out the sunshine, to silence music
and 10 steal fragrance from flowers.
In its source, III its spirit, in its
observance, Christmas is all good
cheer. 1t consecrates good cheer in
every form, and routs the old Puritan
fallacy that pleasure is sinful because
It is pleasant.
Do the old English Christmas sports
q 1Fuix IN in nnnH
of England? 1t is sixty years since
Washington Irving wrote the charming
Christmas chapters OF Bracebridge
Hall. Were they anything more than
a happy grouping OF old traditions
Did the England that he saw furnish
more than the traditions? Did the
minstrels really sing their Christina.
tunes beneath his cottage caves, al
Wordsworth sings, or was it only the
pleasant and seasonabe fancy of the
poet2 The Lord of Misrule, MaiC
Marian, Hobby Horse, and old Father
Christmas-they have all been some
times reproduced, but the England il
which they were universal and familiar
is fairy realm. They are legends O
the significance of the day, u day o
enjoyment, OF pleasure and good
fellowship, day Of kindly feeling, o
essential brotherhood. The officia
charitable doles in London OH Christ
mas day, the giving of bread and Goals
to q select body of the poor, chill anG
perfunctory charity superintended By
the parish beadle, ARE also dry blossoms
of the same tree. But the browning
| flower of this kind is Santa Claus, the
universal gitt-giving to the children
The special significance of gifts, thai
they shall be in some way parts of the
giver, which is the refined thought ol
the poets, is overborns by the great
fact of childish delight in the gift itself
The drum, the trumpet, the Noah's ark,
the elephant, the wax doll with moving
eyes, whatever the metaphysics of gift.
giving, are ministers OF rapturous
pleasure, which is mutual, for the
parent perceives that it is more blessed
10 give than to receive.
This Christian spirit, of which the
Christmas feeling is the symbols it
more general, is it solving the real
problem of human life? These are
portentous questions, with which now
and then the press and the pulpit
grapple, and with which economists,
phiIanthropists, and statesmen are
busy. Is there greater content, more
generally diffused happiness? ls the
sense of duty more imperative and
effective2 Is the Christmas spirit of
fraternity more universal? He would
be bold man who should deny it.
Doubtless modern invention gives us
an infinitely more comprehensive and
detailed knowledge OF every variety of
contemporary suffering the world over
than our ancestors could command.
But look at any section OF their world
so far as We can now sec ii, and the
sense OF elevation, of enllghtenment,o ,ot
well-being, is much lower than that
which similar sections show to-day.
Never so distinctly as now did the
Christmas legend so accurately describe
the spirit and purpose OF a vast part OF
human activities, peace on earth, good
will to men.