Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-11-14
CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCE
BY ED. sAM'L MAGEE.
IYIHRISTMAS is coming Let
YAus look forward calmly upon
nx. the festivities of the season

sgTS2HRISTMAS is coming! Lei
YAAus look forward calmly upor
sEs the festivities of the season
! = and estimate their value and
character. We may say a few
things now that would not b.
timely or expedient then.
Within the past few years there
has been marked change among
the disciples of Christ in regard te
Christmas. In the memory Of III
all, Christmas was not observed as
a Christian festival except among
Roman. Catholics, Episcopalians
Lutherans, German Reformed, anG
perhaps a few others. Amonf
these it was observed as q home
festival and celebrated in the
churches with religious services
The disciples of Christ ignored
the day and regarded 1t as relic Of
Romanism, accepting it, however,
as good time for presents and
teasting.
But times have changed. Christ.
mas is now almost universally OBJ.
served, and celebrated in one way
or the other. The day may not be
devoted to public worship, but it is
filed with semi-religious meetings,
social reunions and joyous festivi.
ties. Among the most popular
and, therefore, the most injurious
are our Sunday School Christmas
entertainments or festivals. These
have become almost general and
vie with each other in the beauty
of their decorations, the richness
of their music, and the munificence
of their benefactions. No Sunday
School Is disposed to omit them.
So popular have these festivals be.
come that they have attracted the
eye of business, and a host of liter.
ary hucksters have encamped
around them. The market is food.
ed with Christmas merchandise
Christmas music, Christmas carols
and Christmas services are as thick
as frogs IN the land of Egypt
Some are good and full of religious
thought and feeling. But the vast
majority are a mere annual rehast
of religious sentimentalities, mu
sical plagiarism and bad poetry, o.
even worse, mere useless literary
and musical trash.
The Sunday School Christina
festival is the romance of Christian
ity. Generally there are things in
troduced into these festivals tha
mar their beauty, and interrupt th'
thoughts which they are intended
to excite. The grotesque, mythic
semi-pagan Santa Claus does no
harmonic with the Virgin Mother
the beautiful royal Christ child il
the manger, the angel messenger,
and the adoring shepherds. II
such company he is as much out o
place as a buffoon in the pulpit o.
a monkey among ladies and gen
tlemen. His presence casts /,
shadow on the light of the Star o
Bethlehem that guides us to tn,
King.
There are many other objection
able things. In the exhibition
given, youthful pride and vanity ar,
encouraged, and in the injudiciou
presentations os gifts and prefer
ments tender hearts are Otter
deeply wounded and envlous
jealous and angry feelings are ex
cited.
Much can be done to guide child
rem in the right direction, SO tha
they shall look upon the holida,
in its true light. Many of them ar
now so trained that their selfisl
desires are aroused by the ap
proach of Christmas, and the,
think only of the qualification 0
their own desires. Indulg-,t pa
rents and foolish friends encourag
this altogether wrong feeling b,
feeding their hopes until the ch'l
drens' thoughts are set upon tn
presents they are to receive, an,
they give no consideration TO wha
they might do, even in an humbl
way, to show their affection for o
kindly interest in others. Thu
Christmas observance encourage
the utmost sel6shness. Illustra
tions of this are seen in the letter
sometimes written by very small
children to Santa Claus and depos
tied in the post-office. Though
sometimes quaint and amusing
they are almost always purely sci
fish requests for presents for them
selves. They are the products O
misdireetion which, if continued
may rob these children of all tn
true pleasures associated with tn
best of intentions.
Selfishness does not want to b
cultivated, but rather repressed
Presents should come TO cnildrel
as surprises, their thoughts beinI
directed to the unselfish work @
making other people happy. Teacl
our children that Christ was mol, il
all probability, born upon that day
teach our children that 1t is uicke'