The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-12-17
WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS.

To Rich and Poor - The Children's
Milestone - Founder Christ's I'm
selhshness-Joys of Giving Enter
ing into Homes of Destitution.
Christmas is probably the only festival
of the Church that receives almost uni
versal recognition. The observance Of
Easter each year becomes more general,
but it still falls far behind The Birthday
in popularity. Saints days are practi-
cally unknown, except to Roman Catho-
lies and some Episcopalians; but from
Greenland's icy mountains to India's
coral strand" wherever the Christian re-
Igion has been preached, Christmas IS
the joy time of the year.
1t was not always so. The memory OF
man readily goes back to the time when
Christmas was as nothing to the New
Englanders in comparison to ThanksgIv-
ing Day. In some hearts the Puritan
festival still holds the first place, but the
Christmas feast follows close after it.
There are many reasons for this. To
the devout souls the day commentaries
the birth of the Peace ringer, and there
is an undercurrent of unspoken JOY in
their hearts that is not due to the out
word and visible signs of Christmas.
To the poor it is one OF the few bright
spots in a long and dreary winter-a sea-
son when the well-tO-do open their hearts
and hands and send bounty into the
homes of the hungry.
CHRISTMAS Is DEAREST TO CHILDREN.
TO the children-ah, what is it not to
the children? 1t is their golden mile
tho landmark from which they
measure everything. AS soon as they
stop looking back to one Christmas, they
begin looking forward to another. An
atmosphere Of mystery delight
full to a child-enshrouds the Gule-tde.
1t is more than family gathering and
big dinner and presents and candy un-
limited. 1t is the Christ-Child, and Santa
Claus, elves and fairies, singing angels
and kneeling cattle. WorShlpIng shepherds
and gift-bearing Magi, a Star of Bethle-
hem and manger, "a slelghtul OF toys
and eight tiny reindeer" all blended IN
the blisstul confusion impossible outside
OF a child's brain, that knows not rever-
ence or irreverence, but bestows wonder
and love with impartial generosity upon
Christian story and pagan myth.
SO it is, after all, to the children that
Christmas is dearest. Next after them it
is most loved'by those who have never
lost the childish heart, those greatly to be
envied ones who still feel "Christmas in
their bones" as the holiday comes around
and rejoice in the JOY of others more
keenly than in their own happiness, for
the true meaning of Christmas is lost as
soon as the element of selhshneSs finds a
place in the celebration. Even the chill
dren soon learn this, and they are de-
fraudeG ii this lesson is not early and
tenderly brought home to them. They
must not be deprived of the joys of Civ
ing, and they will not be slow to learn
that their merry making is sweeter and
gayer for the thought that by sending
happiness into the homes of the needy
they have made themselves one with the
spirit of the Founder of the feast-day,
whose whole life was one continuous
gift. The sweet solemnity of the thought
will not cloud the mirth. 1t Will, if IL is
rightly taught and apprehended, be the
trimming drop in the cup of happiness
of old and young.
THE SELFISH AND SOLITARY SHRINK.
To one or two classes of people Christ
mas brings little or no JOY. The selfish
and the solitary shrink from it. 70 the
former its observance would mean
drain upon purse and sympathies that he
does not wish to meet To the latter it
brings contrasts too sharp not to be pain
full.
With the selfish, manor woman-can
do little. If the gentle example, the
kindly word fail to move him, one can
go no farther, but the solitary when ''set
in families is no longer solitary, and
there are few hOmekeepers who do not
have it in their power to admit at least
one guest to the Christmas dinner. No
one but just such lonely one can tell
just what such taking in'' means to
him or to her.
Oh Christian. open thy heart and door
Cry East and West to the wandering poor,
Whoever thou art whose need is great,
In the name Of Christ, the compassionate
And merciful one, for thee l wait.
And the poorest of all may be those
whose purses are full.