The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1893-12-22
OF CHRISTMAS.
HOW HOLIDAYS BECAME TRULY
HOLY DAYS.
Great Fight THAT Has IilumIned
the Centuries Grows In intensity.

Time In its spiral course has brought
rs roupd once more to the holiday sea
son: and amid busy prepa1ati tons for
Christmas festivities we would pause
awhile to consider the first great Christ
mas yladness, why we should rejoice
and be glad; the gift-the gift OF the
father to his children. We would not
forget, in these days OF rejoicing and
would not forget, as the children say,
what Christmas Is for
As our thoughts tu,n inward and
inward we become filled with the con-
sciolsness that these holidays are
| truly holy" days; and remembering
the primitive significance Of the word
holy we perceive a beautiful consist
ency in the custom which makes the
| Christmas season Il time Of feStivity:
time Of giving and receiving;a time of
general kindliuess and good cheer.
1t is the nature OF mankind to be
hero worshipers. From the beginning
Of time it has delighted to honor those
whom it deems its bnnefactols. On na-
tional holidays we relax the usual rou-
tine Of daily labor and unite in paying
tribute to the memory OF some person
who has earned the nations gratitude
and love. or some event which Is u
landmark in the nations progress.
So the 2oth Of December we celebrate
as the birthday anniversary of the hero
| Of heaven and OF earth, the adored Of
angels and archangels and men. the
hero who made possible all other heA
roes, inasmuch as he s the creator of
all and "by him do all things consist"
The celebration Of the Christmas fes-
| tival IN oommelnoration Of the nativity
of our Savior Is Il tie which
binds, not one nation alone, but
all nations Of ChriStendom in bond Of
brotherhood. No matter what its form
Or its name. on this day Christianity
| turns toward the central point of its
religious belief and fixes its eyes upon
the child Jesus
The Romanist and the Protestant.
though differing in the conception of the
Christ idea and widely diverse in their
methods of proclaiming the glad It'd
lngs OF salvation to men, are yet one
i'll worship and alteration Of him who
brought that salvation The jew.
| though not recognizing the man OF NaZ-
conforming to Christmas customs. in
Christian lands, bows the knee to Jesus.
and III gift giving symbolizes the Civ
ing Of the long and much Dc
sired Savior in the son Of Mary.
The birthday Of our Lord is for all
men the day Of days; 1t is the pivotal
point in time; all preceding days date
toward 1t. all succeeding days date from
It. The birth Of Jesus brought about
change of front OF the human race.
Previous to that event. mankind had
been receding from It's center. had been
| getting away from God With the in
carnation OF the Son It turned right
| about face and the upward climb began.
In the fullness OF time, at just the
point when the tide of sin and iniauity
was at its flood the God Man appeared.
| the power OF evil was checked. and the
Journey to father, home and heaven
commenced.
In Old England
In England the Christmas HOLIDAYS
extend until the 9th day Of January. and
many curious customs are connected
with twelfth night festivities. As
those familiar with the prayer book Of
the Church Of England know. the
tWel1th day commentaries the .Epi
phany, or manifestation Of Christ to tho
genllles, and Is associated with the
VISIT OF the masi. On this day English
so'erelsnS make an oblatiOn Of gold
lfanSlncense and myrrh at the altar of
the chapel royal. We note that as the
Inflst IDEA IS evolved, Christianity firls
!. supernuous to especially emphasize
Tue manifestation to the gentiles. In
the IDEA Is Included the idea of unity
dhu men gradually grasp the truth that
uou ls no respector Of persons, that the
ra1ner has no favorites amon. his
children. That Christ came at all IS tho
one 1act OF significance; hence a newer
clvlllzation dispenses with twelfth -dav
observance.
Inc day we celebrate is pre-aminentlv
holy" day, in that il brought 70 ,,,,n
That by which he could become whole
SOUND, safe. 1t brought to man that nv
winch he could obtain wholeness nf
oouy anu Soul and spirit. Gods Christ
' s sl' - the world is salvation not
ny nly Llee out 1ull. That means a per
,.;., -, uarnnony OF conditions beginning
. "..A Tue innermost and working to the
oa'e'nos! part Of being 1t means life
~. nai.1hat most happy and satisfac.
.o1y adjustment OF man to his environ |
nenl winch Henry Drummond tells
ABOUT. In word, the incarnation is !,
proclamation OF peace.
o;e. ;eia.se 70 say, not all men accept the
80 -. " tne Rather; not all men omen
%. neiifts 10 receive the Christ child |
!, ~, Ine el1t IS none the less theirs r
- ~ pe nad for the taking. While the
a. ..,lei ,' uoes not force acceptance. Meth |
s. ,!,. uoes he bestow the gift with m IN
uinelence concerning its reeeption or
IeJec'lon Knowing as we never can
snoW The significance Of that which h..
las y Is giyen-all that it brings to mani