The National tribune., 1895-12-19
THE GLORIOUS HOLIDAYS.
Merry Christmas-National Chaplain
Greetings-Some Pretty Christmas Silis'
The Calendar Winners.


A Merry christmas-National Chaplain's
C9reetinrs-Some Pretty Christmas Gifts
The Calendar Winners.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Would that to every Loyal Home Worker
there might come a merry Christmas. But,
alas. many heart is bowed down with sorrow
or disappointment aud many home is Greer
less and forsaken.
How. then. can one be merry when he is tossed
and shaken by the adverse winds of time and
fortune? How can he smile when his soul sits
shroudod in grief?
There is but one way, and that is TO lose sell
in the love Of others to rise from q chronic
indulgence in dependency and 90 about doing
good to others
The hearts Of the father and the mother
may be weir htcd down with many burdens.
Yet il is theirs to be courageous and hopeful Tor
the sake Of the little children
Death may have entered the home OF the
rich and taken away the one cherished idol OF
the household. Then, let the rich reach out
10 the poor, and in the glaadened eyes Of other
babes End some soace for the loss OF their own.
Misfortune may have entered the home Of
the poor in this worlds goods, but the family
circle is unbrosen, and is there not joy and
hope in that2
Think a moment. Does any escape the
common lot OF man? Do not sOrTows and
Affections come TO the rich as well TO the
poor? II one waited for fair winds and an I'M
troubled sea, would he ever set sail TO wider
havens beyond?
IL one waited for the time when every good
thing stood at his beck and call would Ire ever
laugh laugh. OF sing a song, or hope hope,
or pray prayer?
o, dear friends. your Christmas is in your
selves. Peace aud good viii must be in your
hearts and mine before we can take up the an
gelic acclaim. Can you not that it is
neither IN houses nor lands, nor goods nor
gear. nor this great gift, nor that. that the
kingdom Of God has its root in your lives aud
miner
Senator Leland Stanford and bis wife had
wealth immeasurable, stocks and bonds, and
mines Of silver and gold. And with it all they
had but one son, beautiful boy. who died Of
fever in the city Of Rome, with plea on his
dying lips for children less fortunate than
himself
Since then al that vast wealth has been
cOnsecrated TO the sons and daughters of other
men and women; homes and ssylums have
been founded, the great University of California
has been built and endowed. Thousands have
been blessed aud benefited because the heart
OF one poor, little boy. beating itself TO death
like an imprisoned dove. had compassion on
the neglected children Of men.
1t is not what we have in ourselves, but
what we are able TO inspire In the hearts and
lives Of others that fixes our value IN time and
eternity. All the treasures Of the earth arc
IN ono and the same hand, aud that is the hand
that has fashioned US al.
Penniiess in ourselves. small aud weak and
iniantine, perhaps, ours may yet be the word
that shall bring down blessings upon ourselves
and Others.
Why, then, cannot every Loyal Home
Worker be merry on Christmas day? Why
can he not turn his eyes hesvenward 70 greet
the dove Of promise and hear the angels sing Of
the coming Of the kingdom in his receptive
hearty
Aud 50 to one and to all q bright and Merry
Christmas.
NATIONAL cBAPLAIg's GREETINGS.
DEARLY BELOVED C. c. AND LH.W.: A
Merry Christmas to you ali and singular. and
glad New Year, with new leaf turned and a
high resolve 10 make the coming good year Of
1886 a better one than any which has preceded
IL.
Fear not, for, behold, bring YOU good It'd
lngs OF great Joy. which shall be TO all people y
Such was tic salutation that came TO the
watching Judean shepherds, followed by the
chorus Of the angelic choir GLORY TO God in
the highest. and on earth peace, good will to-
Christ child Despite the controversies and
mDmmeries which have come down TO Us con-
corning the coming Of that child il was to man
kind the event Of events the bringing in Of the
noblest morality and the kndliest ethics the
world Of man has known. Waving all con-
troyersy, believe, for myself, that this Jesus
OF Nazaretii was the Christ OF God, the Prince
OF Peace, the very God man, the one white.
souled, spotless man. whose law Of life, code of
ethics, rule Of action, or whatever we NAV de-
nominate IT, commonly called the Golden Rule.
ls the most complete and perfect law keeping
which. among men, shall dissipate standing
armies, bar out labor strikes and hush the
EeDseless war Of contending creeds. IT would
bring in justice, which the world needs more
than il needs charity.
We are coming TO the celebration Of the an
niNersRry of His nativity. Passing all the
legends that have been woven about the event,
have TO think Of it as the time when
: For one little ohild's sake
All THE world is glad
tbe sweet thought OF the Christ chila kin.
ship to which makes all the world kin; or as
the good bishop sings
IL Is coming old earth. II is coming.
Az the snowfakes cover The sod:
The feei OF Tie Christ child fall gentle and " hite
And tie voice Of the Christ child tells out with de-
light
That mankind are The children Of Ood.n
With this thought TO warm our hearts and en-.
large our souls, let us so dispense our gifts.
be they great or small that we shall scatter
sunshine ~ the Swallowed places and that we
may ne witnesses for Him who was rich. yet
Tor our saEes became poor, that We through
HIS poverty, might be rich"
Ny love be with you ali In Christ Jesus.
Amen. Loyalty yours
Frank McMnrray, Chaplain LII. W., Canton.
u.