The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-22

lawsuits are cast aside, put away and
locked up, and the weary heart and
brain are given voyage to fairy land.
"Lst US hope that such day is a
prophecy of what ell dave will be-"
Here is what Bishop Henry G. Potter
said about Christmas:
"Not alone is there kindlier spirit
in the world today; there is a mora
self-etfacing and more hopeful one.
/ is easy, it may be said, to have an
iuvertebrate theology which drops out
of it's belief the wholesome rigors of
our fathers creeds, but what is this but
to emancipete society from unpleasant
moral restraints and to dismiss people
to life of selfish ease?
But is that a life of selfish ease
which is being spent by millions of
men and women today in the service Of
their less fortunate fellows?
"If anybody thinks that Christmas
and Epiphany mean only Santa Claus
and candles, sugar and sentiment, let
him go and stand in the police courts
of New York and see modest woman
there who is watching, day after day
and week after week, for her hayward
and sin-stained sisters.
"Let him follow her along the streets
child Of shame who 10 plunging down
into some low dive there to perish,
body and soul, amid Its foul fumes.
"Let him see such a one, and their
name is legion wherever the name of
the Babe Of Bethlehem has gone, count
ing no fellowship too vile, no errand of
mercy to hopeless, no life of poverty
and hardship too austere, if only they
may kindle in another breast that in
extinguishaole hope and joy which has
walked to life in their own.
"What do they do it for? Can money
buy such service? Can the love of
fame kindle such an enthusiasm? Can
a righteous resentment because the
wrongs that others have endured sus-
tain such men and women as these?
st is in vain that we strive to account
for such an ardor until we own the
spell of that Light that never was on
land or sea- that enkindled 1T.
eff it be true that, though Christ has
entered it, bringing into it the light of
divine life, the world is not growing
brighter, then it must be because those
to whom he has brought that light are
SO unwilling TO receive it, or else 30 re-
lucant to reflect it. There are those
who do not receive it and reflect it,
even as there are in nature certain SUBJ
stances that have supremely what may
be called diaphanous quality. They
receive the light, but they receive it
only the more graciously and widely
| to diHuse it. And like such substances
are certain men,"
It may be of interest to many to know
how the Christian Scientists regard the
Christmas season. Helen M. Walton,
one of the leaders of the peculiar faith,
said this about the Christmas season:
81 have recently read in number of
periodicals that Christmas, as day of
rejoicing and prayer, was giving way
to holiday of the ordinary sort,
| simply being an occasion for the be-
stQwal Of gifts.
eff such were the case the American
public would have reason for regret.
While the day has always been regard
ed in the light of a holiday-thst is to
say, its full significance has not been
lost-there have been many among the
unthinking to whom its real meaning
was unknown. If this sentiment is
gradually giving to feeling of indiffer-
ence as to the birthday of Jesus, some
radical means should be taken to re-
vive interest in the religious aspect of
the day.