The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-12-20


What profound emotions of gratitude
should swell up in every human heart
Mt the mention of this now well-niph
universal holidayl But il is to be feared
that the vast majority of those who OBJ
serve it have no true conception Of its
meaning. Even many of those whose
idea of it is that II Is n time to bestow
md receive gifts do not fully compre-
hend what Is meant by this hallowcd
and common custom.
Christmas not only commentaries
the birth of Christ, who gave His life rs
n ransom for sinful world. but tvpifcs
the incffable gift of God, who $50 loved
the world that He gave His only be-
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish but have everlast-
ing life" Paul tells us that salvation
sis the gift of God" from whom, as
games says, is ''every good and perfect
gift" Paul also declares in writing TO
the Ephesians that when Christ ascend
ed upon high He "led captivity captive
and gave gifts unto men"
What ure some of these gifts which
nre thus typified and intended to be
commcmornted by the custom of gift
giving In Christmas-tide? Peace on
earth, good will TO men," is the boon il
brings to mankind as whole.
The coming OF Christ was the mani
festation of God to men. There Is no
full revelation of God anywhere save in
His incarnated Son. lie Is the fullness
OF the God-head bodily. Christ was the
ideal man, called by emincnce "the Son
of Man" In Him we mark the fulfill
ment of all human capabilities. BY Him
IS reconciliation of sinful man and an
offended God. Faith in Christ cruel
fied-the gift of infinity to man--is the
secret of salvation from the consc-
quences of sin. The gift of everlasting
life is TO be had for the taking.
Christmas, as a commemoration of the
birth of Christ, without reference TO His
sacrificial atonement, would be mean
ingless. True, He taught grand lessons
of love and duty, and of self-sacrifice
for the good of others, but the sublime
climax of all these teachings was His
sufferings and death on the cross on ac-
count of the sins of mankind. This has
been aptly called the tragedy of the
world-a tragedy in which every human
soul has an interest, because it provides
for human wants-a balm in Gilead, q
fountain for uncleanness, redemption
from sin, and joy forever
These personal and spiritual gifts are
not the only advantages that have been
conferred upon mankind by the coming
of Him whose birth is celebrated at
Christmas. The world as n whole has
had an uplift in direct ratio as the les
sons of His life and death have been re-
,vealed to it. Genuine and helpful civ
ilization waits on Christianity.
The sign of the triple cross Is not, as
Ingersoll in his book makes it, the en-
blem of superstition, hate and cruelty,
which he transposes to telegraph poles
labeled "for the use of man." but the
cross, typifying Christianity, ever pre-
lcedes enlightenment, invention and all
that tends to human progress and hui
man happiness. The later cartoon, rep
lresenting the Christian church as
woman carrying the cross and the
bright light of Christian truth, and thus
penetrating the dark recesses of igno-
rance, tyranny and superstition, which
are dispelled before her, while the en-
,blems of civilization, the railroad train,
the telegraph, the church, the school
house and the busy city follow her;
this cartoon, l say, tells truthful
story of human progress. The most
progressive, most enlightened, intelli-
gent and strongest nations of to-day,
with the most of happiness among
their people, are the Christian nations.
Mr.. Gladstone, the greatest statesman
of this or any other age, lately said;
"Talls about the questions of the day;
there is but one question, and that Is
the gospel. 1t can and will correct
everything needing correction. All
men at the head of great movements
are Christian men. During the many
years was III the cabinet Twas brought
into association with 60 master minds
and all but five of them were Chris
Itians. My only hope for the world Is
in bringing the human mind into con-
tact with divine revelation" How I'M
portant, then, isit that in commemorate
ing Christmas we should have true
conception of what 1t means!