The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-12-25
MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.

What profound emotions Of graft
tude should swell up in every human
heart at the mention of this now we'll
nigh universal holidays! But it is to
be feared that the vast majority of
those who observe it have no true con-
ccption of its meaning. Even many
of those whose idea of it is that it is a
time to bestow and receive gifts do not
fully comprehend what is meant by
this hallowed and common custom.
Christmas not only commentaries
the birth of Christ, who gave His life
as Il ransom fora sinful world. but typ
flies the inettable Gift Of God, who $50
loved the world that He gave His only
begotton Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life Paul tells us that
salvation lis the Gift Of Cod from
whom, rs James says, is ''every good
and perfect gift Paul also declares
i'll writing to the Ephesians that when
Christ ascendrd upon high He ''led
captivity captive and gave gifts unto
men,
What are some of these gifts which
are thus typitled and intended to be
commemoratcd 10y the custom of Gift
giving i'll Christmas-tiIc Peace on
earth, good will to men, is the boon
it 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 incarnate Son He is the full
ness Of the God-hcad bodily. Christ
was the ideal man, called by cminence
.thc Son of Nam" In Him We mark
the fuifilment OF all human capabili-
ties BY him is reconciliation of sin
tul man and an offended God. Faith
in Christ crucifed-thc gift Of intnity
to man-is the secret of salvation from
the consequences Of sin. The Gift Of
everlasting life is to be had for the
taking.
Christmas. as 4 commemOratlOn OF
the birth of Christ, without reference
to His sacrilicial atonement, would be
meaningless. 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 sutferings and death on the
cross on account of the sins of man
kind. This has been aptlv called the
tragedy of the world-a tragedy in
which every human soul has an in
terest, because it provides for human
wants-a balm in GiIead, 4 fountain
for uncleanness, redemption from sil.
and Il JOY forever.
The personal and spiritual gifts are
not the only advantages that have
been conferred upon mankind by the
coming of Him whose birth is celebra-
ted ut Christmas The world rs Il
whole has had an uplift in direct ratio
as the lessons Of His life and death
have been revealed to it. Genuine
and helpful civilization waits on Christ
tianity.
The sign of the triple cross is not,
as In@ersoll in his book makes it, the
emblem of superstition, hate and cruel
tv, which he transpoSes to telegraph
poles labeled for the use of man, but
the cross. typifying Christianity, ever
prccedes enlightment, invention and
all that tends to human progress and
human happiness. The later cartoon,
representing the Christian church rs Il
woman carrying the cross and the
bright light Of Christian truth, and
thus penetrating the dark recesSes of
ignorance, tyranny and superstition.
which are dispellcd by her, while the
emblrms of civilization. the railroad
train. the telegraph. the church, The
school-lousr and the busy city follow
her: this cartoon. | say. tells Il truth
full story of human progress. The
most prog reSsivr, most enlightened,
day, with the most oi happiness among
their people. are the Christian nations.
Mr. Gladstone the greatest statesman
of this or any other age, late Y: Talk
about the questions Of the day there
is but one question, and that is the
gospel 1t can and will correct every
thing needing correction. All men at
the head of great movements are
Christian men. During the many
wear, | was in the cabinet | was
brought into association with 60 mas
ter minds. and all but five of them
were Christians. My only hope for
the world is in bringing. the human
mind into contact with divine rcvela-
ton" How important, then, is it that
in commcmorating Christmas we
should have true conception Of what
it means
"IIullo, Billie, merry Christmas
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