Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-12-31
CHRISTMAS GIVING.
| Its Influence ON tho Hearts OF Those Who
j observe This DELIGHTFUL Custom.


Observe This Delightful Custom.
The Christmas gift has its distinctly
religious association. 1t Is not an acci-
dent that his season of all others loosens
our purse strings. It E earth's first
Christmas gift, whether we think OF 1t
at the time or not, which is the living
Inspiration of the generosity of Yule.
It is the gift which came down to us
from Heaven on that still midnight tn
the manager that gives this season It's
true altruistic tinge. 1t Is not merely
because the fruits of the year are In
and the gamers groan with grain and
trade quickens to the impulse OF harvest
and vintage. It is because of the Mes
sianic gift, first and foreInost-so that
Christmas is prominently the season
In which the cast-iron regularity OF
our economy is relaxed, and we open our
hearts, and consequently our scrip, to
the appeal of generous sentiment.
and let us not forget also-to the un-
spoken plea of those whom we have al
ways with us-the poor and needy.
II Christmas, on its eleemosynary
side alone, could be wiped out. it is hard
to set limit to the gap which would
be made as regards Christian benevo-
lence. There are many human beings
more perhaps In the aggregate than
most Of us dream-who would go the
year through without one ray of light
on their darksome path. The Christ
mas spirit seeks out everyone. If any
are omitted the oversight is, in the
purest sense, accidental. The beauty.
too, of Christmas benevolence is that
it does not rank under the too often
depreciatory and half-insulting head OF
charity. The proudest and most keen
ly sensitive among Gods poor can ac-
cept without loss of lingering self-re-
spect that which loving hearts and gen.
erous hands have laid at their door
to brighten the morn of their Yule.
The Kings birthday is the time for
gifts. No one need blush at the sight
Of Christmas gift even If it means an
aims to save from starvation or naked
ness. The giver Of such is "twice
blessed"-in his own spiritual nature
md in the thought OF the light which
breaks under his touch for bleak and
CllcCicSSS anu dIOulu GllC DOiIu
Of otherwise Barmecide feasts. Every
one is better for Christmas giving, even
although some may set about it at first
rs q task. Ultimately, the pleasure of
the work grows by what it feeds on,
and we leave the Christmastide almost
wondering that we let such long inter
walls slip as regards these deeds of love
and kindness, and almost regrettipg
that every year brings only one Christ
mas in which to inspire the world with
the delight of following our Lords
injunction: Freely We have received,
freely give!"
But Christmas giving ought to have
its prospective influence. If it warns
our hearts, why not keep its embers
warm, for are they not as live Goals
from the altar? Are these homes, here
and there, dark and chill only in late
December? Is not the whole year bur-
dened with the weight of human sor.
row, much Of which is voiceless either
from pride or from feeling that APP
peals to others may be unheeded? Is
it not the Christians opportunity
to fan the flame of Christian altruis1n
into steadier and more perennial glow?
May we not bear with us lessons of
true thoughtfulness for others which
may scatter flowers of hope and help
over the course of another year and
shed the fragrance of true Christian
sympathy, the sympathy of deeds as
well as words, over many a bare and
desolate home?-N. Y. Observer.