The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-24
THE ABIDING MESSAGE
OF CHRISTMAS.

"Peace on earth and good will 10 mem
was che message Of the herald angel that
introduced the advent, nativity and life
of the Founder OF the Christian religion.
Peace, abiding peace, that peace which
passeth all understanding. was the key
nots Of the exalted life of Jesus Christ.
Harmony as opposed to discord, the
might Of love In ooatradistinction to the
right or might, freedom and spiritual lib
orty AZ opposed to doRmatic darkness,
materialsm and.human warfare, these con-
stituted the essential and practical ideas
of the life and works Of Gods great Mes
ssnger OF pence, whose teachings are to-
day engaging the thought OF world.
and whose religious tenets and practical
IDEAS are rapidly encircling this globe,
revealing the universal character and pos
sibilities Of the ethics of the Sermon oD
the Mount ani the practical and demon
strable idealsun portrayed ia the four Cos
pels The present and widespread agita-
tion in ChIlstsndom as TO whether tie
young should he longer deceived by the
Innocent yet perhaps misleading fable. viz.
the existence OF n Santa Claus, is only
one OF the many evidences that the deeper
religious aspects Of the Christmas season
are forcing their way into the conscious
ness OF men. To the extent that the
ia. ulous existence of Santa Claus and
the selfish merry making and gift-receiy-
ing anu RlIt-SlNln2 splflt Dlues from tno
minds OF the young and old alike the
essential import OF the Christmas season,
To this extent it can be truly said that
the higher In port uf the day Ia sacrificed
to tn lower. Let the Christmas season
be celSJ Jated, let gifts OF love be exchanged,
but see to IL that what they express OF un-
selfish. generous and honest love forms the
basis OF their value and let their Intrinsic
worth sDd character sink into insignin-
cance for often does not the simple
bunch of woodland violets picked by some
loving hand that perchance had 10 walk
miles 10 gather them, express deeper
type OF love than the most gorgeous bou-
quet obtained at a fashionable florist'si
The message OF Christmas Is essentially
one of divine love. brotherhood and
equality. Turning thought as 1t should
10 the sober contemplation of the life or
Christ IL should be productive of indivi-
dual growth and the publication and
elevation of human character Consider
ed In this light IL bears To each one OF us
personal message. Is the birth of
Christ's MIND, the mind which irdividu-
ally attained by His followers, enables
them 10 heal the sick. reform tue sinner
ard grow in the understanding Of the
divine laws of life in ali ages being daily
uufolded within usp DO We hear OF wars
and ruInors of war. are there cliques and
societiesg What is the deep significance
OF the unrest OF the human race at the
present hour, the vexed questions be-
tween capital and lanor. the distrust of
nations ono for another, what are all
these moDtal signs Dut evidences that the
world needs the peace which Jesus came
10 bring, for did He not Iray that the
Kingdom of God, the reigp OF love, right
anu justice should be esta blished on earth
as well as in the King ON OF Heaven,
which exists Individually within the
chastened hearts and purified affections
OF ali true religionists. The rich legacy Of
81
perfection, bod ly health and dominion
over all things for all the children of
God.
Ibe worldwide reaction OF the present
hour against naterialisn, tho conspic
nous drift in religion from creed, form,
doctrine and ceremonial into the safe and
secure harLor of practical Christian ty
aud demonsirahly spiritual ways ana
means can only be accounted for by the
fact that the teachings Of Christ are re-
ceiving more thorough examination
than ever before.
Still through our paltry stir and strife,
CLOVIS down the wished Ideal.
And longing moulds in clay,
What life carvcs I'm the marble Real
The world Of sbusiness, the vast AREA Of
Journalism, the realms Of literature. med
ioine, philanthropy. philosophy and
sci noe. demand and need the purifying
Clements OF the practical ideaIs resident
in the teachings Of Christ. especially the
sermon on the Mount Christian civil
Zation has advanced too far and human
progress has attained heights too lofty to
allow men to longer affirm that the ideals
Of the Teacher Of Palestine are too tran
candental To be ~ practical value in the
daily affairs Of men. The vast machinery
of the law ana the entire judiciary Of
Christian nations is built solidly upon
the foundation OF the abstract justice Of
the Mosaic DecalCgue. Justice IL practi-
cal idealism In the world OF mcrais. Can
we therefore, for an instant deny that
divine lovo, which includes justice, com
passion, equality, divine democracy.
brotherhood, friendship righteousness
purity, law. order and individual integ-
rlty is other than practical idealism aud
of uaily and vital value in the affairs OF
m.n here and now We are in tho midst
OF a great upheaval in religious thought.
Materialistic uogmas ana mysteries have
had their cav, and thinkers are looking
forward 10 that new Christian Church OF
Brother hood, of which Emerson spoke
when he said: "There viii be q new
church founded on moral science; at first
c1ld and naked, babe in the manger,
again the algebra ana mathematics OF
ethical law" The founder nj Christian
ity established demonstrative idellsm.
that is, Ee proved 10 was possible for
men. by working In accord with divine
law To Icy hold of permanent health, holi
NESS, immortality neTt uDu VOW. jesus
of Nazareth was an idealist in the full.
est sense of the term. To him the ideal
was the real. Mans spiritual perfection
individual doiainion over all things dis.
cordant, and HIS immortal oneness with
God, were by Him recognized facts. Spec
ulation never once entered into His teach.
ings. which were ever declared as Eternal
Truth. capable OF demonstration. On the
peristyle on tho lake front of the White
City Of the great Columbian Exposition
were the immortal words OF Jesus en-
bodyine the great promise OF the centu-
ries: aye shall know tie truth and the
truth snail make you free. Freedom
from oil that oripIlos mid ard body,
freedom from all that onslaveth and
maketh afraid, freedom from all that
works against the beavonwari currents
of true peace. tho peacs which thu first
Christmas sounded forth ana which the
present and all Christmas seasons should
renewedly bring To the hearts of all men
CAROL NORTON.