The record-union., 1898-12-23
PRESENT DAY THOUGHTS.
By G. Grosvenor Dave.

the cruel rigors of the cold, conse-
quently they flung themselves with
complete abandon into celebration
that from it's very wildness was an
endeavOr to express the Importance
they attached to the sun above them.
The somewhat worldlywise old fathers
of the modern church grated upon
the earlier celebration their own later
one, in which the Creator supplanted
the creature as worshipful.
How poetic was their thought! The
sun Of righteousness by His declara-
tion Of the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man, was 60 melt away
the superstitions that chilled the hu-
man heart: and where woe and waste
once held sway there should under His
benign influence spring up very gar
den of the Lord. The heather worship
ped the material but they set up for
worship the spiritual. The result we
know. The wild orgies of the early
days have given place to the beauty
of fireside joys. Christmas, therefore,
marks the growth and change Of hu-
manity away from the noisy and tenn
poral onward to the quietly good and
eternal.
Regard, if you will, the past times of
ignorance with plying eye, but be not
too quick to Judge: for these wild rois-
terers Of ancient days simply lived "a
cording to the light that they had.
They are not to be estimated by the
vision and the progress which we en-
joy. Darkened though their minds
were they form part of the history Of
humanity, and our records would be
imperfect without them. Old things
pass away in order to sustain the
things that are yet to be. Life itself
depends on death-the new resting OF
the old-the new impossible except the
old had gone before and prepared the
way.
In taking this view Of Christmas, 1t
is right to understand how much more
is expected from those who see than
from those who We're blind. We have
carried over into our day the signing
pine tree as an emblem. We have
feastings also. But beyond this there
is in our modern celebration the sanity
Of rest, whose sweetness is only fully
known by those who toll. We also try
to express not only to our neighbors
and clansmen Gas they did, but also
to all men of all classes hearty good
will, in which there is no hypocrisy.
Yet in all this advance there is moth
ing to boast Of.
Still more is expected of us. Let
us be greater than formal religion;
where it tells us to walk let us run:
where it compels the giving of one
thought of kindness, let us throw out
two deeds. Let US be wider than our
own theology, so that no limitations of
Divine mercy set UP by human imagin-
ings shall satisfy us. Let us refuse to
think of God as one whose movements
and Will and power can be hedged
around by the DEGREES Of any one man
or any council of men. Let us declare
that the unmeasured might seen and
wondered at by the heather, was less
than immeasureable mercy.
Throw out of the book of your re-
membrance of uncanceled debts of ILL
will. AS the enshrouding snow spreads
the mantle of purity over stained and
weary nature, let the dark stains Of un-
kind thought vanish from your heart
beneath a permanent mantle of charity
towards all. Set hard your heel upon
the canker-worm Of envy. Fling into
the flowing stream Of life for others the
best that you have. No responsibility
attaches to us for the deeds of which
we are incapable. But remember that
even the narrowed way must be filled,
opportunities. If perchanee, life's power
fc 10
Make no sorrowing world around
you, just because you are heavy with
In. Sorrow will dwell in the castle Of
your heart, until some other stronger
motive drives 1t out. Let that motive
be to live worthily of the one for whom
you sorrow the heart will rise from op-
pressive thought to be expressive Of an
ideal grand, hopeful, purposeful, wor-
thy, neither power on earth can turn a
noble purpose from it's final accomplish
ment somewhere; some day; nor power
in heaven will fail to note the aspira-
ton. Perchance the sorrow is not for
the noble dead, but for an ignoble past
look no longer backward but forward,
this holy Christmastide.
A long, long rest remains to the
fields that have done their task. A rest
remains to you; so swing out with
straining effort and sweaty brow, for
the evening of life draws on apace.
After your day will be others, and men
and women as good as you to work in
them. So look neither backward for
earlier standards to excuse your own
shortcomings, nor forward with doubt
AS to whether the task undone will be
taken up. Bend to your own. This is
Gods world or no ones; and the ma
jes1c progress of humanity from fierce
hatings to gentle kindness will not
cease your own work ends.
Slowly the purposes of the age, work
out-too slowly for eager hearts. But
the great progress is grandly sure. Ii
for each of us to attain our highest
hopes and accomplish all we set out to
do is life as it ought to be, then life. as
it is. is not worth living, for the full
fruition comes to none Of US. But If to
join the great procession of all the
worthless who have gotten some small
particle Of good and then flung 1t freely
into the common fund Of humanity,
makes life seem dignified and estimable
that enjoyment will not be denied to
any who will partake.
Now may there remain for each OF
us good will towards all, peace WITHIN
and rest after labor.
Articles of Incorporation.
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