The San Francisco call., 1899-12-25
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

/ : HE anclents had tunes and seasons IN which
the spirit OF humanity and the feeling OF fellow
ship rose above selishness. In many different
ways the softer sentiments OF man were manifested
and their season, under many different names was
usually related to the great physical facts fixed in
the laws OF the universe The Greeks had, at the
winter sostice the halcyon days, in which
so gracious and and sky calm that the halcyon
hatched her eggs upon the sleeping water These
Greek days correspond very closely the Christian
holidays, so that in these modern times the great
Christian festival is commonly named after the old
Greek season. the halcyon days" There are other
days in the year hallowed by the memory OF great
events, consecraed to the human heart by origin
in fear in suppicaton, in in JOY, but they
either special national
The Christmas holidays however, are joined ndis
soluby TO the spirit Of hopeiuness and thankiuness
Because they joined to ceremonial and their
observance written in the ritual OF the unbroken
church, very worthy religious bodies which arose
after the great schism attempted TO ignore them
This was especially the case with the serious
and sober-ninded Puritans. In the days OF the COM
monwealth they attempted TO efface all that had made
"Merrie England" and when austere forefathers
landed in the cold winter upon the frozen shores OF
New England they planted there ascetic cult which
their descendants have fogotten to honor Still they
had in them the spirit OF their Christmas observing
ancestors for we read in their chronicles that the
morning OF the first Christmas they spent off
Plymouth the went ashore usual 10 fell trees
and build log houses, but they returned to the ship
and the daye being Christmas the captaine broached
a Darrell OF ale and we partook thereof"
Down TO within the memory OF a generation not
yet passed away, Christmas was not generally OBJ
served in New England, but its celebration is
not more general in any part OF the Union. The
change has been wrought largely by the importation
OF the universal German habit OF making it the
special holiday OF childhood The Christmas tree,
the pleasant riot and claer of childish pleasure and
expectation have their way, and there are but
few American homes in which homage, more or less
conscious, is not paid to that friend OF the chdke
spirit which saw in infancy no trace OF original trans
gresson. but said to all the world to be- Except We
become as one OF these We cannot enter the king
dom"
1t is well for humanity that all this has come and
that the holiday spirit is still calling, wherever the
standards OF Christian civilization planted, For
bid them not" Much there may be done on the day
that is the fruit OF idleness and passion not in the
spirit and purpose fitting the time. But much is
done in harmony with its higher sentiment that poor
humanity may be forgiven its and its follies
The vast majority OF those who within its infu-
ence forgetting dogmatism. abandoning debate turn
ing away from doctrine feel wholesomely that the
great Christian festival brings light into the world
which none can afford to quench. When that light
is greater illumination and shines upon a world in
which war no longer RACES, where strife is unknown
and nation no longer lifts the sword against nation,
then will the full mission OF the light OF the world be
accomplished, in peace earth and goodwill toward
men.
We cannot forget the strife that is now abroad
S,g
wait to kill their kind. Sorrow and not JOY is in
many homes In obedience to a spirit OF greed and
ambition, OF war and ill-will toward men, slaughter
and destruction tarnsh the pleasures OF the time and
oppose its spirit But still that spirit is alive as
force in the world and hope looks forward to its
triumph When its sentiment OF universal justice be-
comes the rule for governments well for indi-
viduals, wars and fighting may be more. The
great work for the world suggested by the festival
is the subjecton OF governments TO its influence The
highest sense OF men is beginning TO believe that
there cannot be one rule OF Christian morality for
men and an opposite rule for nations If govern
ments are to go on settling differences by war ind-
viduals will finally settle theirs by combat The right
now claimed by nations claimed by men,
Christian in the settlement OF disputes made
its way but slowly but last il is accepted and after
all there is less strife in the world though the nations
make war. Nnen IL IS eSldDllSned tldt governments
shall build no more warships nor cast guns nor train
soldiers to kill each other, there will have been
worked out in human government the same Chris
tian advancement that prevails everywhere between
individuals. Therefore, it that Christian
voice should ever be raised for pulpit should
thunder for slaughter, and the weak lamb among
nations should be as safe as the strong lion.
The ways OF the Creator past finding out For