Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-24


n terms of sentiment perhaps, rather
Than sOceraess. Whatever the season may
mean 10 the 0eVOut few ~ cannot be
said that 70 is q time when humanity IS
elvcn up 20 the thought OF Christ or
when vast multitudcs unite 20 DO Him
honor. And yet. while 10 may be- so
FAR as the conscious purpose Of the world
is concerned, q Chrisuessmas, there IS
something in teal II what we will
that lifts IL infinitely above the level OF
common holiday. 10 Is as II In the
silence Of the night the spirit Of Christ
had overlooked upon the world. and had
penetrated even TO the hearts that were
closed against Him. one may not call II
that; one may only call It humanity at
high tide; but whatever II may be, we
known that 30 has a quality which does
not belong 10 our ordinary atmosphere
one breathes Il I'm. and IL reaches down
into the depths OF being, and brings the
hidden man TO the surface, and shows
him his fellow face TO face. Ii sheds its
beams upon the words Of this life. and
for a day the Golden Rule has a charm
for men. For Christmas IS the season of
an the year when we are least concerned
about having an eye for an eye, or
tooth for a tooth; when 10 Is easy 10
overlook a fault or an insult, easy 10
love. easy TO feel that we are the chill
dren of the same Father, and easy 10
learn how much more blessed Il is TO give
than TO receive. one does not need 10
consult the almanac TO find out whether
Christmas Is near; one only needs to
consult the faces Of the passers-by. You
can see that tho old. stony look has given
way, and that the newborn babe-Gener-
osity-is looking out Of the windows upon
you. And there is the feeling of brother
ly love which pervades the whole season.
illuminating The faces Of men, and sweet
ening their voices. and making the hands
warm and responsive to the touch. In a
word. Christmas is a call 20 the spirits
of men TO leave their selfish employments
and walk abroad. hand in hand and heart
90 heart. with their brethren.
This much 1T means 10 us all, whether
jew or Gentle AS Christian. ! like 70
divide the birthday OF Jesus as 1 divide
my oWn-between tho pleasures OF memo
rs and the pleasures OF hope. l expect
to spend delightful hour tomorrow re-
calling the notable cOnQuests Of Chris
tanity that run through the passing CEN
fury as the arc-ughts that run along our
streets 1 was thinking the other day OF
the pests which the Spanish war brought
-ycllOw-fever rumors. smallpox reali-
ties Nsaing-buss, and the rest-when
vvas reminded of the time when our hand
some French allies came over TO help
our ereat-grandfathers fight the British,
and won't home. leaving the land streWn
behind them with the germs Of infdehty
10 hatch ont when they were gone. Inc |
prophets of evil IN those days thought !
HAT the nation was doomed, but it was
the struggle with this terrible pestilence !
that put down our first half century In
history as an era Of almost unparalleled |
sr.irlfuaI progress This Is one or the !
pleasurc-eiving facts I am going TO dwell |
un9n. Another is the fact That the last !
half Of the century has been an era OF |
equally remarkable moral progress. We !
have been spending on great moral re-
forms much Of the spiritual power Which |
was stored up during tine first fifty years.
The supply may be giving out / do not |
deny that there may be less spiritual
mower I'm organized Christianity to-day |
than there was fifty years ago, but I see
10 reason for alarm. ] believe that the
same Providence who keeps watch over |
fhe cruise Of OF in the Widows hut keeps /
an eve upon the cruise Of oil in his
Church I set this down as one OF the
pleasures Of hope
Two great achievements will make the
last half Of our century forever memo
rable. The first is tho exaltation Of com
mon sense in religion ] do not mean that
we have become more rauonalistlc'
but that we have bsOme more rational.
We have learned, as O. people, TO make
our RELIGION more practical. The second,
is the death blow that has been given
10 Lig0try. once we hated the other
section and the other sect; now we are
hating eecdonalism and sectarianism.
once Mason and DiXon's line was
chasm as wide as perdition; now it is
getting TO be an imaginary line or little
use. even for geographical purposes. Get
ting 10 be. ] have said. Once We built
hqrbed-wire fences between Protestant
and Protestant. and dug great CULTS be-
tween Protestant and Catholic, ana bot
tomless pits between Christian and Jew.
Now. the barbed-wires are all down, ana
we sit on the banks of the steadily-tu-
ing chasms passing the time OF day ana
exchanging agreeable views and friendly
tokens once
But I have already gathered enough OF
these pleasure-giving facts Tor ialr-
sized Christmas pudding.
EDWARD LEIGH PEIIA
This u Remarkable Century.
With 1889 will close one Of the most re-
mark1ble Of the centuries since the Ad-
vent. The nineteenth is TO 60 down IN
history as the missionary century. a IT.
De- more than 1O0 years ago Nlham
Carey summoned the Church. as by
,uele blast. 10 consider her debt to the
,hristless portion of the world. The
.rov,nine glory Of the age Is not geo
,rapbic9I discovery, nor progress In me-
.hanical art. but the fruits Of work 10
,riny men under the sway OF the Prince
If Peace. Great changes in governments
awe taken place in our century. Ger
many has become an empire. England mas
vtended her sway. and more than thirty
oars have been added to our nag, ana
mr. incubation increased by sixty NIL
.oos Christmas commentaries thdt
Vent which makes these present condl-
IONS of peace. happiness, and CIVILIZATION
ur inheritance. -,. 90
we ought 20 rejoice that the spirit OF
.tbe strong son OF God, immortal love,
. ga prevalent to-day, and the fact inns
christmas finds strife and discord on the
srth should awaken regret. But
fright the day will,
TO dought would even be dlsloyai'y'
no falter would be sin.
JERE WITHERSPOON.
The Conquest Of Christ.
This christmas ought TO suggest the
-st christmas. We Will not get what
~ might out Of il unless we remember
,at tbe holiday was first OF all hoiy
N ought TO suggest how He, who was
an, King. now nearly 1900 years ago
I'D extended His kingdom since mat
mo There was a time when ltIe
INNER room" held all His followers; Dut
H. rnt himself at the head Of this hand
r ,.4 ,ber, forth TO the conquest or .