The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-12-23
PEACE ON EARTH.


There is one thing that reconciles us
10 humanity. 1t is its power of making
the best of a situation for the sake of
its children. The season of the year
which is now at hand is peculiarly the
children's season. Around it have
twined memories and customs which
belong particularly to children. Great
poets and great writer's of sentiment
1ouch our hearts at this time through
our children. Be it religious or senti-
mental the key note of Christmas tide
vibrates through and of the children.
Who is there so old and so case hard
ened that he is not touched at heart at
this season of the year with the mem
Dries of childhood, or does not feel that
this is the time specially devoted to the
happiness of the children. The very
central idea of Christianity centers up
on the birth of the Christ-child, that
pure being which was to pass through
sorrow and suffering in order that all
the world might have eternal joy.
Whatever feelings the devout Christian
may have as to the after sacrifice and
suffering at Christmas tide, the natal
celebration of the founder of Christian
jty there can be nothing but rejoicing
and the rejoicing is over the child, and
from the child-founder it spreads to
the budding human child. Christmas
becomes the child's festival.
We have much trouble and sorrow in
the world, we have much that hardens
and makes us callous, but there is al
ways one chord that can be touched,
and that is our love for the children,
the young and innocent of our race.
No matter whether bachelor or maid,
no matter whether father or mother, no
matter whether world weary grand
father or grandmother, the children
touch our hearts and warm them with
the love of our kind. Christmas makes
us of the older generation cast our
thoughts back to the childhood of the
past, and strive to make happy the
childhood of the present, while Christ
mas makes the childhood of the pres
ent realize that there was a happy
childhood of the past.
Christmas is a blessed season. A
season when the best springs of our
humanity are touched, season which
calls forth our charity and our good
villa season whose key note is peace
on earth good will towards men," that
glorious message which falls upon the
ear in silver tones and which alas is so
often unheeded, but which is repeated
year after year, and will continue to
be repeated till mankind learn the les
,,,I ha1 nd
perfect peace" shall reign.
To us on these blest Isles, Christmas
comes in merry guise. Peace and PROF.
perity reign amongst us. We have es-
capped a visitation of sickness which
threatened us, and we have every rea-
son to give thanks. But however, we
may personally rejoice, we must have
our joy chastened by thoughts of our
kindred in the Philippine and in South
Africa, who have fallen CALAMITY for
the honor of their tiags, and who have
left vacant many place in the Christ
mas gatherings of the Mainland of the
West, and that little European Island
which has Graded the Anglo Saxon
race.
For the moment the thought of gloom
must be cast aside and for the sake of
the children we must heartily give the
Christmas greeting to one and all. We
must open our hearts and rejuvenate
our care-cankered thoughts, entering
into the spirit of the hour and becom-
ing las little child" 1t is good for us
so to do. 1t carries us back to the mem
cries of the mothers knee, where we
learned all that is best in us and it
unites US with the brightest and best
and most heart whole of our own race.
Thinking these thoughts sincerely
The Star wishes in the true spirit of the
season, to its friends to its kindly con-
temporaries and co-workers, to it's foes,
to all whom its words can reach, most
sincerely and truly the tendercst and
most heartfelt of
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS