The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-12-24
OUR RELIGIOUS CONTEnPOI'a-
EI!S.

Christmas season has been looked upon
as peculiarly season OF reconciild'io"
and restoration Of goodwill and peasant
relations where they have been s'railOo'
or worse. And one could hardly coho'i'e
of more hitting way than thls Oh 80
hratng the anniversary OF that v0'd1i .',,
when The angel choir sang. On e''
peace. goodwill among men. IN ih' o'u
days OF sailing vesses and very lohs wy
ages there was said TO Dc a custom, very
beautiful Of it's kind. Tn the course Oh
three or four years Of enforced intimacy
many MISUNDERSTANDING and quarrels oc-
Cured among the crews. And 90, "heh
a vessel WIS entering is home harbor the
captain called all the crew on deck. anu
holding an om-tv bag. each man came FOR
ward and dropped into b. his quarrel, or
his bitterness or whatever unkind expert
cnce he had. and then the bag was
weighted with "a cannon ball, tightly tied'
and dropped overheard. carrying win u
ail old quarrels. and enabling all TO begin
afrcsh. SO. at this Christmas season, we
may one and am. I'm memory OF the Hrsl
Gloria I'm Eycalsis" drop all our eVli
thoughts and unkind feelings into the ior-
gotten past. and 10y Gods good grace oe-
gin afresh.-Southern Churcnman.
The Religious Herald reproduces our
comment on army chaplains and adds:
This is sound doctrine. in the main. we
arr clad TO see our neighbor speaking out
I'm this straightforward fashion. IL VAL ue
difficult 90 corcect the chaplalncy eNn'
which IS so firmly entrenched and mas eN-
isted so Ions. We understand thdt Tue
last army bin which passed congress h"d
mo- nrovision for chapiains Whether TINS
omission was deliberate or unintenuonai
We do not know. But in either case II l.
significant. We have been tod. upon wn1,
seems 10 as good authority, that the Vol
uutary religious agencies-sdch as the
Christian Commission tho Y. VI. a
ard the Red Cr-ss-did Tar more effective
work among our soldiers than was accom-
plishcd By the regular chapiains.
We do not mean To utter a Hcrd IN us
psragenicut Of faithful CONSCIENTIOUS men
who filled these positions; but the very
fact that they were officials Of the govern
rcnt would IN the nature Of the case
fond 10 make their service more or icsi
rerfunctorv and formal. Beside me
scramble for these positions on the TiFt
Of denominations and ministers IS iar
fiCm edifyng.
A green Christmas has not been thought
a promise Of good health. But this year
tile holiday season and the close Of tie
wear brings to all so much Of blessing
that we may make our Christmas aholher
Thanksgiving Day. with the returning
wave Of confidence and prosperity there
is plenty Of work 10 do. There are wages
10 earn. and bread 10 eat, and IRE on the
hearth and clothes for the children. our
war in he far of Islands is virtually al
an end. and the blessing Of peace with an
the world rests upon our land.-,entral
Presbyterian.
At Christmas time we celebrate-all the
devout and faithful. all the careless and
Indifferent. Of an The Christian lands and
scattered communicative great festival
of the opening up VI direct communication
between the heavenly country. through
Infinite distances and the earthly shores.
one end Of the cable is linked 10 the eter-
mai throne in the heavenly places. The
other. borne I'm the hand of a babe. Is tied
temporarily around q manger, In stable,
I'm the little town Of Bethlehem In Judea.
Did YOU ever touch telegraph wire and
feel the pulsations Of electricity as mes
sage after message went over the line2 If
YOU are an eXuert in telegraphy, you can
read the message by the touch anywhere
along the line so now listen 10 this line
come down from heaven, and you will get
the very first message that comes In.
Iisteni Glory to God in the highest; on
earth peace. good will among men. -
christian advocate.