The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-17
SUNDAY. DECEMBER II, 1899
SIXTY PAGES.
Christmas.

from many points of view, There
is the religious view, the theo-
logical, chronological. historical phil
asaphical, sociological, pathological, mu-
steal, literary, commercial and culinary
And then, too, there are Others
Christmas is a subject as broad as it
is grand, and the Standard will not try
to cover it. If you wish to hear en-
nobling Christmas sermons and glorious
Christmas music, so to church; if you
wish to learn the pagan origin of
Christmas and its transportation into
Christianity, go to the encyclopedia; if
you wish to follow the march of Christ
mas down through the ages and trace
it's growing Importance in the world
and it's increasing influence upon So
ciety, ago to the library; if you wish
to convince yourself of the vital truth
of which Christmas is the symbol and
the incense, go to heaven; if you wish
to deny that Christmas stands for any
thing but error and myth, go to the
devil. -.- -r. ..-
Never mind the abstract and contro-
versial side of Christmas; leave that to
the higher critics and their ilk. Con-
slider the Christmas of the child; the
child reflects not, neither does it rea
son: yet Herbert Spencer in all his in
tellect cannot enjoy Christmas like one
of these. Consider the Christmas of
the stuffed stocking and the stuffed
turkey; of evergreen trees and ever
loving hearts: OF bright, lights and
brighter faces; of mysterious packages
in closets and fragrant odors in
Kitchens; of bowers of red berried holly
and dropping garlands Of mistletoe; the
Christmas of music and dancing, Of
frolic and feastng, of gaiety and giving;
the Christmas of faith, hope, charity
and joy. Consider the ways of this
kind of Christmas and be wise.
Christmas is the one great inter-
national holiday and the only one. 1t
is the one supreme and splendid con-
cert of the powers. 1t is the one stroke
of diplomacy that establishes a Eu-
ropo-American alliance. 1t is the one
touch of Christianity that makes all
Christian peoples kin. 1t makes
brothers of pope and president of car
and emperor, of Frenchman and En-
glishman, of American and Spaniard,
~ Tath hp IA
around; and even the Beers and Brit
ish, fighting to the death, will feel.
deep down in their hearts, an impulse
on Christmas day to lay down THAR
arms and. coming together in fraternal,
God-fearing spirit, unite in singing
Peace on earth, good will toward men.
Let it be a merry Christmas; merry
as the day is long; merry rather as the
December day is short and the night is
long; merry as a wedding bell; merry
as a merry-go-round; merry as the
of Christmas morning. Be man
never so pessimistic. Of what use is
pessimism at Christmas? Who is here
so base and cranky as would be
rScrooge? If any, speak, for him have
we offended There is a time for all
things, saith the preacher; time TO
laugh and a time to mourn; a time to
feast and a time to fast; time to
live and time to die; all kinds of hot
times and hard times. And at Christ
mas time, whose goeth about with
long face and funereal expression,
nor the battle to the strong, nor yet
bread to the wise, nor yet riches to
men of understanding, nor yet favor