Evening journal., 1901-12-24

spend very merry Christmas.
A MERRY CHRISTMAS. FRIENDS
Merry Christmasl II is something
more than a mere empty greeting that
we hear on every lip; it carries with
it a prayer since the heart joins the
tongue in its benevolent wish,-and a
good wish is a prayer. And all men
pray, some at altars. some at their
desks amid the cares of business, and
all of us when overtaken by storm and
stress. Yet all OF these outpourings of
the heart are not the offspring OF grief
and affliction. but our seasons of Joy
and thanksgiving bear fruit and ex-
press themselves i'm happy words and
kindly acts, which ascend to the skies
on the wings of light Then let us re-
joice, and greet THE Christmas morn
with smiling faces, cheerful words, and
generous hearts. and so, a merry
Christmas to you ALI
What does it all meas? This is a
sad old world at best and the most
fortunate goes staggering under bur
dens, which, perhaps, we cannot see,
yet which would have overburdened
the shoulders Of Atlas. Walk down The
street or visit the homes of your
friends and behold the smiling faces.
Have these found the magic secret that
enables them to Danish care? No;
around the neck of each is an "Old
man of the sea, and some OF MS carry
a number Of such monsters. One great
burden which we bear has as yet no
real existence; il is the monster An
ticipation.
But at this season we wear a smile,
and some kindly spirit passes its
fingers over our brows. and the
wrinkles come out; the stiffened lines
around our mouths relax and the face
Of business now wears smile. Is It
a huge jest with fate? Are we playing
a game OF make-believe? And is this
the meaning of Christmas?
Not so; there lis in 1t a spirit of hope
and prophesy which causes all men to
cling to its promises with tenacious
purpose. Il accords with our religion
the religion which all men hold in
common but which many are loath to
eNpr s.. Teach the savage the rlcan-
ing of Christmas, and even though he
lapse into idolatry. he viii simply add
the Christians festival To his own
rites.
1t was two thousand years ago that
a woman OF Nazareth bore son and
named him Jesus. II is long time
for the race to remember an incident
so simple, and under ordinary condi-
tions il would have furnished a little
village gossip, and that Child's history
been buried beneath the dust and rub
bish Of the centuries. But lie went M
and down that little Eastern countr,
telling a story so simple, yet so won
derful that you and /, and ali tn,
teeming millions of earth are affecte,
by IL. For it was destined to ohang'
or color all creeds, and to establish
code of ethics which was to become tn,
worlds ideal, IL not its practice.
And its influence was TO be broade
than we sometimes think Tue churo
based directly upon IL, represents tn
greatest peoples on earth-the people
which in civilization and progres
dominate every quarter of the gloh'
But this is not all. for Judaism, Will
il rejected Him, yet admits the beaut
and power OF His teachings. and eve
there He is recognized in a specii
sense as The Son of God. And it shoul
not be forgotten that MchammedaI
and Buddists. and their hundred sec
receive His teachings as the words
an inspired prophet.
So the birth of Jesus was the mo
important event that this world h
ever witnessed, and no wonder tn
men with common accord set aside
anniscrsary as day OF celebration al
rejoicing 1t needs no presidential Pre-
lamation; it requires no exhortati'
from the pulpit to cause us to obser
IT, No demand OF business could le
us to set ii aside. but with one COZ
mon accord we enter into its spin
and he who does not feel the infiuer
cf its suggestions and associations.
to be pitied.
And, whether we be Jew or Cent
Christian or hereto, each m
recognize in its spirit son