The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-12-20
AMI. EiItofs and PubIishsFs
oHRIsTMAs.

IN the midst OF busy age we
may find it too easy to forget the
significance and import of a Chr st.
mas anniversary. For one time
in the year, at least, we should lay
aside the engrosslng cares of bust
ness, ambitions, and even church
dogmas, long enough to recall the
birth Of Him, who gave us the
stamp of our civilization, whose
life was an example of "loye
toward all mankind and the prac-
tice Of charity among the humble
and poor. This is a time when
the burden Of sorrow and distress
should have its Good Samaritan.
when souls are made happy and
''all the worlds akin" Let us
then remember with charity for
all and malice toward none" our
duty this Christmas tide and en-
deavor to brighten the home of
some unfortunate brother. The
following from the Washington
Post finds a responsive chord in
our judgment.
Let us leave to doctrinaires and
propagandists the discussion of this
sacred university ir it's historical
and theological aspects. What
matters it whether this or that
sacerdotal authority first ordained
the celebration. and why should we
speculate as to its exact ecclesiasti-
cal Significance However it may
have originated and whatever pur-
pose and design may have inspired
its Inauguration, 1t has in our time
acquired character infinitely more
precious to mankind than all the
dogmas Of the pulpit than all
creeds or articles of faith We love
It for its sweetness, for its charit,
Tor its tenderness and deep humane
ty. 1t is dear to us because it scars
above the clash of doctrine, the an
CRY conflicts of theology, the rival
ries OF churches and of priests. 1t
comes to us hallowed by the memory
and the minlstrations of the one
Christian divinity the world has
ever seen-warmed by His human
love and His unspeakable solici-
tude. 1t commentaries the noblest
and most beautiful episode in all
the history of man. 1t teaches us
pity and forgiveness, self-sacrlfice,
humility, and sweet compassion.
1t celebrates Prophet who told us.
not only by precept, but by every
action Of HIS life and death, that it
is better to heal one wounded heart
and succor one helpless victim than
to found a creed or launch dogma
1t gives us, in our busy and too Of
ten ruthless year, at least one inter-
Jude OF love.
On this fair day, in memory of the
Christ to whom it has been dedicat-
ed, we put aside all questions of
the outer forms and ceremonies of
religion, and remember only the
example and the admonitions OF
Him who loved the poor, who min
istered to the helpless, who plead for
the unhappy, the stricken and
wretched. He taught no gospel
save that of charity. He sped no
propaganda save that of the Golden
Rule. His only creed was love. In
the temple as in the wilderness, be-
fore His prosecutors, on Mt. Olivet,
and through the darkest hours of
His passion in Gethsemane, He had |
no other thought. If we believe IN
Him; If we accept him as our Saw
Tor; II we proclaim His beautiful
and bright philosophy then, upon
this anniversary of His birth, we
practice His noble and tender and
celestial precepts, This day we
consecrate to charity, to forgive
ness, and compassion. On this day
we remember the forlorn and the af-
fiicted, who we're the special objects
of His care; we forget our iealousies
and hatreds, our selfish ambition,
and our pride. Theologies, creeds,
ceremonies, forms, all these belong
to another dispensation. This is
the parenthesis of loving-kindness,
of unfettered humanity of the
yearning heart Christmas is given
us from heaven. 1t comes to us
through the Intermediates Of doc
trine and instruction. II God reigns
on high and Jesus sits at His right
hand, and if we love Him who died
for us, then upon this anniversary
let US pay to Him the tribute He
valued most the tribute of charity
to our tellow-meul
-
The present proprietors of The
greet its readers with