Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-02-22
THE CHRISTMAS 10Y.
Chrfsts BirthdRy PreeminentIy the
Day of Good Cheer, Good VIII
and Peace.


No revolution of public sentiment
in all history can compare with that
which has transformed the natal day
of the once despiscd Nazarene into the
JOY of Christmastide. The morning
hymn which the early Chris tians, while
gathered in some secluded spot, used
to chant in memory of Bethlehem's
babe, is now reechoed in every quar-
ter Of the globe to the pealing o: bells
and to the organs joyful sound. So it
is, wherever civilization holds sway,
Christmas dawn is ushered in with
praise once heard from the angel choir
-"Glory to God in the highest, on
earth peace, good will toward men,"
Emphatically, says the Christian
Work, Christmas is the children's day;
and so, glancing back to Christmases
long passed, with the loving hearts
that provided for them gone to the
world of Light, who can forget these
precious experiences when we stood
on the threshold of life, and everything
was so dreamy, so fairylike, yet so
real, around usl In recalling what it
was once our privilege to enjoy, let
us not forget our duty to others. And
as three centuries ago our English for
bears used to stand under the holly,
and, clasping hands, renew the bonds
OF sacred friendship, so let US wreathe
the evergreen garland and load the
Christmas tree, and join in the glad
surprise and spontaneous shouts of
the little ones, and prove ourselves
children again lust for one day."
And fhara &c -
Easter we may not forget Calvary, so
we may not forget, while reminding the
children that Jesus, too, was babe
and boy, to tell them also how, when
but IL years old, his soul went out in
earnest questions to the doctors in the
temple, and how, in the growing sense
of the duty laid upon Him, by His
Heavenly Father, He said to His pa
rents: 'Wist-ye not that / must be
about my Fathers business?" Surely
at the blessed Chris tmas-time the
serious thought may be presented at
some opportune time, without sound
ing discordant note in the Christmas
harmony. Nay, rather, the recalling
of the blessings which have been
brought home to us Genti,es by the
life work of Jesus, who grew up from
the child in the manger, will make the
Christmas joys all the sweeter, as well
as more chastened and holier.
Nor is this all. AS Christmas is the
time for distributing presents to
friends and to the loved ones of our
own homes, so let us not 'orget the
claims of the sick and the poor. AS
Jesus fed the poor and ministered to
the sick, so let us on this blessed feast
of His Nativity initiate His blessed ex-
ample. 1t doesn't take much from our
plenty to make the sufferers happy
at least for little while; and then,
with so many little happiness goes so
long a wayl
And now, as these Christmas gifts
pass from hand TO hand, let us in spirit
make them copies of the precious gifts
of gold and frankincense and myrrh
which the Magi laid at the feet of the
infant Redeemer. And so with the
presents let the higher thought also
be intertwined that Gods best gift
to man was His Son, born 10 take away
our sin and misery, and that mans best
gift to God is sanctified heart, which
! converts him into a renewed image of
God and makes him an heir of immor-
tality