The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-13

by the conduct of one of the specta
tors. in his wrath he shouted to the
offender to wait until, he, the Speaker.
got through playing the saint, and due
punishment would be melted out 10
himl There is more of sadness thar
Of laughter in the story. We are all
playing the saint" on Christmas Day.
Just wait till we get through"
And this brings us 10 the dominant
thought of this little Christmas
preachment, our spasmodic compli
ance with the great command of the
angelic song, our intermittent OBJ
servance of the spirit of Christmas.
This, then, is plea that it may not be
for day only, and that it may not be
for children only that we keep the
great holiday of the world, with peace
on earth and goodwill toward men.
1t is natural that we should wish
that joy might be unalloyed on this
day, and it is iildubitable that unalloy-
ed JOY may be had only by those who
are beginning life, not by those who
| have experienced its troubles; there
fore the spirit of Christmas, which is
| to commemorate the birth of a Child,
| finds its sweetest manifestation in the
verdant heart, the youthful mind, the
happiness of children.
As for ourselves, there is ever
touch of sadness in our glee. We
Irvine the cypress with the laurel. The
mind goes back 10 other days when we
were children; we recall those no
longer here we fain would see again.
The vanished hand is extended on
each recurring anniversary, the long
ing for the stilled voice deepens ever.
But it is not so with our children.
There are no clouds upon their sun
shine. Let us make them happy.
But is that all? Can we do more!
Are there no little children beside
those whose feet patter through our
own halls, those who cluster around
our own hearth, whose laugh rings out
under our own roof tree, whom we can
make happy? Are there no little chill
dren who have not the advantages
that our own enjoy with whom we can
share what we have on this day?
Yes. And is that all?
i Are there no others of larger
growth to whom we may extend the
tgentle feeling of the sweetest day of
the year? Are there no ranking diff
ferences that we may compose? No
ancient enmities that we can dissolve?
No burning hatreds that we can Stake
in kindness? No Jagged breaks that
we can knit together? No lives riven
Iasunder, no lovers parted, no friends
severed, that we can help to make one
again?
Can we not begin on this Christmas
Day that Truce of God" which
shall Danish all that is selfish, mean,
narrow and ignoble; which shall pave
the way for that profound alliance
between men and men which is yet
but a dream, hope? Shall there not
be inaugurated brotherhood as eter-
nal as the message, as overwhelming
as the revelation?
Men and the world have nightly
advanced in nineteen hundred years
since those angels sang that morning.
And we shall continue to advance
while creation endures. The law of
life is upward But we can make the
advance faster, bring the desired end
NEARER, and so help the great con-
summation, if we will but try.
The world is full of discord. Arms
in hand, nation confronts nation upon
many far flung frontiers; combina-
L
watchword within many a natural
border; power holds and Expresses
those who would diminish it; aspira-
ton grasps at opportunity; weakness
assemblies desperately striving, fain to
enjoy that which it now repudiates
Private war is still waged. Men are
beggared, women shamed, children
cursed, In the present strife of trade,
commerce, labor, capital, speculation,
politics. The world is still unkind
There is need for a new proclamation
of the old yet ever marvellous story.
Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
to-day, tomorrow, forever!
Every reform" said a great mod
ern philosopher, was once a private
opinion" When the man who holds
lit has communicated it to another
man so that it becomes his private
lopinion, the reform is ultimately as
sured; which is but another variation of
the saying of that Child grown to man
hood, Where two or three are gath
cred together IN my Name, there am
in tn midst of them"
"Be Kindly affectioned one TO an
other" on Christmas Day, and on all
1.-THE days that shall follow after. Let
1.-THE proclamation of the herald angels
ind resting Diace in your heart, and
do you "grve to the gracious message
la host Ut tongues" so that not only
he heavens, but the earth itself. will
Iforeve, tesound with the glad accla
lruation
And this is the nobIest hope for re
lhappy Christmas morningi