The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-12-24

dhSCiS OcSdu,
Sing of glory to God and of good will
| to man."
|Hn ORN is on its verge on the
Bethlehem b ills. Th,
- = shepherds In the field
have watched their focks through<th'
long night, when to the ever recurren
miracle Of a new day is added another
manifestation OF Power Divine. As tht
dawn lightens the east, the men be
come aware OF a marvellous vision. Ar
angelic host floats above them. They
fill the heavens with ligh, and song
and through them is vouchsafed no1
the least of those revelations which as
sure us that Goods in His heaven
ALPS right with the world !"
"Glory to God in the highest" they
sing, "and on earth peace, goodwill tc.
ward men,"
The old earth has been spinning
''down the ringing grooves of change
for God knows how many centuries
and in their dim, dumb way men ha6
worshipped some power above them
since "the first man stood God con.
quered with His face to heaven up.
turned" without realizing the truth re-
yealed in that message, that the SER
vice OF man for man is tho worship OF
man for God, and that there is more
merit in the Divine sight in one kind
ly act, one moment of eelf-sacrifice,
than IN a thousand meaningless songs
OF praise.
Nearly two milleniums have sped
since til message, and the world has
yet but half learned the lesson. Ard
yet therelhas been progress, and in that
progress lies our hope. Tte world IT,
day does not let Christmas pass un-
noticed. Putting aside questions OF
doctrine, OF theology, we may recall
one TACT today, as yesterday, the kings
and the peasants, the gentle and the
simple, the wise and the ignorant. CEN
ter their eyes upon Babe in a Man.
ger. Today the world waits in silence
to hear those angels sing. Today, If on
nosother day, men listen, pause and
heed. Whatever may be thought OF
He claims, of His teachings, at least
Jesus Is the dominant figure in the
world on Christmas Day.
To-day the rudest ard the toughest,
the most irreverent and the most indif-
ferent, look with awe upon thot SUBJ
lime spectacle, mother and her new
born child look with a touch of rev.
erence which none is so low that he
may not feel. The clamor of the
world is still. Its strife is hushed.
lis Christmas morning once again,
and we are as little children by a era
de, which, though swallowed by fu-
ture cross, is become a shrine-a
throne.
There was an ancient custom in the
days when the right Of private war was
zealorsly maintained, that all quarre's
should be held in allegiance during the
Christmas season. A Truce of God"
was proclaimed by the Holy Church,
and he who broke it, tor whatsoever
caute, was deemed recreant to his
manhood and to his religion. The
custom fell into disuse, but 1t has
come back again. For one day at
least there is peace aad goodwill
among men. That there should te
even one day when such principles OBJ
tain is reason for great congratu'a-
ton. That there should be but one
day is cause for profound sadness.
Our religion is too often assumed at
the church door and put off at the ben
ediction on one day of the week. Just
so the spirit of peace and goodwill of
the Christmastide comes, like Christ
mas itself, but once year. It is slip.
ped on like a new and comfortable
garment, worn for day, and before We
have become accustomed to it, it is
cast aside and forgotten. The day af-
Ter, we awake as we were before. The
interlude OF comfy and kindness has
made no change.
I'VE ring the bells and we raise the
strain,
We hang up gariands everywhere,
And bid the tapers twinkle fair,
And feast and frol1c-and then go
Back to the same old lives again."
On certain days in Latin-Amer-
can countries the people have
religious representations and process
lions in which the parts OF the
Iaints are assumed by the men present.
There il an alleged humorous story
hat one of these for the moment filled
he place OF an ancient worthy in whose
honor the demonstration was being
made. Finding himself angered by
the conduct Ct ono the spectators, in