The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-26
CHRISTMAS OF TO-DAY
PROMOTES OPTIMISM.
Doctor Dorchester Says the World
Has Become VASTLY Ee:tcr Stree
Savior's Ginning.

Tho Reverend rootor IA II. rorchos-"r
at Lindell AyonGr n. !. Church vast.r-
day morning preach 4 ua tgn t-At: Glory
to God in tn highest and an earth peace.
good will toward men" Ro-t"r norchcs-
ter said, in part:
Christmas has come - tho world more
than 1.9o9 times. and yet has not worn out
its welcome. IT NEE grows old. Tie
18th OF December is tho hinge ON which
The world swings. constantly opening to-
ward heaven. cursu of Chrisi's birth
a new dial was r,.t on the old chronom-
eter. labeled 'Anno Domint.' y nov
era was begun: the world made a new
count and tool. = fresh start.
'.AlI the civilized world to-day pays
homage 10 the Christmas festival. not only
in its calendars and custOm.. bu: In its
pleasures and very spirit. showing how
dear the Christmas idea is ;0 tho human
heart. Our Caristial era was ushercd N
by the angels Christmas CGrul. how alcn-
~ favored we're tncS': ,juGcin pragautS
who heard that angelic CnuIr singing;
those strrl1g strains III the dome oi God 5.
great cathedral. announcing The SAVIOR 5
firth. promising pcac" ana brotherhood on
earth. We are tempted almost To envy
the humble shepherds. But how much
more favored are we. living in a day when
many of those promised blessings are aC-
tually realized. With the shepherds it was
but the glad announcemeu; Of the good
time coming. whereas We are privileged
TO enjoy the gracious fruits Of the
Saviors growing kingoom and the con-
iident outlook of the propheey'S complete
1Clnllment.
"A glance at the civilization of the first
Christmas and that of to-day will surely
promote optimism. The kindness. justice
ana righteousness which then Were rare
ana sporadic are now common and gener-
ally diffused. In an Eastern story we
read of n traveller who arrived in a Couu-
try where the children played at marbles
with diamonds. rlihies. cmcralds and other
precious gems. These are doubtless the
sons of some powerful King, said the
traveller as he bowed respectfully before
them. The children. laughing, made him
soon perceive that they were the street
boys, and that the gems were only the
pebbles of that country.
Which things are an alleSOry,' says
Doctor WatkinsUn. Gems of Christian
truth are the commonp.accS OF our age
and country
The Christmas message listened to by
children to-day is diviner than anything
Plato knew. The comforts of the worlds
great ones in olden times are to-day the
ordinary blessings of the common people.
The benevolence and sympathies of the
few in ancient days are the humane feel
ings and practices of the many in our day.
Indeed. in so-called Pagan lands, as In
dia and China, under Christian missions
there are far more institutions emtOdying
entire classic world at ChriSt's birth.
Such facts should be studied by those
who. tell us the world is growing worse,
croaking over modern developments and
crying over departed goodness and great
ness. The graves have repeatedly made
such comparisons to the cradles But
Gods providence never halts. never te-
tires. Free schools and hospitals, open
Bibles and democratic governments are
not SO many clear victories for the devil.
The Nineteenth Century saw more con-
versions to Christ than any preceding
one; likewise more churches and colleges
built. and the greatest missionary activity
since the First Century. carrying the gos-
pei to every heather land While the Twen-
tieth Century is seeing more multiplied
Christian activities than ever in charities
and settlements. hospitals and orphanageS,
Christian missions and associations of al
most infinite variety. niaISterinS to every
side of complex modern city life.
AS the rods which Agassiz planted at
the foot of the glacier. and which he
found on his return had blussUmcd, re-
vealed how far the icy mass had Tcceded,
so our progressive Christian enterprises
and institutions. the roads which God has
how far the pondcrous mass o: Sin, lg-
norance and superstition has melted and
Is melting away under the benign and
potent influence Of Christ's gospel.
I'VE recall at this time Ncdder's pic
ture in the Art Palace of our Exposition.
depicting The Flight Into Egypt Joseph
hurries along leading a dorkov, bearing
pyramids. A beautiful halo enveiops the
holy child. giving a touch of divinity even
TO helpless infancy. In the foreground of
the picture are two ferocious beasts.
lion and honess, one turning away from
the awc-insoirnG procession. the other
with body turned away. but with eyes
looking back at the wondrnus spectacle
What symbol OF the influence of the
Christ upon savage human nature, In
deed. such is the history Of Christ's in
creasing sway, as he travels down the
centuries and nolGs civilizations Think
of the hearts tanned. the ferncitics over
come. the peace and good will developed
agency of society. the devils Gibraltar
Is giving way before the silent but cease
less siege of the Prince of Peace: and
warlikc animosities arc passing before the
presence Of the angel of arbitration.
"A recent writer shows that never be
fore. have there been so many and so
marked Improvements looking toward per-
manent peace. and the abolition of war.
as during the last five years Even the
increase of war implements is for pur-
poses of self-rrotection and war-preven-
ton. This past year has witnessed an un-
precedented number OF treaties OF
friendly character between nations,
Treaties Of arbitration have been made
between France and England. Spain. Por-
tugal and Italy. England and France
have settled long-standing accounts and
provided for future adjustment Of most
our own country in recent years. and in
the international Peace Conference now
proposed Is ncst praiseworthy.
Chill and Argentina have settled
boundary dispute of long standing and
of the most irritating nature; and they
have signalized their agreement bv n
monument Of the most significant and
striking character. The frontier dcIin-
Gated by this treaty is guarded we are
told. not by line of fortresses. hut a
statue of Christ. This is the most sig
nificant symbo, Of peace. the most beau
tiful landmark ever erected between two
countries.
TT Is true there are counter movements
IN our day, even among peoples who call
themselves Christian nations. They re-
mind us OF the queer Filipino cannon ex-
hfbited at the Worlds Fair. The cannon
was made by the natives out Of three old
bells taken from Catholic churches. Con-
verting church bells into cannons is n
seeming reversal of the peace prophecy
which tells of converting swords into
plowshares. And such reversals We do
witness. as In the far East when So
called Christian Russia encroaches unon
China and japan. Wars are now waged
and will continue for some time. no doubt:
hut the horror OF them grows and as one
says. The conviction that they are un-
necessary deepens: the instances in which |
they are successfully avoided multipIy. |
and the time may not be distant when J