The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-25
THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.


never learned that "the people multi
be amuthed.'' They believe that Thu
is a work day world and that imag.
nation has no part in the economy OF
life. The man who sees only the
practical in life is one who sees moth
ing but waste in holly and mistletoe
deception in stories of Santa Claus
extravaganza in fire-crackers and fire.
works; improvidence in the gifts thai
mark the festal day. OF such a man
the poet has said:
ga Primrose by the rivers brim,
A simple primrose is to him
And nothing more"
But though this good man lives q
useful life, what does he get out OF
all his work and all his economies
and all self-sacrifice? AS the evening
of life comes on. what would he not
give for the thrill and zest and joy
that come to those who can mix
sentiment and imagination with the
duties and trials of life!
He is the wise man who can forget
his stocks and farm. his investments
and his debts on Christmas day and
enter into the sports and glee of the
children. Happy the man who keeps
his heart as young as the heart of a
child, for that is the highest happiness
given to mortals!
The true Christmas spirit cannot
exist where. in the gifts and in the
thought, the heart does not go out
side ones own family and circle OF
friends. To be sure the happiness OF
those dearest to us is paramount. and
no altruism that would forget them
would be commendable or would pro-
mote JOY, but the Christmas giving
that does not embrace those who are
poor in this worlds goods cannot be
said to be prompted by the true
Christmas spirit. He is a man want
ing in the sense of what Christmas
means who can sit down with
a. good conscience to his royal
turkey and smoking plum pudding
who has given nothing to make
good dinner for his poor neighbor.
The best sauce ever invented for a
splendid Christmas dinner is the re-
Election that you have carried plenty
and comfort into some humble home.
1t will bring a glow about the heart
that the rarest wine cannot produce,
and will add a new succulence to the
turkey that graces your own table.
In that sense, there is selfish reason
for heaping up the plates of the poor
neighbor, for the truest words that
have been uttered are: 1T is more
blessed to give than to receive"
In thousands of homes this morn
ing bright-eyed children will wake
with the dawning to see what Santa
Claus has put into their stockings.
hung last night with faith that
knows no questioning. What would
you not give this morning-you older
people who have outgrown your faith
in the childrens patron saint-to have
the bouyancy and freshness and joy OF
the happy children around your own
fireside or the fireside of those you
love. When you woke up to find that
Santa Claus had learned that you
priceless something that can never
again come into your life. Those
who let such realization cause them
to lose faith in their parents are to
be pitied. Those who, even as chill
dren, cherished the recollection of the
- e.. iAir IN,
petuating the faith of those younger
than themselves, found that the chill
dren's Santa Claus was to them a per-
petual reality and joy.
The Christmas Spirit. What is it?
1t is to keep the heart young, to live
again your own childhood days in the
zest of the children, to magnify the
glory of Santa Claus, to carry cheer
and gladness into darkened homes.
and 20 become as a little child. There
are men and women, upon whose heads
has fallen the snow that never melts,
who love Santa Claus as we'll as the
toddling infants and derive at much
happiness out of the happiness of
their grandchildren as they did when
they danced on the hearth with ejac-
ulationS of pleasure over the contents
of their well filled stockings. Such
men and women have the true Christ
mas spirit that knows neither age nor
disappointments nor looking back
upon the past.
Why should not this Christmas
Spirit reign in every heart on this holy
Christmas Day?
BISHOP GAMBLER AND JEFFER-