The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1904-12-24
'PEAoE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL
TO MEN,"

~ 0mMs
More than nineteen hundred years ago
a birth took place which changed the des-
stinies of the world and the Star which
directed the wise men to the lowly manager
in Bethlehem has been brightly shining
throughout the centuries leading men to
higher and nobler things. peace on earth,
good will to men, was the message brought
and the spirit behind this message should
mark all the observance of this natal day.
Once more this Christian festival is to be
commemorated and old and young the
world over will be celebrating its glorious
anniversary.
Christmas is time Of good fellowship
and cheer and represents the spirit which
makes life worth living and all the world
akin. Itshould stand for the Christian reli
gion as wrought out in our daily lives and
exempIifed by Christ's teachings. Aswith
Him in whose honor the festival is held,
the children are the chief participants in
these Christmas joys and festivities. To
them it is a season of enchantment and
fairy tale, whose golden dream is of Santa
Claus and the numberless good things he
is to bring. Their faith in this good old
Saint is so complete and happiness so entire
that the child without such romance is to
be pitied
As we grow older each stage brings its diff
ferent Christmas. Mince pie, turkey and
egg-nog may have lost their flavor and be
less digestibIe. but memories of "Christ-
mas past" cling round us still. making
us young again.
Green boughs, the lighted tree and sea-
sonable gifts are all typical of this great
Christian festival and strongly appeal to
the spiritual side of our natures. ut is
more blessed to give than to receive" and
at this joyous time the opportunities for
giving may be extended beyond our own
Yule-log. The destitute and the needy are
with us always and the happiness and
abundance of others at this season only
emphasizes their wretchedness. For such
as these the door to happiness must be
opened by the kind hearts and helping
hands of others more fortunate.
We are indebted to Charles Dickens for
an inimitable pen-picture of Christmas
duties. His story of sold Scrooge and Tiny
Tim" overdrawn as it may be, has gone
round the world making humanity better.
A very little effort at this particular time
will bring its own reward and the memory
of it all may sweeten the year to come.
With Tiny Tim we say, "God bless us ALL"
and to all a very Merry Christmas.
YEAR BY year the moon is getting a few
inches more distant, and, reversing the argu-
ment, in the great past the moon was nearer
to ms. Prof. Geo. Darwin has shown that long
ago the moon revolved close to the earth and
still earlier formed part of this globe. From
that time to tie present he calculates at least
As, 000, 900 years must have elapsed. The birth
of the moon took place, therefore, somewhere
about that date in the past. Sir Robert Bal
observed that when the moon was near to US
its attraction must have produced enormous
tides, many times greater than those thai
wash our shores today, and he suggested thai
these tides, by their powerful erosions and
wasting of the land, accelerated the geological
forces and so reduced the tremendous periods
which the biologists have demonstrated Be
this as it may, the moon at this moment is
more than usual attention since q
huge crack has been lately discovered in hel
surface sufficient to terrify those who are con-
stantly thinking of the time when all things
earthly will end.
A FEW nights ago President Roosevelt at
tended prayer.meeting at Grace Reformed
Church in Washington, of which he is mem
Der. At the conclusion of the service he wal
asked to make an address. In complying
he said, in part: "Three-fourths, probably
nine-tenths, of the labor troubles that some
times assume so ominous form would vanish
if you could interest the people on each side t
approach the matter in the spirit of each striv
ing to care for his fellows as he cares for him
self. I do not mean for moment to neglec
his own interests. want man to take cart
of himself, for if be does not somebody els,
will have to take care of him. want him tt
remember that, in addition to taking care o.
himself, he has got to try to do his duty by
others. If he will approach his fellow-men il
the spirit which makes the use of the wore
brother a genuine term, instead Of term O
hypocrisy, the difficulty in dealing with thu
great questions that arise Will be minimized
if not entirely done away with
On THURSDAY the Circuit Court for Anne
Arundel county, Judges ReveIl and Thomas
rendered decision granting the petition FLEE
by Gen. Murray Vandiver for mandamus t.
compel Governor Warfield to promulgate the
DISTINGUISHING and good roads" amendment
which were not submitted to him after they
passed the Senate and House at the last session
of the Legislature, and which did not receive
his signature. It was because of the absence