Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-25

| merry-making as the days began [
lengthen. The early Christians saw
the advantage of having their chic
festival fall at the time of the pagan
festival which they hoped it would re
place. Yet it was not until more thar
Christ that His followers were unite'
on December 25 as His birthday II
the meantime some Christian communi
ties celebrated Christmas i'm January
others in March, the time of the Jew.
ish Passover, and still others in Sep
| TENDER on the occasion of the feas
| of the tabernacle. For some time after
December % had been adopted by III.
church i'll Rome the church in Goa
stantinople continued to hold its cclc.
bration on January 6. But for 16 cen
turtles the Christian world has united
in observing the anniversary of the
nativity on the day as we know it
now. If it was once d pagan holiday
was any paganism in it. If it falls on
another day than that which is actu
ally the anniversary of the Savior 5
birth, it is only emblematic of the
time when the Christmas spirit of
peace and good will shall extend
through all the days of the year.
OF all days of the year Christmas is
the childrens' day. This is fitting since
the coming of Christ gave the world a
new reverance for childhood. The
hope of the race is in the child and
properly for the child the bounty of
civilization is poured out: Such is the
magic of Christmas that nobody is too
old to feel the impulse of joy which the
day brings with it; nobody too old to
recall with a sigh the memory of the
happy days when Santa Claus was
real. One of the blessings of the
Christmas season is that people make
it a time of truce to self: a time
when they cease thinking of their own
wants and think of the wants Of
happiness and study the happiness Of
those around them.
The greatest glory of Christmas is
in it's prophetic force Every year the
plans for Christmas begin earlier and
every year the Christmas season is
made a little longer. The stern old
Puritans imposed a fine on anyone who
should observe Christmas, and only
half a century ago here in New Eng
land the stores and banks and mills
did business on Christmas as on other
days. Now among all classes If
Christians the day is holy day and
a day of joy, and it's spirit has more
and more got into the hearts of men
How fitting that it comes at the enI
of the year to soften it's asperities, 10
mellow its mistakes and to give the
good things Of the year a crOwnilS
glory. Somebody has declared that
Christmas marks the end Of winter
and the beginning of spring. Just as
Christmas is more generally celebrated
and just as the holiday season lasts
longer than it used to, 50 is the world
surely moving on TO the time when
the Christmas spirit will prevail
through all the year; to the time when
good shall triumph over evil right over
wrong, love over hate: the time when
peace and good will shall establish the
brotherhood Of man in all lands, AMI
when service shall crowd selfishncsS
out of all hearts. The world is a bet
ter and happier world than it was a
year ago. and when another Christmas
comes it will be better and happier
still. Are you doing your own small
part to make it so?