The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-12-21
Christmas Thoughts


Il have always thought Of Christ
mas time, when it has come around
apart from the yeneratiOn due to its
sacred name and origin, IL anything
belonging to IL can be apart from that
AS a good time; a kind, fOrgfving,
charitable, pleasant time; the only
time know OF. In the long calendar
OF the year, when men and women
seem by one consent to open their
shut up hearts freely and TO think Of
people below them as II they really
were fellow passengers TO the grave,
and not another race Of creatures
bound on other journeys. And there
fore, though II has never put q scrap
Of gold or silver in my pocket, / be
iieye that IL has done me good, and
il"
This. you viii remember, was what
old ScrOOge'S nephew said in answer
to his grabbed, misery old uncIe's
grOwl OF What good this Christmas
ever done yet2" Then Dickens, in this
Christmas Carol" story, makes old
Marley'S ghost appear TO old ScrOOge
that night and tell him Of his unhap-
py fate
1T is required OF every man" the
ghost said, that the spirit within him
should walk abroad among his fell
lOwmen, and travel far and wide, and
IL that spirit goes not forth in life, Il
is condemned to do so after death 1t
wOrid-Oh, woe IS me!-and witness
what il cannot share, but might have
shared on earth and turned to happi-
ness"
Trembling old Scrooge faltered:
But you were always a good man Of
business, jacob"
''Businessl" cried the ghost, wiring
ing its hands again, mankind was
my business; the common welfare
was my business charity. mercy for
Z ha- al
nv business. The dealings of my
trade were but a drop Of water in the
comprehensive ocean OF my businessI %
This is really the text OF this little
sermOnette OF mine: Mankind is our
busineSS-yOurS and mine.
The one thing I have tried 10 en-
phasize, in this column, IS that we are
each and every one Of US responsible
for the welfare Of our fellow men. If
I could help to make every reader Of
this column feel his or her responsible
lily TO do all in his or her power to
/ make and keep this a healthful, hap
pier town, free from evil resorts, free
from unlawful temptations, to do the
unmanly degrading things that ruin a
mans chances Of happiness in this
world and the next; should feel that
I had not lived in vain.
II the spirit Of Christmas, which is
| the spirit Of peace on earth and good
will to men, should enter all OUT
u6dElS ana make LnOuBnLLul eaCD
| others happiness, careful OF our in
f1uence on those about Us, generous in
/ our acts and impulses, the whole at
mOsphere Of the place would radiate
peace and good will. No man would
/ offer another strong drink, that enemy
/ Of peace and happiness No man would
! tempt another to deseCrate the Sab
| bath day, that day which the Lord OF
| Heaven and earth who has poured out
/ his bounty upon US and given US rich
/ ~ Of his munificenCe, has said, cit is
| mine And also thou shalt hallOW
/ my day, and keep it holy"
| Justice Brewer, Of the United States
/ supreme court, says: We cannot be
/ too often reminded that as individuals
/ and as nations Il think he might have
/ added also as town and cities), to-
! gether We go up and together we 60
| down Slowly humanity is learning
! the meaning Of the FatherhOOd Of God
| and the brotherhood OF man. We may
| look for the promised time when the
/ lawyer shall be counselor rather thar
| advocate, and all courts shall be courts
/ Of cOnciliatOni when they shall sit
/ every man under his vine and under
/ his fig tree, and none shall make them
/ afraid; when they shall beat theil
| swords into plOwshares, and theil
| spears into pruning hooks But when
Il In the time tables Of the Almighty Z
L thousand years may be as one day
! but those tables are unerring, and
/ Wnen the DAY IS past the evening
/ glOries viii assuredly be seen"
| Nineteen centuries ago there broke
/ upon the startled ears Of Judea':
| shepards watching their nOcks beside
l the village Of Bethlehem the only
| angels song ever heard by the chill
l dren OF earth;
It came upon the midnight clear.
/ That glorious song OF old,
| From angels bending near the earth
/ To touch their harps OF gold:
Peace on the earth, good will to meT
From heavens all-gTaciOus King.
The air above Judea's plains NJ
/ longer pulSateS with the waves OF thi!
| celestial song. For sad and weaE
/ centuries the grand march Of humani
L ty upward has been through STRIFE
/ and blood But a growing echo Of The
| heavenly music is filing the hearts o.
men, and the time will come, the
| blessed time will come
| When peace, shall over all the earth
Its ancient SpIendors fling
And the whole world give back the
song
| Which now the angels sing.