Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-12-08

which We gave IA our parents II
"indc our Christmas day happy and
blessed
All those were happy days. when q
toy that cost 80 cents could hll oul
hearts with JOY. when boy was made
happy with pair Of skates and his
sister with a dolls house What would
II take now. my brother. my sister. e
cause you so much JOY? suppose the
deed OF house and lot or beaver
sack and diamond ring might cause
some citation But IL would not be
such whole soulcd joy M that you felt
over the little gift of those Christmas
days OF old. The gifts now must be
commensurate with our larger ideas
What would really make you happy
now? Could any gift in the world dc
it? | doubt IT, Well. then. want tc
draw your attention TO another world
where one sits who. better than your
mother in the old days. knows your
needs aud the gifts that will satisfy
them.
A List of Gifts.
What our mothers demanded from
us when we were little children many
years ago Jesus Christ Is demanding
from lis now. AS the Christmas holi.
day approaches. God wants us TO make
out list OF all the gifts we should like
from him for the day which commem-
CRATES the birth of Jesus Christ Fur.
thermore, God does not limit us In the
sense that our mothers had to limit us.
because their incomes We're neager and
the out goes taxed all their resources
God COMES To us in the same way as
Alexander the Great came to his office
one day and said Make me any re.
quest. aud II ii Is possible will grant
it," So God says. Whatsoever We
shall ask IN my name for the blessed
Christmas time IN memory of my un-
speakable gift. that will | do" Oh
Is not this d blessed offeri Let lis try
to enumerate some of the Christmas re
quests we ought to make To God. which
he can and will satisfy il we only
come TO him in the right Christmas
spirit
The first Christmas request that
should like 10 ask from God is that |
might have the simple faith of my
childhood. by that do not mean sim.
ply the faith with which could trust
my father aud mother aud my God. but
also the simple faith with which / can
learn 10 trust my brother and sisters
and all those with Wlom | am ass0ci.
much TO you and me for OF all unhap-
by and miserable natures | think one
OF the most miserable is what we call
the suspicious nature 1t is that awful
characteristic which is always hunting
for the faults and deceits rather than
for the virtues of others.
Some time ago ! saw II picture emit
tied The Suspicious Man William
Ilogarth. the English caricaturist.
could not have depicted disturbing sus-
picion in more powerful way. There
was II mans face with II curling lip of
scorn Ills eye had II doubter's look.
his arms were raised IN an attitude of
rebukc and protest. while to the right
of the picture stretched forth simply
an open hand. which In mute appeal
seemed To say: Brother. come and
trust me, aud will help you. Let us
he friends. Nay, nay" seemed TO
say that curling lip. Il will trust no
one. not even thee" All. that picture
Of the suspicious man is the photo
graph OF many here today. We have
been He'd about: we have been cheated;
we have had our loving condolences be-
trayed The result is we think the
whole human flock bad because few
Of the sheep are black. We distrust all
people because few have proved false
10 their profession Now, ! pray God
that at the coming Christmas | may
have my faith In mankind re-estab-
lished aud my faith in humanity re-
ncwcd. | would also have my faith in
Gods love and goodness verified.
Faith In Mankind.
And why should we not make this
Christmas request of God? Do not
faith In God and faith in man go hand
IN hand: Are not the goodness and
Kindness OF man manifest on every
handy Did the spirit of honesty and
love and self sacrifice pass away when
your mother died? Are not your sis.
tiers aud brothers doing for their chll.
dren exactly what your parents once
did for youf believe the reason we
take such depressed view Of the hu.
man race today Is not because all peo-
pie are bud We simply refuse 10 open
our eyes and see the good qualities Of
people who are everywhere around us.
Satan has placed a binding cataract
over our eyes. May We be able 10
make the prayer today which poor
Bartima us made many years ago.
Thou son Of David. have mercy" and
when Christ said unto him. "What wilt
thou that | should do unto thee the
blind man answered. Lord. that |
might receive my sight" Thus may
we make request for this coming
Christmas. May we say. Lord. open
our eyes that we may see thy good.
ness as well as the goodness Of our
fellow men" oh. how happy the next