Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-12-06

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 do
III I doubt It. Well. then, want to
draw your attention to another world,
where one sits who, better than your
mother in the old days, knows your
needs and 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 us now. As the Christmas holi.
day approaches, God wants us to make
out n list of all the gifts we should like
from him for the day which comment
crates the birth Of Jesus Christ. Fur
thcrmorc, God does not limit us In the
sense that our mothers had to limit us,
because their incomes were meager and
the outgoes 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, and IL IL 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 blessed offer? Let us try
to enumerate some of the Christmas re-
quests we ought to make to God, which
lie can and will satisfy If we only
come to him In the right Christmas
spirit.
The first Christmas request that l
should like to ask from God is that
might have the simple faith of my
childhood. BY that | do not mean sim
ply the faith with which l could trust
my father and mother and my God, but
also the simple faith with which | can
learn to trust my brother and sisters
and all those with whom | am associ
ated in life. All, that should mean
much to you and me, for of all unhap
by and miserable natures | think one
of the most miserable is what we cal
characteristic which is always hunting
for the faults and deceits rather than
for the virtues of others.
Some time ago | saw a picture enti
tied THE Suspicious Man." William
Hogarth, the English caricaturist
could not have depicted disturbing sus
picion in a more powerful way. There
was q mans face with Il curling lip OF
scOrn. His eye had doubter's look
his arms We're raised in an attitude OF
rebuke and protest, while to the right
of the picture stretched forth simply
an open hand, WHICH in mute appea
seemed to say: Brother. come ant
trust me, and will help you. Let us
be friends" Nay, nay" seemed tC
say that curling lip. II will trust nc
one, not even thee" All. that picture
of the suspicious man is the photo
graph Of many here today. We have
been lied about; we have been cheated
we have had our loving condolences be
trayed. The result is we think the
whole human flock bad because a few
of the sheep are black. We distrust al
people because few have proved false
to their profession. Now, l pray God
that at the coming Christmas I may
have my faith in mankind re-estab
lished and my faith in humanity re
newed. l would also have my faith II
Gods love and goodness verified.
Faith In Mankind.
And why should we not make thi:
Christmas request Of God? Do no
faith in God and faith in man go hant
in hand? Are not the goodness ant
kindness of man manifest on every
hand? Did the spirit Of honesty ant
love and self sacrifice pass away wher
your mother died? Are not your sis
tiers and brothers doing for their chill
dren exactly what your parents once
did for you? believe the reason We
take such a depressed view Of the hu
man race today Is not because all peo
pie are bad. We simply refuse to oper
our eyes and see the good qualities Of
Satan has placed binding catarac
over our eyes. May we be able t.
make the prayer today which pool
Bartimaeus made many years ago
"Thou son Of David, have mercy" ant
when Christ said unto him, What will
thou that I should do unto thee?" the
blind man answered, Lord. that
might receive my sight" Thus may
we make a request for this coming
Christmas. May we say, Lord, opel
our eyes that we may see thy good
ness as we'll as the goodness Of oul
fellow men" Oh, how happy the mex
Christmas would be if we could onl!
see the good in mankind rather thar
the faults Of our brothers and sisters
A merry, merry Christmas truly would
then be our next Christmas holiday.
But next to faith in God and faith II
our fellow men there is another desire
tugging at my heart. That Is to make
something out Of my own life. Ant
when l speak thus l am making {
Christmas request inspired by pure
ly selfish motive. l am not coming t
God and saying, 20 God. make me 6
great man in order that other men may
fall down upon their knees and wor
ship me-" but l am saying, 80 God
let me fill position Of usefulness II
order that l may be Of service to m!
fellow men and help them on in TIT
struggle of lifew That Is a Just ant
holy request to make Of Jesus for ,
coming Christmas present.