The Washington herald., 1907-12-25
GOOD WILL TOWARD MEN
BY FREDERIC J. HASKN
BY FREDERIC ). HASKIN.

The tide of joy and happiness weillng
up in the hearts Of the men and women
and boys and girls of America reached
its annual food this morning Let the
scoffer who said last week that Christ
mas had been degenerated in a sordid
commercial festival. keep his own coun-
sci this day. For the vast majority OF
The American people are happy and
whether that fact IS. or is not. associated
in their minds with any theological tenet,
the spirit OF Christmas breathes through
out the land-"Good viii toward men"
True il is that there were some empty
stockings this morning. True il is that
there are mothers hearts aching for
those empty stockings. True it is that
there are men today upon whom has
fallen the heavy hand OF misfortune 50
that the spirit Of Christmas cannot reach
them. But il must not be forgotten that
IN TO other country on earth has there
ever been a civilization from which
poverty and hunger have been so Efficient
iy eXiled as from the United States in
these opening years Of the twentieth
century OF the era Of Good viii toward
men
The American people have their faults.
and these faults are reflected in the
American civilization. But whatever may
be our faults we have this great virtue
we have tried 10 bring about a condition
in which an empty stocking on Christ
mas morning would be impossible Per
4 haps sometimes we have worked at cross
purposes. and with never unanimous
consent 10 any one plan Of procedure,
but. nevertheless, always toward the same
END: perhaps losing ground little some
times. but regaining it all and more IN
The next struggle. So it IS to-day that
every American may realize that he lives
in that country where the joys OF this
merry season are more equitably dis
tributed. and where the pangs OF denial
Of these joys are fewest. Well may
Americans thank God and echo Good
viii toward men
Have we cOmmercialized Christmas
Have We cheapened Christmas2 Have
we turned a sacred religious festival into
a season for seif-indulgence2 These
questions and others Of their color are
I always heard as December turns into its
middle. And always, always they are
1 answered by the same melancholy soul
who propounds them and always. always.
the reply is a profoundly peSsimistic
Yes" We are straining ourselves 10
buy things which We cannot afford 10
give 20 those who do not want them, but
who viii buy Us something they cannot
afford and which we do not want. We
have forgotten, say these pessimists. the
meaning OF the sacred festival. have for
gotten the simplicity Of Him whose
birthday II IS. have forgotten that vulgar
estimation Of friendship by the price tag
on the present is not a true index OF the
message that should come from the heart
Good viii toward men"
Show me the child under ninety years
old who doesn't want 10 get something
he doesn't want to-day? Show ne the
child under ninety years old who will
not nurse secret pain if he didn't get
something that he didn't really want 10
get this morning? Christmas CONNER
cialized? The notion is absurd. Com
mercialism means utilitarianism. When
Christmas becomes comuerciaIized men
will cease to spend money for things that
are pretty. and sweet and nice for
baby" and viii make all Christmas pres
ents something useful As il is now,
Christmas Is the one season OF the year
wlsen men who are not rich may forget
| that they live in a commercial age and
take some Of the money that the age has
given them and blow it in regardless
, Of returns. 1t is more blessed 70 give
than 10 receive" merely expresses IN a
concrete form the message chOrused by
angels over Bethlehem-"Good viii to-
ward men"
Have we cheapened Christmas by rob-
bing il OF much OF its holy and beautiful
[ significance How brief is the memory
OF man that one lives who would ask
Z that question, Is It not better that for
a little while each year the whole world
should put into practice the teachings Of
the NaZarene than that all the year
should be given over 10 a theological
discussion Of those teachings? Is IL not
more Christlike for a great community
Of men and women ike the American
| people 10 spend the five million dollars
which they have spent in the past week
10 make poor children and poor mothers
happy than II would be 10 make the
natal day Of Jesus a strictly religious
holiday and chant His praises under the
arched roofs OF q million churches? There
was a time when Christmas was wholly
religious church service in honor OF
the Christian Son of God in the early
morning. and another service in honor
OF the Greek god BacchuS from that
morning until the next The wassail bowl
still flows at Christmas, but the majority
of our people are too busy with the hap
pineSs they have brought TO others 70
get drunk on Christmas as their Chris
tan ancestors did We have forgotten
that Christmas is a church calendar holy
day but We honor the Man who spoke
the Sermon on the Mount when We sink
all thoughts Of self and remember in our
holiday cheer that we really wish Good
viii toward men"
Self? Some of these pessimists. the
bOldest have told you that We have
turned this holy festival into a season
Of self-indulgenee. Most preposterous Of
AL is this. II is the one time when all
thought Of self is put aside We are
nearly all more generous than we can
afford. and that is the only Kind bf gen
erosity which takes no thought Of self
When Victor Hugo's nineteenth century
model Of the Christ, the Bishop in Les
AIiserables, gave away more than he
could afford, he not only suffered for
his lack of selhshness, but his sisters
suffered with him. No one in his senses
would cOnGOne the spending Of large sums
from small purse for the mere purpose
Of making a vulgar display at Christmas
or at any other time. But even when
he can't afford it the man who spends
his money at Christmas in an effort TO
make others happy at the expense Of his
own needs and his own comforts surely
has his share in the divinity that ushered
h NNwfC