The Washington herald., 1907-12-25
Christmas Day.

Christmas Day.
God Bless Son, Menie Gentlemen. let nothing You
D,Eay
For Je.u Christ, Our Saviour. was Born upon This
Day
So sang those Of the elder days. the
softened music in the night. ever un-
alterabe fine old carols with
which these happy itinerants were wont
70 recall 20 our fathers. even then. per-
haps. deep in wassail and good cheer. the
sterner. finer. cleaner memories of what
this day-this day Of all the year-sig-
nihes. In It's larger meaning. t. our daily
life,
Cnristms Day. And as We say il we
realize that once more the year has
rolled around again. and that instead Of
taking the fact sadly We have been
taught through optimistic Christian faith
% make the birthday of that faith which
Las SO sweetened and softened the world
time Of merriment and charity and
loving kindness.
We whose hair is slightly grizzled and
whose hearts and souls have been
touched by the finger OF inexorabIe Time
are reminded by the coming of Christ
mas 20 look back-iust n little spacct
And. looking back. we gaze upon a visfa
oi not wholly unhappy days. see rise
before us an that was dearest and hes.
and happiesi iu our lives. What lies he
fore us Js iay not know: what Il.s he
hind We have lived we have endured
yes. We have loved,
And though there be many high points
points of glory. that stand ont as ua
look back upon the road whence We have
come through the years. IS IL not certain
tnat none of Us can recall cleaner or
more joyous memories than those thar
were associated with the Christmas sea-
SOM
An. WAS not Christmas Of the olda,
days season Of fine belief and trust
and simple faith, Was there. do Won, re
member. one single little doubt when
with eagerness and wondrous anticina-
ton We hung our stockings bv the fire.
We knew. had We but allowed the
thought 60 creep into our minds that
portiy. jolly Santa Claus. with his load Of
Toys could by no possibility have
squeezed down that narrow chimney. and
yet sometimes, we pleaded that the fire
might be put out early so that the M
iron saint Of all good children should
not be discommoded in his descent Those
were the first days when faith triurnnbad
over science. II was an easy tri,lrnpb
for faith was backed by love. and the
mother-word spoken in tender and gentle
deceit meant, Oh. so much to all Of rs,
We think OF the Christmas season as y
time Of reunion. Of doing away with an
animcsites, of gathering Of friends and
relatives. Of tenderness and love And
looking back on the Christmas seasons
OF the days gone by we can see m
Snristmastide, more clearly than AZ anv
other season Of the year. a vision Of the
joys that were. Faces that once We know
and loved that gathered about the fire
S'oe on christmas Eve. shall never more.
save in blessed memory. shine upon us,
Dear tender voices that as we kneIt
awed by the mystery Of the day 10 come
told us the story Of the Star that sbone
on Bethlehem and startled the sbepberds
on their lonely hills-that old. old story
the mos beautiful in all the world
these voices are hushed and stiIled. and il
Is our duty and our privilege. now. with
misty eyes and voices that choke a LITTLE
now and then. to read the same etor,.-to
other little ones, whose kinship with the
Chrlst-chld Is far nearer than we dare
to dream.
We nave come. many Of us. very far
from those Christmas days OF long aeo.
farther yet we must go. and as we meas
ure. by the faith Of the happy children
we see about us to-day. what faith we
have lost in contact with the world 81
we may be the more careful to hang on
sturdily 10 that which is left. They would
tel Us now that there is no Santa Clans
but we know that that is untrue, Fx-
perience may have seemed TO teach ia
that men are untrue and that women are
false; this is untrue. also. Now. on
Christmas Day. the day OF peace on earth
and good will toward man. is the time
70 renew our faith, our gentleness our
trust. 1t is the day of all davs 10 mt
thoughts Of self by; to send our hearts
out TO the poor and needy the SICK and
miserable; to extend a hand in comfort
to our less fortunate brethren: TO send
a prayer to heaven for those who are in
distress.
On this most blessed day all thar is
best IN a man is called TO the surface.
emotions that have lain quiescent are
stirred once more. and we are thrilled bv
unaccustomed heart beats impelIed bv
love and gratitude. The Christmas tree
decorated with its gifts OF love. stands
as symbol. not only Of the joys that
we have lost. but of the joys to come
And as Charles Dickens saw vision OF
that Tree with above it the Raiser OF the
dead girl and the widows son. he knew
that God was good. and he saw:
THE tree IS decorated with bright mer-
riment and song and dance and cheer
fulness And they are welcome. limo
cent and welcome be they ever held. be-
meath the branches OF the Christmas tree
which cast no gloomy shadow. But as
Il sinks into the ground I hear a whis
per going through the leaves: This in
commemoratiOn OF the law OF love and
kindness. mercy and compassion. This
In remembrance OF Me-"
Uncle Sam has been figuring ard finds