The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-12-17

dren educate the parents in affection
and gentleness. and through them the
community. The spring whence civ
ilization flows is the Babe OF Mary
and The babe in every home. The
Christmas spirit incarnated in deeds
Of kindness. Of self-forgetfulness. love
mutual helpfulness. is the secret OF
Christian civilization.
Il will inoculate all the world with
that purpose TO do justice and deal
kindly with our fellows Christianity
has been defined as "A beautiful civ
ilization slowly journeying across the
earth" II is the only civilization
worthy to be named. II presents
ideals, with the power to realize them
r., HERE were individuals who re
flecied ideal virtues in other
periods. but were unable to mul
uply themselves. dying like Beatrice
who took her beauty. as they carried
their moral eXceilences away with
them. The first Christmas dawued on
world of selfshness and sin and
dark with folly aud cruelty. There
was beauty for the few, slavery. nov
erty and starvation for the many
death for the unwelcome child aud
degradation for woman There were
$4,000 paupers in a population of
1000 600 in Rome. II was a period OF
intellectual chaos. moral and social
desolation. and individual hopeless
ness. Into this gloom came the stai
OF Bethlehem. beaming light. hope and
sympathy. The contrast between the
manger birth and the Christmas morn
that will dawn this week with its
carols. songs. gifts. JOY and gladness
is the most striking contrast earih's
history holds
With that first Christmas childhood
became sweet and sacred. woman was
crowned queen u The heart and home.
the slave maze free. the ignorant. poor
and wretohed found education shelter
and Sympathy. and the joy Of gener
osity becGme contagious. AS the sun
rises earlier and fingers longer than
yesterday so the spirit OF Christmas
Will usher in the golden age Of happi-
ness and good viii In the great pic
ture Of Coreggio the fight on the face
of the babe leads a glow 20 shepherd
and wise men. The Christmas spirit
lends glow TO all the instruments
and forces Of society
~ HE humanity fails below the
w ideal. the effort 20 practice g
e. not wholly nugatory. The
drift o he world is upward" The
people are climbii - Interest in chill
dren IS Increasing Woman is coming
to her own Labor is entering the
reward Of work War is becoming
unpopular Rae al prejudice viii hide
in shame The Christ spirit is vic
torious. Gods good viii becomes tri
umphant in home. street and legis
lative hall The triumphs Of the past
dictate new struggles for the future
When Pericles gave his Grafton over
the Athenian dead pointing to the
graves. the great orator said: Their
silence is eloquent! These heroes ask
us TO go and live for the city for which
they died" Thus past achievements
pledge us TO fresh fidelity. Christ
mas asks us to lend the impulse OF a
new love TO home. school. street and
city; to be a friend OF the friendless.
a benefactor to some dumb beast or
deserted child. to be voice for the
dumb, eyes for the blind. springs OF
water for the thirsty. trees OF shade
for the weary. focd for the hungry.
refuge for the smitten.
Be an angel Of mercy. bringing
peace on earth and good will toward
men. and thus hasten a Christmas
which will not simply come to-mor
row, but will stay all the year