The Carlisle independent., 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.
 It will inoculate all the world with kindly with our fellows Christianity has been defined as "a beautiful civ ilization slowly journeying across the earth" It is the only civilization worthy to be named It presents ideals, with the power to realize them. rT HERE were individuals who re-
 hected ideal virtues in other
 periods, but were unable to null tiply themselves, dying like Beatrice, who took her beauty, as they carried their moral excellences away with them. The first Christmas dawned on dark with folly and cruelty There was beauty for the few, slavery, pow erty and starvation for the many, death for the unwelcome child and degradation for woman There were 375,000 paupers in a population of l,00O,000 in Rome. 1t was period of intellectual chaos, moral and social desolation, and individual hopeless ness. Into this gloom came the star of Bethlehem, beaming light, hope and sympathy The contrast between the manager birth and the Christmas morn that will dawn this week with it's carols, songs, gifts, joy and gladness, is the most striking contrast earth's history holds
 With that first Christmas childhood became sweet and sacred, woman was crowned queen of the heart and home, the slave made free, the ignorant, poor and wretched found education, shelter and sympathy, and the joy of gener- osfty became 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 will In the great pic
 
 of the babe lends a glow to shepherd and wise men. The Christmas spirit lends a glow to all the Instruments and forces of society.
 WI HME Humanity falls below the w ideal, the effort to practice it is not wholly nugatory. The drift of the world is upward" The people are climbing. Interest in chil- dren is increasing. Woman is coming to her own. Labor is entering the reward of work. War is becoming unpopular. Racial prejudice will hide in shame. The Christ spirit is vic torious. Gods good will 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 oration over the Athenian dead, pointing to tt 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 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 food 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.