Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1910-12-23
CRUDE CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS
FROM THE EDITORIAL PEN.

Christmas. the home day, the
Christ day May its lessons and its
blessings gladden. all hearts and
make a truth of the common salu-
tat;on "a Merry Christmas to
yeu."
Il hink Of Him, who was man of
i s. 3poWs, acquainted with grief, and
lwithout home yet from His pres
en*a an ocean Of consolation has
spread and covered the earth with
its waters Of healing.
. Peace on earth, good will toward
men" the grandest OF all carols,
dearest Of all angel hymns time ha
| destroyed none Of its sweetness and
has preserved all OF its promise.
May love and joy cross the thresh-
old Of every home. peace cover the
dear ones as a mantle, and bad-
iness so abound, sad memories for a
nnment MAY be forgotten.
The one great and essential fact
about Christmas is this. that it is
the celebration of birthday. Hence
we will Go we'll to have in remem-
brance Hinl for Whom the day is
named and in whose honor it is ap-
pointed to be kept. And, having in
mind the shepherds and the stable,
we will remember how His life, be-
gun in simplicity, was lived to the
end of it in accordance with this
beginning.
The brotherhood of man is the
most fertile Of all truths. What
ever is good in modern civilization
comes from accepting it; whatever
Is bad. by denying it. Democracy
is The teaching of Jesus expressed
IN government, but thus far the eX
preston has been timid, tentative,
and inadequate. Inventions will
make it possible to express his
teachings in industry and commerce
Some wholesale softening OF the
heart will make us apply his teach
ing in conduct. There are psychic
waves now permeatlng the world
which seem to indicate that some
such transformation of civilization
IA 1iot ba Far awax@srPerbaps the !
Kingdom of heaven is nearer than
we think with brotherly love for 1t
practice. Then Gethsemane and
the crown of thorns will become
symbols not of tragic failure, but
triumph. and the Christmas spirit
will be the spirit of every day of
the year.
The time draws near the birth OF
Jesus. the Christ. Over the world
comes change. monentafy but
wonderful. For one day the prln-
cipal motives of human effort ceas
to act and give away to their oppo-
sites. Charity replaces greed; KIND |
liness replaces jealousy and hate;
brotherhood replaces competition
Rivalry in acquisition yields to rlv-
airy in giving For one day III the
wear the conduct Of the Christian
world conforms not merely III hol-
low pretense. but in reality, to the
precepts Of Jesus There IS on
earth. if not peace, at Least the Will
ingness to cease from strife, and II
one dav is little too brief to per
feet the feeling and practice OF
good will toward men, still, con-
Steering how great the change Is
from ordinary habitudes, we con-
triye a fair imitation of it. Consid-
ering. too. that the Christmas splrll
Is expected to last for one day only
fhe world shows. it must be admit
led. great respect to Ithe Gallllean
shepherd by taking so much pans
TO give an air Of verislmllltude 10
IFS brief submission to this rule.
For onewhole day in tho year we
are Christians III deed as well as III
name.
II is far more important that par
ents realize that this pagan error
the ascendeney of Santa Claus
should not mislead our children on
Christmas Day. In whatever way
we may choose to celebrate the day
LET us somewhere, at the very be-
ginning before breakfast, at break
fast or directly after breakfast
keep a brief space wherein some
one may read the second chapters
of Saint Matthew and Saint Luxe,
losing with the singing of an old
Christmas carol, old words to ola
music in the old way. Then, II you
please, let Santa Claus come into the
day. but let us remember we'll wflat
the original Santa Claus, the good
Saint Nicholas Of Myra, stood 1or.
He showed himself Saint and
earned the reputation which has
been his through generations by onel
dominant characteristics: relieving