Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-12-22
A DAY OF GLADNESS.


A DAY OF GLADNESS.
Christmas means to all day in which
cares may be laid aside and the soul and
the mind dedicated to the most thorough en-
joyment of all the blessings that lie in our
way. ignoring and shutting out entirely the
trials and vain pursuits of the year that have
gone and of the present 1t knits the world
into one vast common brotherhood of joy.
Throughout the confines of the globe,
whether in the jungles of far-away Africa,
where the solitary missionary pours out
his soul in an excess of gladness and rap
ture, or in the crowded drawing rooms of
more crowded cities, where life moves ever
swiftly onward, looking backward never,
there is on this day one deep Overwhelm-
ing sense of gladstone ecstasy. For this
day marks the event of all events in the
history of the world-the birth of Christ
Christmas morning the bells of
memory tinkie-what tender and hallowed
"reminiscences this magic word calls up
how like the murmurs Of lost music come
and 60 the purple lights of the beautiful
long-agol
How the page of life rolls back, and we
read, maybe with fearful eyes, the charac-
tiers written there and through the long
closed corridors of the past we hear the
soft echo of the footsteps of those who
have gone out from among us, and come
back no more.
But while Christmas saddens, it is ever
season of rejoicing. There is hardly any
home so poor in this broad land, let us
hope, where the music of happy and inno-
cent childhood will be hushed or little
stockings be hung up in disappointed hope
of finding something in them when the
morning dawns.
And if there be such homes, would it not
be quite as well for people who endow COL
leges already possessed of ample means,
who build churches with steeples which
pierce the skies, who sport diamonds that
do them no earthly good-would it not be
just as well if they would set apart yearly
portion Of what they spend so needlessly
as a fund to give the poor around them a
happy and comfortable Christmas?
God can hear prayer just as well from
the modest little mission house along the
wayside as He can from the costly and
luxurious church edifices in the crowded
and fashionable cities. Christ was born
in maneer, and He never preached in
any costly cathedrals, yet His words have
come down to us through the ages-ever
new. ever beautiful and sweet-to fill our
hearts with hope, and to make glad these
lives of ours which otherwise would indeed
be miserable.
And. remembering what Christmas COM
memorates, it should ever be season of
good will toward men," Petty differences
and personal animosties should be for
gotten-so far hushed that no breath of idle
gossip would be able to arouse them. We
should remember our own frailty and have
charity for our neighbors. And when the
joy bells ring on Christmas morning, happy
is the man who can listen to them and say
truthfully: 81 have no hardness in my
heart for any living thing"
1t is fact of obvious significance that
Christmas is the one festival of the year
we celebrate by giving presents. Other
days we keep in other ways, but the ex-
preston of the Christmas idea takes this
one peculiar form, ands so nearly universal is
il that throughout the Christian world the
character of trade is influenced by it, the
most extensive preparations are made for
it. In what way, indeed, could the greatest,
freest gift in the history of the world
be so fifty concentrated as in the making
of gifts. How could the Babe Of Bethlehem
be more truly honored than in making
Christmas the brightest day in the year
for all ? And. even though we are hardly
conscious of the fact. what are the good
wishes of the season which we exchange
on Christmas day but the echo of the
angels song with the message of peace
on earth to men of good will" Let it be
remembered that the spirit of Christmas is
pre-eminently one of unselfishness and
sacrifice. This it is for which the day
stands When we give only in the expec
tation of receiving again, when we e
YEARLY through the list of presents which
represent merely the past or anticipated
obligations, we enter but imperfectly, if al
all, into the Christmas spirit.
On Christmas day let us lay aside the
cares and remembrance of all troubles ant
perplexities, so far as we can. Let us en-
joy our turkey with no thought that per
haps tomorrow we may have to sit dowr
to salt pork and bones And for one day
in the year let charity, patience and love
prevail in our homes and in our hearts
and let that day be the anniversary O
the ever-memorable and glorious day OF
which Christ was born.
AS we close this article. the stars have
long since gone up on the watch in tn,
deep mystical blue of the heavens MAJ
their light shine softly and sweetly owe
the slumbers of our friends and reader,
all through the long hours Of the night
and may the coming Christmas morning
be filled with joy and gladness for them, il
our earnest greeting.
TREATY ABROGATED.