The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-12-20

Christmas is the celebration of the
birth of Christ. The true Christ
mas spirit is the spirit expressed in
the message Christ brought and il
Illustrated in the life He lived.
The angels song, on the first
Christmas, the theme of his mes
sage and the object of his life was
Peace on earth, good will to men,"
In the early part of his public life,
Christ enunciated the policy of his
work and life in what is called the
Sermon on the Mount. It is call
to each person to forsake the selfish
and sinful life, and live a higher
and more helpful life. There is not
single note in it that discords with
the angels song.
It is significant that Christ came
with his policy of peace and good will
at time of turmoil, unrest and an
ticipation. Like our own age his age
was one of quickening conscience.
Herod's impure life met it's rebuke
from John the Baptist and Herodius
had to be very sly in getting her re-
venge. The priests and Pharisees
were'over year accomplishing their
plot. They had to take into &C
count the awakening conscience of
the people. Nevertheless there was
then as now an uncertainty in the
location of responsibility. Plate
washed his hands and the Jews ac-
cused Peter of unjustly bringing the
blood of Christ upon their heads.
The individual then, as we know,
often suffered wrong and could sell
dom get redress from Rome, or any
government. It reminds one of the
actions of corporations today.
Christ struck some important key
notes in his teaching and called for
advanced steps in living. By pre-
cept and example He proclaimed
radical changes from the selfish life
about him and showed that good
will and fair play were the founda-
ton stones of his kingdom. These
principles have blessed every nation
or people who practice them. To
be sure they were often partly hid
amid the selfish scramble, but they
lived on and have reached their
highest expression in the best civil
zation of this age.
The Declaration of Independence
could never have been written had
not the gospel of Christ been given
to the world. It is in perfect har-
mony with the sermon on the Mount.
This is a Christian nation in its
foundation, if not always in prac.
tice. It is our part to see that
American life is brought up to the
standard of the Declaration of In
dependence and of the Gospel.
Christ was Gods best gift to man
and suggests our giving at Christmas
time. We should try to give as
Christ was given and as He gave his
life for us; unselfishly and for loves
sake.
The greatest gift we can give is to
give ourselves in service for the good
of our fellowmen. We must not
wait until everybody will do right.
The spirit of Christ and of Christ
mas is to do the thing that will pro-
mote peace on earth and good will
to men, whether any other person
does it or not. Nothing is more
foreign to the Christmas spirit than
to fail to do the right, to play un'
fair and to give as an excuse that
everybody does the same.
When we write Xmas we &C
knowledge the cross Of Christ, which
suggests another important factol
in the Christmas spirit. The true
Christmas spirit will suffer if neee
be to promote peace and will en-
dure anything to advance good will
among men.
That there is need of preaching
the Christmas spirit no one Cal
doubt. Peace on earth and goot
= will to men is not as prevalent a
we should expect in a Christian ma
ton and built upon the Declaration