New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-12-21
The
ENTERPRISE AND OBSERVER,
Consolidated.
Official Journal of Iberia Parish
Subscription $3.50 per Annutn.
THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST
MASTIDE.
Bv Charles MaxOn.

the Savoir of the world. Memo
ries too of picture of bright-robed,
winged Angels with long silver
trumpets proclaiming abe Christ
mas message, "Peace on Earth,
Good Will to Men"
For us, children as we were
then, and for the children of to-
day, there was and is no festival
so full Of joy, of bright anticipa-
ton, happiness, as Christmas
morning; and doubly dear to
memories of later years if in our
childhood days it was hallowed
by a sense, however vague or dim
it might be, Of the deep signif-
cance of Christmastide, with all
the sacred legends gathered
round about it.
What is the message OF Christ
mastide to you and me today
What is its significance to MS,
grown men and women, who know
the world and its sadness and pain,
what significance has it or might
it have, if we knew and did our
part, to the man in the street, the
child in the crowded tenement
house, the convict in his cell
peace or Earth, Good Will to
Men" -
Such is the message proclaimed
on Christmas morning from all the
pulpits in | Christendom. And
from the hearts Of unnumbered
millions who never enter a
church. it has voicing: Merry
Christmas" gladness, JOY, are
passed from one to another by
word and look. For a moment
caste and race distinctions drop
(almost) out of sight, and we
stand on the level ground Of our
common humanity. For one day,
for just a moment Of time, there
is pause in the turmoil of life. For
one day only, if for that, and
then tire world resumes its course.
On no other day or festival in the
whole year is the feeling just the
same, or the sense Of sacredness
SO marked. Even New Years
Day is different, though it par
takes of the Christmastide feeling
and is almost one with it, and in
some countries is the day of gift
giving as Christmas is with the
Teutonc peoples. Properly it
should coincide with Christmas
which is the true beginning Of the
year, marking as it does the be-.
ginning of the suns northern
course through the heavens. East
er again is different, and Thanks
giving Day, and all the other fes-
tivals and national holidays; on
none of them is there that won-
derful stirring Of the heart forces,
!; that thrill Of JOY and good will,
kindliness, sympathy, which for q
! moment we feel on Christmas
| morning an which, If we will
open our hearts to it, brings a
benediction to us and all whom
we contact--if our Christmas
greeting given and received does
indeed come from the heart and
is not an empty phrase.
II that ell the messagef ls that
all its meanings Think mo-
ment.. Peace on Earth, Good
| Will 10 Men. = Do we understand
these wordsi. Ii there not some
thing akin to mockery in them !
For nearly two thousand years the
| Christmas message has been pro-
claimed. Peacei The air is full
Of War, and rumors Of War;
Christian nations increasing their
armaments one against the other,
and striving to outdo one aother
by the invention still more dead
Ii weapons Wa ever . more
crucial time in the known history
Of the world than nowi The
great, nations Of the world have
pareeled out the earth and watch
with greedy eyes to possess them.
selves Of more.
There il then this other side OF
the matter. the awful fact that
there il not peace on earth even
among the nations Of Christen-
dom, nor good will among men:
that few indeed are they who
love their neiehbor as themselves,
and % fulfil the second great
commandment, albeit the first
Ii practice; for, I" II = nan love
not his brother whom he hath
seen. how can he love God whom
he hath nqt seen; ''self lfshness
i not the exception but the rule {
ana by no stretch Of the imagina.
tion can our civilization be called
altruistic nor Christlike.
Good Win to Men, Go to
the great cities Of our civilized ma
tions: scqnaint yourself with the
lives Of the people. What y the
picture forced upon your vision
II c~~.n .,<.S4ssofif;nn fnr Wen4th.