New Ulm review., 1912-12-25

II gracious toCt, Snat Oil unknown &
ourselves, prevents 10 from the suicid,
OF utter despair when We iace the aw
full picture Of the worlds injustice
suffering and conflict.
% Christmas morning, for one brie
moment of time, the spheres Of ligh
and darkness touch Ia every heart
tho We be ali unconscious Of it. Th<
sphere of light, Of our divine, godlike
Higher Self, which ordinarily seems
so far of, unreachsble, often, even .,
best, but as dim star In far away
heaven; that respiendent sphere Of our
Being which is to be, for one brief
moment contacts the dark, cloudy
sphere Of our hsbitusl life, of our
usurping, passionate, scheming, lower
self; it is . moment of contact between
heaven and earth.
Could We seize that moment, would
We but do 90 with sll the power and
strength that 10 In 10, of mind and
heart and soul what might not our
lives become? Did We but koow It, it
10 . moment when man, opening his
heart to the divine light Of the world,
calling to the Christos spirit that is
there, can claim bis kinely birthright;
he can II he will, II bis motive be pure,
seize that moment and, like jacob of
the Angel, demand its blessing: IL
will not let thee 60 except thou bless
me".
We have been too prone to assume
that the happiness of Christmsstide 10
ours to enjoy With tho folded hands of
self satisf.ction; and in so far We
have missed the spirit and meaning of
its message. We have taken it that
Peace and Good Will are given to US
as q gift, needing nsught on our part
Ia return, or rather before they can
really be ours. But it is not SO. The
Christmas message ia far more than
that. The Nazsrene Teacher hiuself
declared that he came MOTTO bring peace
but sword. The long silver trumpets
Of the Angel Host announcing bis
coming are trumpets of war as we'll as
peace. Their clarion call is chal- |
lenPe, q call to arms and warfare,
which must first be wsged and that
with success, before ever the promised
peace and good will can be truly
known among men. Not the warfare
Of man against man, or nation against
nation; but the warfare against the
3vil in our own natures, first to set our
OWN house in order, to achieve self
conquest, the first and greatest of all
victories, and to seek to redress the
wrongs Of the world.
1t is for the sake of our weaker
brothers and sisters that we must fight,
t is to them that We must vow an eter-
,al good will, and for them prepare
he paths that lead to peace.
This then is the inner meaning of
he Christmas message, in this con.
lists its everlasting JOY - not for q /
mere moment of time, but enduring
nruout the years and the ages - the
oy of service, the JOY that comes from
he acknowledgement and acceptance
II our responsibility as our brothers
lud sisters helpers.
And in our celebration of Christ
nastide, let US revive sweet child
,ood's memories with all its associ-
ltions; let US make this Christmas
ide and all future Christmas mornings
acred not only for ourselves but for
he children and all the children, that
hey too may learn the meaning of its
Message, as We also can learn and
must learn it from them. ''For except
70 become as little children, ye cannot
inter the kingdom of heaven"
Charles Maxon In Dec. "Theosophi-
al Path" "