Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1913-12-19
Christmas Giving
mot what we give, but what we share,
For the gift without the giver is bare;"

inseparable; one can hardly imagine Christ
mas without gifts and the Christmas spirit
is spirit of giving. Christmas itself is the
memorial of Heavens great gift to men and
it is not strange that the Divine Gift should
inspire in humanity desire to give. To
give of ones own to another, to place some
thing bright something good, something that
was lacking, something that will bring cheer
and happiness into another life, be it in
measure large or small, is there not in this
something god-like? Is it not the conscious
ness that there is in it some likeness to the
Divine that makes giving pleasant, satisfac
tory to the human mind? 1t is pleasant to
think that the world over, at this season,
Christmas gifts are bestowing a two fold
blessing; blessing alike the recipient and the
giver, but there sometimes arises the ques-
tiOn as to whether men are getting all of the
blessing they might from Christmas gifts
and giving; whether or not Christmas CIV
ing has degenerated. There are signs abroad
that this giving with many has, in a meas
ure at least become commercialized; that
there are many who give, not because they
desire the blessedness OF giving, not because
of the consciousness of God-likeness, not be-
cause there is any real pleaure to them in
giving, but rather because by giving they
hope to get or to gain. Others there are who
give from sense of duty; give because
someone has given them or from sense of
giving, though it may pass as such.
"That is no true aims which the hand can
hold;
He gives nothing but worthless gold
Who gives from sense of duty;
But he who gives but slender mite,
And gives to that which is out of sight,
That thread of the all sustaining beauty,
Which runs through all and doth all unite,
The hand cannot clasp the whole of his aims,
The heart outstretehes its eager palms,
For God goes with it and makes it store
To the soul that was starving in darkness
before"
In order that true Christmas giving may
be determined it is necessary to consider the
original, Divine gift. God gave to men, for
all time revelation of himself, of his own
life made possible and accessible to all hui
man beings. It was, is, the gift of joy, the
gift of life at its highest and best. He gave
himself not food nor clothing, not gold nor
precious material of any sort, and yet some
thing that includes all these while it infinite
ly transcends them. God gave from no sense
of duty no great obligation, in the sense in
which we use that term, but because he
wanted to give, because of an infinite love
for those to whom he gave.
"God so loved the world that he gave his
only begotten son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish but have everlast-
ing life"
love; it is inspired by kindly feeling toward
those who are to be the receivers of its gifts.
Shakespeare voices truth when he says
in Hamlet, "Rich gifts wax poor when givers
prove unkind." No gift can neutralize the
sting of cruelty and unkindness, in human
life 1t may almost be laid down as a maxim,
give in love and kindness or give not at all.
Not from sense Of duty, not because of
any obligation whatsoever, not because OF
hope for return of gifts, but because of the
desire in the heart of the giver. because of
good will.
The gift itself may not be. does not need
to be, of great value as the world measures
values, but the true Christmas gift must
carry with it something of the giver. Emer-
son has expressed this thought in regard
to true gift in these words: "The gift
to be true, must be the flowing of the
giver unto me, correspondent to my flowing
unto him.. It is worthy of note that it is
by his gifts that God binds men to himself.
There is one other important point in re-
gard to the original Christmas gift, to be
considered: The gift had its purpose; to
touch and brighten and bring the highest
and best to those to whom the gift was CIV
en-. Much of worry and much energy is ex-
pal4ded in choosing Christmas gifts, but
might not mucn Oh CnlS DC aVOlucu IL INlS
were made the standard by which the choice
of the gift is made? Put the loving thought
in the selection of the gift, give, by so doing,
something of yourself and give not to re-
ceive again; give according to that which you
have; it may be that few moments of time
spent in writing letter of Christmas greet
ing or a single flower with words Of cheer
will weigh far more in real value than many
a costly gift.
Give to gladden. the lives of little children,
give to relieve the hardships and wants of
those who are sore pressed in the struggles
of life, give to bring hope and cheer and the
sense of the brotherhood and love into the
hearts of all within the circle of your ac-
quaintance. Above all give of yourself to
cheer and help the world of men on its way
toward the attainment and realization of the
peace which makes the perfect life and the
good will which binds all men together in
one great human brotherhood.
1t is not what we get out of life but what
we put into it that enlarges ones life and
enables him to attain the most and the best.
We shall pass this way but once let us leave
gifts that shall insure for us blessed
memory.
~ A egg ~ ssa~