Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-12-24
THE TRIuNPH OF eETHLEREM.

Il is the yuletide habit for newspa
pera to dilate upon the spirit Of Christ
mas as it comes into the lives Of little
children. as it comes home to the hearts
Of mothers and fathers. as it spreads
10 the wide charities that brightens the
ire Hde Of the poor aud unfortunate
and forgotten of all lands. And if the
public press be, as IL is today, the
printed voice Of all the people. is there
not the proof Of a cheer and gladness
Tor the world in this. the new born
hour. as never before. made plain and
secure wherever the types carry the
message of Christ and His love?
We prefer to leave to the hearts Of
mothers and fathers themselves the
joy that is as intimate as the tender
ness under the evening lamp and the
word Of the winter ireside. But there
is broader triumph of Bethlehem
which all too many are prone 10 forget
the all-pervading sun of charity,
which, like a pebblestifred ripple on
the pool once ripping the serene
waters Of Christian love. has never
ceased to grow and grow in boundary
aud depth till today the cradle of Beth
lchem IS the never forgotten heart of
brotherhood and diseipleship of the
golden rule that encompasses the
whole world.
So often we see the chronicles of
vice. Of crime, Of misery, OF bio oodshed
aud wanton waste Of all that is pres
clous in virtue and honor that the
mind becomes detached from the reai
glory Of Christianity aud is chained to
the false gods of a despair which tail
of truth because in the theory it over
looks comparison. the comparison of
mankind today. however wicked. with
mankind two thousand years ago.
Today che frsilties of the human
race are aid bare. The good is so
COMMON that it is taken for granted.
Curiosity and the relentless search
lights Of the law haal the criminal and
the crime in the foot lights of public
condemnation but who is privileged to
open the door and step toto the privacy
OF the happy home who shall tell us
the blessi lga showered upon the poor,
the crippled. the halt, the lame the
blind. in the thousands Of homes sup
ported by the dne-hearted a0d the hale
and stronl Of the land and the wide
world? How many of the uespairing
critics Of morals and civic life have
stood in the ruins of the cities of
shame. which piled their gold and mar
ble horrors TO the clouds. far back in
the days before the Sersphim sang that
Christmas night, Peace TO men of
Good WHY" What of the caves dedi-
Gated TO Mithras? What of the pro-
longed orgies of Carthage. when the
red hot jav OF the iron god feasted
for days md nights on the tender nesh
of infauts2 What of the circuses of old
Rome. which thundered with the rage
of a half thousand lions. turned loose
upon the ensIaved gladiators and the
lerions Of kueeling maidens? What of |
the laws which gave father the right |
10 slaughter his own son and daughterg
And with all this cruelty. what or the |
refinement Of vice? What Of the |
feasts az Baccbus, the vomitorium. the
marriage laws?
blessings, not only Christmas day, but |
every day in the year, has outgrown |
evil The serpent's head is crushed |
urain every time q noble woman hits |
the head Il dying soldier on the hat
tlcdeli; every time the maternal hos
'pital opeps its door TO . fallen sister:
every time the rich man resrs a temple |
for the conquest OF disease.