Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-12-18
Lucia Faxon Additon.l

Not christmas DellS, nor presents
rare,
Nor trees all laden with delight,
Nor Carols sweet, nor midnight
prayer
Can make true Christmas here to,
night,
Unless we keep Christs words OF
love,
And keep His Spirit from above
This is the meaning of Christmas
day."
AS each year rolls on and the hal
lowed Christmas time draws nigh, we
are confronted with the fact that at this
sacred season when we celebrate the
birth OF the Christ Child, there are
great evils about US In many hearts
and homes cruel customs overshadoN'
the gracious, hallowed time
No festival is more universally, ell
aborately, or joyfully celebrated than
this holiday season of Christmastide
and none is more abused The harm
that is done in the name of keeping
Christmas is appalling.
To thousands of working people the
Christmas season has come to mean
a time of dread instead of time of
peace and love. because of the over
fatigue to which they are subjected
by thoughtless holiday makers. The
overtime work, the surging crowds
none too patient or considerably, the
oyer-heated stores, all go far toward
making Christmas a time of gloom
rather than time fer the glad sing
ing of GLORY to God in the highest
and on earth peace" We, who ar
working to help the coming of Christ
Kingdom on earth, may we'll ask our
selves, as we read again the old,
sweet story of the birth of the great
est reformer the world ever knew.
What progress have we Christians
made in all these nineteen hundred
years in the direction Of a Christ-lilIe
ideal worked out in daily life?
How have we Deen living out the
teachings of Gods fatherhood and
mans brotherhood? Does Christmas
have any significance for us of today,
for those who are trying to
hasten the reign of righteousness?
Surely it is well for us to study
prayerfully the "ethics of Christmas
shopping" and to give Thoughtful con-
to customs that have be-
come entwined into the secredness of
the day
The blame for the unfortunate con-
ditions in the commercial world seems.
to the employe, to lie with the en-
ployer. But it is very difficult for
the employer to vary from customs
and methods seemingly demanded by
the purchasing public, The remedy
lies with the purchasing public, and
not with the merchant For instance
if l refrain from shopping just be-
fore Christmas, and also at late hours
of the day, I personally do not help
perpetuate the unChristianlke meth
DDS of overtime and of doing Christ
mas" on Christmas week Every shop
per should ask himself at the holi-
day season, DO l as a buyer help
perpetuate cruel customs and UNI
Christianlike methods of BUSINESS" Ir
buying, as we'll as selling, each one
should do her part in keeping thu
Golden Rule. 1t should not be So
aside at the holiday season, wheI
mankind celebrates the receiving o
the priceless gift of a Savior. At thi
time our hearts should overflow witt
love and goodwill.
A very serious evil is the employ
ment Of young lads in making late de
livery in the evening, often into tn
night This ustom is due largely t
the thoughtless insstence that coed
must be delivered upon the day o.
which the purchase is made AS 500
as the shopping public becomes vii
ling to do its share toward retrievin
the Christmas season from the per