Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-12-19
IS GROWING BETTER
Each Christmas Sees Nearer Ap-
proach to Ideal
humanity Affected by Teaehlngs OF
Him Whose Birth 10 Celebrated
eplrit Of HslpfuIness Prsvslls
Among Men.

HrV14< ACH year brings the world
LIMB nearer to the ideal OF the
HhWk Prince Of Peace, the ideal
VIM Of universal brotherhood.
,.S\ Wars may occur from
4lHn time to time and nations
cf&SE2 continue to arm them
t&58& selves. but steadily the
thought develops in the
minds of men throughout
the range Of civilization that fight
ing Is a wasteful, senseless. incon-
elusive method OF adjusting differ.
ences, and that righteousness and
Justice can be maintained by other
means
Over nineteen hundred years have
passed since Christ was born, bring
ing the message Of peace on earth
and good will to men. Before his
time the world knew no such doc
trine. There was the law Of might
and might prevailed. There were
rights. but rights were dependent up
on the strength of arms and often suf-
fered The strong arm governed in
the affairs Of men. The doctrine that
Christ preached was one Of enlighten-
Uent, an appeal to the reason, ad-
dressed to the higher self Of man.
j These who are discouraged by the
occasional outbreaks Of strife between
nations should take comfort in the
thought that there Is a steadily in
creasing sentiment for pacific adjust
ments. that the essential spirit OF
christianity is at work throughout
the world to bring men into more
reasonable relations, and that in the
international as we'll as the private
conditions Of life the doctrines that
were first preached in Judea nineteen
hundred years ago are becoming
steadily more dominant.
Christmas day naturally causes
reflection upon the state Of humanity
rs affected by the teachings Of him
whose birth is celebrated. Men are
unquestionably kinder and more
thoughtful toward one another now
than ever before. There is more
charity In the world, and more JUS
tice, and more earnest disposition to
bring humanity up to a higher level.
There Is more widespread education
rs a result OF this spirit Of helpful
ness, and there is less suffering.
Men are devoting themselves and
their lives to the study Of the needs
Of the less fortunate and to the
hmelioration of their condition. In
M lands practical Christianity is
working to the end literally Of bring
Ing peace on earth and good will to
tnen.
The observances OF Christmas are
mere tokens of the essential spirit of
the day, which is more than the mere
twenty-four hours of this particular
calendar time, and extends through
|Dut the year. No matter how elabor-
ate or costly the gifts that are ex-
ehanged. how beautiful and impress.
i've the services in the churches,
bow extensive the decorations. Christ
mas is no more sincerely commemo-
rated than by him who on this day
bauses to remember what it means,
who pays tribute in his soul to the
Eglorious example of Christ's life and
resolves to conduct his own as nearly
rs possible in imitation Of it. It is
the personal Christmas celebration
that counts, the individual effort to
apply to everyday life that which un.
herlies the occasion, that which began
1t Bethlehem over nineteen centuries
Rgo.