Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-12-24
CHISTMAS TIME AND
 SERIOUS SIDE.


 with attune ourselves to it's joyous }armonies.
 For shis Is essentially the time of happiness. Of merriment and good cheer. It is right 1t should be 90; right that the birthday of One who came 10 bring joy into the world should be celebrated in such away. Let us thc1 send out our hearts in love and charity at this season, bury ing old animosities and drowning discord in the angelic song Of peace. Yet for some minor note mingles it's plaintive strain even with the gladnesS of rejoicing; and that this should be strikes us nor, forc'n!y at Christmas-time than eyfn at any other part Of the year.
 We should like that all might be gay at this festive season. But upon how many ears, alas! do the words "A Merry Christmas"-A wish some- times but thoughtlessly expressed fall with bitter mockery, where light hearted merriment seems driven for ever away! ss y@.ijs.
 Tc those in sorrow, the bright lights of Yuletide serve but .to. show up the more strongly the black shadow which broods over their lives z ' t:ff4 aiAf {
 
 tfiSorrow is so hard to endue at this time. Loneliness appears more lonely, and poverty of exile more hard to sace, when all the world doth laugh. and sing, shout ip great re- joicing. # e4a
 Do we, wonder, dwell little too much on ''ae social side of Christmas, when we sirh because we cannot feel the gladLess we should? Docs the true lhetani:lg of the day get little los under the load of cheery customs which have grown around 1t?
 A "mc,ry" Christmas cannot. we know, be :ne lot of al. AS ws grow older, sad memories, thoughts of a pastJ-which cannot live again in the present-thrust them ,elves upon us still, iii spite of our efforts, the gay chatter anl lightsome laugh ter which belong " right to this joyous anniversary. And we realize then how hard it is to be "merry" as we could be in the daya of old, when we, as children, revelied in the chil dren's festival.
 But "barpy" Christmas, can and should. be In the possession of each one of US, for there Is a happiness no earthly sorrow can take away. Therefore, if we have been found amongst tnese who cry out against this season, feeling sadly aloof from the fun an: jollity, perhaps we have not remembered that we are keeping the festival of One who pleased not Himself. hut came to seek and to save.
 Not in pomp and circumstance, not in prosperity and riches, did our Saviar come, but i'll humble lowli- ness, pleading His almost friendless infancy to win the love of those He was to die to gain.
 And when we come to think about 1t, though we feel so hurt if we have not much to make merry with on Christmas Day, 1t was a very poor Christmas which was spent in that lowiy catt,e-shcd. There were no grand surroundings, no sign oi luxury or riches there. And so the story Of Inc birthday appeals very specially to those who have not very
 och 10 be happy on, teaching them how little true happiness really de- pends onoutward things.
 A happy Christmas is made more happy, and q dull, lonely, or sad Christmas is chhered, if we remem- Der this as a time for thinking of others. We look up to the heavens which open to us, that we may catch the echaes of the grand paean of re- joicing, and then we look down- down to where there is someone who wants our help. our pity, our love someone who Is less well endowed than we. Even If we arc not very high up tie ladder ourselves, be sure there vii; be others yet lower down to whom a hand stretched out in friendly kindness will be very well come--son,eone who, perhaps aided !, by us. will in his turn be encouraged ! to extend the helping hand to a friend be.cw. And SC the chain grows@l lQaGsr,. and may each year as 1t comes find US climbing higher, un. til we .,rd ourselves further from each, aud aearer to heaven, the good will towards men leading us into the glory of God!