Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-12-26

Oh! really am longing for the
Merry Christmas" day;
It brings me back in fancy to land
that's far away;
It reminds me of childhood, when
the mind from care was free,
And the many gifts I've taken from
the laden Christmas tree.
Another return of the good old
season A time that warns the
heart and calls forth the finest
human sympathies as counter
actives to the cold winter blast.
The dearth of employment and the
depression in trade and business in
general for the past months will
doubtless be felt, especially among
the working class at this season.
Neither Yule block may blaze upon
the hearth, nor mistletoe hang from
roof or roof-tree, yet in the majority
Of homes on this bounteous con-
tinent there is happiness abounding
at this season.
Happy indeed, are those homes
where the family circle is complete,
but alas, how many are there where
Death has been a visitant since last
Old Christmas appeared. Even there,
where the circle is broken, Faith
stands beside the. vacant chair
beckoning on Hope to fill the void.
The heart may sicken at the thought
Of those who are gone before us, but
Faith and Hope with their united
efforts tighten the, burden OF
Memory and make the circle whole
again. II was but a link that was
missing, and these twin virtues
kindly heal the rupture, restoring
contentment and pleasure in some
degree to those who mourn the loss
of a friend or relative. Many homes
there are which have not been af-
flicted so as to part with even the
smallest of those who go to form the
family bond. Even with these, which
Of them can say that ere another
Christmas comes and goes the circle
shall remain? Not one. No, not
even one!
And such is life. The cradle and
the grave alike so natural. The one
opening into innocence and the lat
ter too often closing over all that
is corrupt and bad. And yet how
few there are who have loved the
advent of this season for all the
goodness in it's train, who need
fear the darkness of the grave
Faith and Hope are ever by their
side, and the coming gloom of dis
solution is made brilliant by the
thought that Christmas was always
welcomed. Let us strive to this end.
In the physical world Christmas is
the approaching end of the year. In
the spiritual life it is the birth of
all that is good and holy and noble.
Worldlings and materialists may
sneer at the thought or mention of
the crib of Bethlehem, but there are
others besides worldlings and
materialists inhabiting this earth,
and to them the thought of the
manger brings new comfort, new
life. strength and happiness.
Since the first rays of Christianity
dawned upon pagan world no hap
pier conception of thought tending
toward the alleviation of poor suf-
fering humanity than that connected
with the poverty of the birth of the
infant Man-God has occurred, or
even can occur. Naturally then our
thoughts at this season revert to the
poor. Poverty is too often the in
heritance Of vast proportion of
mankind. Even in the most
favored countries poverty may be
found-poverty sharp and painful in
calculated to awaken the best SYM
pathies of our hearts, but when we
see it in the cold, dark days of win
ter II is sure TO be intensified.
So we think Of the humble manger
then. of its poverty and winter cold.
Let those OF us who are blessed in
even the smallest degree above the
actual point of want seek out those
who are waiting for the kindly hand
and the encouraging word to help
them and cheer them on their weary
path. Those OF us who are blessed
with comfort and affluence should
see to II that We neglect not our
imperative duty in this respect. II
Is incumbent on all such to bring
light and warmth TO the cheerless
abode OF the poor.
There Is many bitter trial and
temptation I'm store for us all during
the ensuing year. Every act OF
beneficence and kindly, thoughtful
word 10 the poor of the present
Christmas win prove a blessing and
strength to enable us to bear the
trials and temptations stored for us
In the unborn future OF 1915. Many
are the ways In which the benevolent
heart may succor the afflicted. Each
ones disposition will discover that
way for him or her. and the reflec-
tion that our Christmas was not
devoid OF some small share Of merit
will but enhance the happiness OF
our homely festivities. and give a
happy zest to all our Christmas