Alma record., 1915-12-16


A woman. they say, thought OF the
first community Christmas tree. IL
was erected I'm Madison square, In New
York city. There was something
stimulating. something highly infec-
tious. In the idea. for now cities ana
villages all over America are erecting
Christmas trees In their public squares.
says the Delineator.
They are wonderful things. these
community Christmas trees. not for
their beauty alone but for the spirit
they arouse I'm the towns where they
are found. They are the village center
for Christmas Joy Christmas services,
without sectarian barriers. are held
about them. Christmas carols are
sung at their bases None SO poor or
so world worn cor SO hurried bui he
must see. must thrill with friend and
stranger alike TO this tree for all the
world II brings the child in the
manger To every soul in the com
munity
The Christmas ire is essentially a
symbol of the north and of the home.
Yet II is inextricably blended In our
minds with our faith. which is desert
bred
Most OF the great religions OF the
world were born Of some solitary spirit
who sought the lonely sand waste and
there wrought out that which made
the desert Of his soul blossom like
the rose" He who gave US the great
faith went again and again out into
the burning yellow barrens, where the
tender. brooding violet sky awaited
him; where all The desert world. so
fearful in fits unadornment, so over
whelming I'm It's solitude, founa focused
In him al its pulsing radiance, as
though i'm him We're conferred the heart
beat OF the universe. In the verdure-
less. sand driven. star hung desert the
Babe with his listening ear heard
with his dreaming eyes saw. with his
throbbing heart felt. the faith that
turned mems faces forever from the
clod TO the cross
Why. then, should the fir tree stand
IN our public square. sign and symbol
of that desert BIRTH Whatever its
physical history. why should brcathless
thousands. hungry of body or Of spirit
looking on the great pine tree hung
with electric bulbs. backed by sky
scrapers. topped by smoke. find in its
incoherent beauty the urge set In mo-
tion by the desert bred Babe?
One would have said Of the home
Christmas trees that. after all. it was
the gifts that gave them their glamour.
There are no gifts on the community
Christmas trees. yet thousands and
thousands OF us look on them with the
thrill that belongs 10 faith alone. One
wonders why.
Perhaps this is the reason: The COM
munity Christmas tree symbolizes that
which the home Christmas tree does
not. 1t symbolizes Christmas for all
the world. 1t means that the dawn OF
real brotherhood is tinting our horizon.
IL means. and particularly this Christ
mas it means. that I'm spite Of poverty
and bloodshed. in spite of greed and
despair. there are in increasing num-
bers iIr the world those who would
share with the world all that sacred
beauty and hope that are the individ-
ual's holy OF holics. the most difficult OF
all ones spiritual riches TO share.
II is the symbol of green forest beau
~. Of the druids wild faith, Of the
Teuton's largess and always OF giving.
giving. Not strange that forever In our
minds it should be inseparable from
the birthday of him who gave supreme
ly; not strange. but utterly soul sat
isfying. that finally we have joined
our hands and placed the Christmas
tree In the market place-symbol that.
at last, man may give himself to man
God bless us" said Tiny Tim on
Christmas day God bless us every
oner Dickens dreamed of a Christ
mas festival that should belong to all.
His Tiny Tim. lame and wistful, might
have forcshadowed the joy starved
world that now crowds around the
market place tree. saying as he said.
God bless us every onei