Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-23

Now the Northern soldier and the Southern, although the war had ranged them as military foes, had been warm personal friends since days when they had riden side by side in Mexico. Get some kindling and strike light on this side, too, for young Pickett" di- rected the silent man in blue. So it came about that on a certain evening, no guns were fired, but bonfres were blazing along both fronts, the Blue and the Gray-and all in honor of a wee baby in the Southland. Such concord of spirit between men in arms against each other was too good to last and in a day Or two the shock of battle was on once more. But it is safe to say that neither side was the worse for the brief interlude of peace with it's expression of good will. Such a sample of brotherhood in the welter of war must nayo en- couraged everybody.
 Christmas brings us each year an experience somewhat similar, How | ever quickly we slip back into tke old ruts after it is over, we are all of us | better because of the holy festival. It l is good to have caught even a glimpse 1 of the star in the East. Our hearts are made kinder because we have re- | membered, even if but for a moment in the midst of rushing years, the Child who lay smiling in the manager l of Bethlehem At no time lnoic than at Christmas does Tiny Tim's God 1 bless us every one," seem a natural 1 and universal solution. Even the SOL dlers who spend an hour throwing gifts instead of bombs between the | trenches in Flanders yield to the mood l of the season. Sometime, by the grace l of God, that which is now the pass ing impulse begotten of the charm of | the Christmastide, will become the 1 permanent order of life.
 l Good will is no mere soft, fiabby sentiment It is the application of the | gospel rule of gold to all our nun l dane affairs. And the golden rule is 1 about as radical and transforming a 1 principle as could we'll be imagined. It goes to the very roots of human | conduct.
 l The man of good will is unwilling l to do augnt to hurt his neighbor. He will not despoil him of possessions, or l time, or character. The nation of good will will not build ships .or the purpose of sinking men of other na- 1 tions in the sea, not drill armies for the purpose of killing them on land. l Figure out, if you can, reader, by l some sort of moral mathematics, just how far we are from the reign of good will at the present hour.
 The gospel of good will woald rage flat to the ground saloons, brothels and gambling dens. It would run a ploughshare deep through all that de- files and debauches humanity. It would do away with one hai of the hospitals, aims houses, jails and in- sane asylums, by making them un- necessary. one-half are naught but monuments to mans inhumanity to man. Had good will prevailed they need not have been.
 Is good will to prevail on this earth ? Or is Christmas day only fabla and a fine sentiment? It is a pI ophecy. It is, like faith, the substance of things hoped for. the evidence of | things not. seen."
 | For 10! the days are hastening on By prophet bards foretold,
 | When with the ever circling years | Comes round the age of gold. l When Peace shall over all the earth I It's ancient sp1endors fling,
 And the whole world gives back the
 song
 Which now the angels sing.
 ! THE PAKsoN.