The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-09-05
TeElDera lures
BE READY TO ACT.

Christmas will, this year, ina the
Christian world slaughtering, starving,
freezing and hating as never before
in all the history of civilization. 1t
will be hard for even true lovers of
Christ to call up in their minds the
picture of the infant Saviour smiling
in His mothers arms and already
glowing with the glory of His mission
of love to all men. Instead Of that in
spring mental picture must rise that
of the man Christ turning His tear
stained, tortured face toward heaven
and crying out in His last agony, "Fa-
Their! Forgive them, for they know
not what they do" -
When we look upon the loving
Christ's world and see the running
blood, the new graves the ashes of
homes, churches, schools and work
shops and feel upon us the hot blast
of racial and other hates that sweeps
across the vast field of devastation,
and even begin to wonder if Christ
lived and died in vain, there's no re-
fuge against despair save to take still
stronger hold upon our faith. In
spite of the present worldwide horror
that apparently refutes Christianity
and denies the progress of two thou.
sand years, God rules; He doeth all
things well; and from out the pail of
suffering, sacrifice and slaughter will
finally come Christ's purpose stronger
than ever.
Christmas will find millions of us
Observation-Disclosures, Austrians, Am.
orleans, British, French, Italians-en-
gagged in the business of trying to kill
other Christians. But, really, the &C.
tual killers are only very small per
centage of the whole. Why should
not the vast majority try to offset the
killing, by especial and concerted de-
votion to Christs commands such as
no other Christmas season ever knew?
Against the carnival of slaughter
set up great movement of love, bro
therliness and helpfulness! Above
the roar of guns let us send up the
cry of good will to men.
Let us this time, as never before,
show to the Christ who suffered for
us that, despite our disagreements,
our blindness, our madness, we are
still His children, still eager to walk
in the path of love that He marked
out with every step He took toward
awful Calvary. How can we do this :?
In our homes it has been the custom
to make Christmas the occasion of ex-
change of presents. 1t is a pretty
custom. It arouses domestic JOY
The Riddles have saved their pennies
Mother has secretly made things"
Father has dug for an allowance to
meet holiday bills A few days of
family exuberance, with perhaps a
little of religious fervor in it, some
really beautiful sentiment that's ra-
ther ephemeral, and then the usual
order of things. We do not speak
thus to decry material expression Of
mutual affection in the family circle,
although it is true that the custom of
making presents to outsiders is con-
sidered, there is undoubtedly tremen-
dous and inexcusable waste, material
and spiritual. The point we're trying
to present, the movement we're trying
to inaugurate is that all this expendi-
ture of money, thought and work
should, in this particular birthday sea
son of Christ's, be more nearly made
Christ's by turning it toward the &C.
tual suffers in the war.
Shall your boy Bobbie have a $50
bicycle, when $50 will feed and clothe
a French war orphan for a whole
year? Shall mothers dear little daugh-
tel, Nellie have rich fur collar, when
tlte mice thereos rrn,,d l,oo. nnle:s..l
' u; 3};|| lase ID w.