The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-24

cradle in greetings of rhapsodic cele-
bration. Thus was the worlds supreme
Infant swaddled in tragedy and para
doX. A fact to well remember in a day
like this. Strange beginning of a
kingdom announced as His was. Thus
early the sword "awoke against the
Shepherd" II thereafter to now has
never slept. Yet the song does not
cease nor change. Anniversaries come
and the theme persists and expands,
many voiced and languaged more and
more.
And the accompaniment Of bloody
baptism, innocent and heroic blood Is
more in this Armageddon day than
ever: And still, this is the day Of the
Child.
Herod, PLATE, Caiaphus, they could
STAY. They can not quicken, they nor
their like. The child espouses life. The
murderers have ~propagated, but always
for the sword they have forged. He
and his rise again more powerful and
recruit through crucifixions. They, the
murderers, revel; they do not sing nor
revel long. Their victims inspire and
lead undying melodies and Inscriptions.
Christmastide is childtide, ever a new
date of departure to singing and the
rhythm Of bells.
The birth we celebrate was more
than all the tragedy accompanying it
or following; all of which it anticipated.
There was an evil spirit of the time
that sensed what that birth was apt
to mean. Hence the sword. Demonol-
ogy is no superstitutlon, but another
name for malevolence aroused and
militant, whose latest earthly alliance
IS by name, Germany. The borderland
Is no more neutral territory than was
mo mans land" Many who thought
1t Mas just dead mans land have
changed since the war began. Alliances
are not of this world alone. Not a few
affirmed that they saw angels
crisis. 1t was the same host that how
cred over Bethlehem. reinforced. Also
they were there because of a birth
travail. Some call it democracy and
some brotherhood of man,
nu StTja r. %es df tSeT for a ac selsst ia ant anttip'h h ny
highest'-and it thundered. "On
earth peace to men Of good willard
A the guns roared. Such was the domi-
nant note in that hours strange set
ting. The Huns turned, retreating in
massed fear. "Why?" was asked later
heavy British achievements coming
up" Nonesbut the enemy saw them,
because they were not there. But they
saw them and fell back from that thin
capped line self-pledged to die there.
SO they protested, as ample witness
Niill lii5f was " NllC NplilhNthVC wiz lldN
been on that field, promoted now? Said
a well known New York clergyman to
a soldier on leave who, recounting Hun
outrages, had remarked: We can not
stand for that you know You can
you are stopped" Answered the boy,
II shall never be stopped. They may
kill me, Of course, but I shall still be
in this struggle; and so say many OF
, my comrades" The morale that wor
the war.
!, Were they back again, those sup.
ports; or just still there? Whether OF
no, there was pulsing in the air waves
) the heralding travail cry Of that new
birth for men-"Unto us a child i
born" Some call 1t cenfoCracY Ant
i some brotherhood; and all who shd& et
| the praying suspense OF Roberts an
Kitchener that day said with the twir
veterans when the anguished tension
was broken by the electric news. 9TH,
enemy is in retreat This Is God"
That phantom army visuahzed tn,
democratic soul of Britain and Franc,
rallying to the birth cry OF the new
horn child in the same hour Of which
Won Moltke later confessed German,
was beaten then"
Whats shall we do with this child
What the child do with us? That i
discovered to us brotherhood. It is 70
the other TO recover 1t. TO recove
IN the spirit of the discovery: that /
the restoration bugled from the rui,
heaps Of the war; restoration; renova
ton, creation, To construct. incornor
alert detection and avoidance OF flux
ing foundations, and on no model witt
which any past has been content.
The child will be plstted AGAINST ii
state and church as was the first. -
sign to be spoken against" as irraver
emf of many a tradition ooJ lzna
maxim. Again the child's foes shai
be they of his w household" For H.
Is destined to ~disappoint MANY n pre-
ferrcd friend; eager, unrestrained. in
by clamor or plot contribute to reduc
to impractical levels and treacherou
policies. Satanus redivivus of tn
temptation will be amongst the breth
rem, accommodating himself With equa
facility to high place, wilderness O
DESTRUCTION is appealinglly easy an.
foundations and eternal principles tina
yield not. Revolution and evolution /
other maybe, Nay, mutually intolerant
Again, the call IL for alliance,
Peace conferences, nations and PEG
pies leaguing, economical and social re
adjustments and political reformation;
tory repeats itself" So we shall b
told in notes cynical or sad.
Rocks must be assembled, burned an
ground to make cement. And that
the beginning, and the grinding is nc
Of a day. Shall the wisdom Of word
defeat the wisdom of deeds? Blu his
tory can only repeat itself on the basi
of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Conditions tina
this struggle in and of all the element,
has decreed mtolerable, impossible. dis
credited, outlawed in results of whic
those conditions were the prophecy an
omen. And the burden of 9 prophec
before the climax Blu the china
comes, What were the watchwords {
the kingdom of Judea's child of MAJ
the symbols of its rule? Peace, goo
a Will The alliance indispensable TO m
success. No parchment contracts to /
lie : revised or terminated, No physic,
' bonds of state and church. No pre-