Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-12-20
The Spirit OF Christmas.
BY REV. P. ROWLAND WAGNER.


The man who said that one day was as
good as another never enjoyed an Ameri-
can Christmas. 1t comes with regularity
yet never with loss Of charm or cheer. 1t
is the one day in the year which minsles
so many dreams, delights and cheerful
duties. for old and young alike, that we
always anticipate it with joy. Christmas,
like most holidays and holy days. associates
itself with Person, and it is only as we
recall and honor Him that we do justice to
the occasion. Just as Washington's Birth
day, Columbus Day. ETC., recall and rev.
erence these men, so Christmas recalls to
mind Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin
Mary. His birthday should be the time
when we remember Him and all that He
means to the sons of men. Looking back
over the centuries we can see that the
birth OF the Christ into the world has
brought the possibilities Of happiness. hope,
harmony and help into the world.
The Heavenly Messenger said. II come
to bring you good tidings OF great joy" and
the greatest happiness has ever since
issued from knowledge Of Christ. He
came to make very real His Joy" to those
millions who live in mean streets. prisoners
of the bench and tool, slaves Of the mine
and mill, heavy laden. to whom the word
happiness is but mockery as they tramp
and toll and tear from day to day. When
the laboring millions "see His star they re-
joice with exceeding great JOY" Happi-
ness is heritage. 1t is a matter of the
inside and not of the outside, Of tempera-
ment within and not temperature without.
1t was Paul. in prison, and not Nero, on
the throne. who could say, II have learned
to be content" Happiness. in Christ, is
heritage, and to have face as long as a
fiddle does not bespeak a superior Christi
anity. Paxton Hood once preached in a
Yorkshire church. 1t was a glorious day
and all the earth glowed with the glory
OF the Lord" The chorister selected and
started to read as an opening hymn, my
ton and the dead" but he got no further,
for Hood leaped to his feet, exclaiming
"0h. no, they don't My thoughts do not
dwell on anything so terrible this morning.
Let US sing, Come, let us join our cheerful
songs with angels round the throne" So
the real Spirit Of Christmas is joy in Christ,
and 1t is only when He is divorced from
His day that aught else creeps in. He Is
thought of by some as a sidethought or
afterthought, like marginal reading on
an authors proof, put in to fill up blank.
But He is the Spirit Of the occasion and
happiness reigns where He is.
Christ's coming also meant a new hope
for men. Christ, in His birth. emphasized
the glorious value and possibility Of the
commonplace. His mother, Mary. a SIM
pie Hebrew maiden; His birthplace. a
manger in cave-stable the town where
He abided for thirty years, Nazareth, OBJ
scure and commonplace His early train
ing during these years. in the carpenter
shop; the angel song at His birth was
heard by simple shepherds and His early
disciples were called from the ordinary
occupations of life. This brings hope to
mankind. Jesus, the Son Of God, has for
ever exalted the commonplace. and ever
since men have risen from the commonplace
to the heights. Cardinal Wolsey, Daniel
Defoe, Henry Kirke White were sons of
butchers; Jeremy Taylor, preacher; Rich
ard Arkwright, founder of cotton industries !;
Turner, landscape artist, were all BARRIERS
John Bunyan was tinker, and Robert
Burns. ploughman. Watts constructed
his first model from an old syringe, and
Faraday his from glass bottles. West made
his first brush from a cats tail, and Wilkie
learned his art with chalk and barn door.
1t is the commonplace which becomes
uncommonplace, and it is often ian ad-
vantage not to have advantages"
Another luscious fruit for humanity.
coming from the birth of Christ. is the
possibility for harmony Though so sim
pie. yet how harmonious was that kingly
birth long ago. Notice the harmony in
nature. No friction. no strife. no discord.
But notice the inharmonious atmosphere
created by human nature. Families, COM
munities, countries all in a melting-pot.
peace on earth. good will toward men"
is the call Of Christmas, so let us write the
letter. make the apology, pay the debt,
acknowledge the right of the other man.
so that peace be established on earth as
in Heaven. Also, Jesus is the help of
mankind. Work, worry. heartache and
heartbreak. neglect of friends, scorn of
foes, all these may be disspated by the
birth of Jesus in the heart.
As we make our gifts, as we wish our
"Merry Christmas" as we sit down to the
table with our loved ones, let us also think
on these things which the real Christ and
Spirit of Christmas have brought US.