The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-27

In beautiful poem called "lndirecton written by the Ill
ated Richard Rea shortly before his suicide in San Francisco
occurs this line
Behind the gift is the giving"
Meaning the JOY of giving, which is personal
Among his Christmas gifts Mr., J. D Rockefeller gave
klo000OO0 promote medical education in this country 1t
vas than prncey gift because prince that know
pf ever had that much money to give.
Andrew Carnegie away several hundred millions before
e died and Henry c. Prick who died recently disposed Of an
Estate valued at $500000 1t doubtful if either
three great gers really felt Joy giving unless the
consciousness of doing good to the world furnished it Their
giving detachedtoo mpersona The personal equa
on wanting, To these great it merely pushing
electric button ringing bell and ordering subordinate
10 do thus and So The figures on their bank accounts which
hhey accordingly changed and their money
which they transferred other bank accounts
AZ conventional matter OF business to them The
given supendous than enough buy all the ships
of Hiram with their of gold and other commodities
than enough for all the cedars OF Lebanon
han enough to build and gd and furnish Soomons temple
several times over. The giving was perfunctory
No conceive either of these three gentlemen hunt
ing up shVerng widow winter time and giving her
ton of coal to keep her children Each Of them may
have and doubt did furnish the needy with hundreds Of
of coal and other commodities so done like other
ausere business matters by ordering else do it.
Under these circumstances the thrill and joy Of giving not
tethere personal service coupled with it. These great
fortune builders distractions and know naugh OF personal
human sympathy No conceive Of such feeding
hungry buying shoes and stockings for baeooed chill
ren No conceive of any of them offering word Of
cheer and encouragement to down-andoue They had no
tme for sentiment time for intimate human intercourse
hhey were building their fortunes they had time
Thought for the smaller kndnesses OF life the little acts that
make life precious When their fortunes reared so high as
Ito be danger Of topping and when the end OF life was
approaching they began giving away What else could they do
Thev could take their money with them or leave behind
10 be scrambled for and consumed litigation To dispose OF 1T
but and vigorous business and business was
their creed Less wealthy people cannot give away mohs out
they give what they spare and feel the Joy OF giving more
than the mllion-givers,
VI The hundreds of people who contributed to The News
Scmars Cioodeows-Snta Claus club fund felt this Joy,
because they knew that they relieving the distress OF ord
mary human beings whom they meet and on the streets
every day,
The chief and exquisite JOY, however, reserved for
those who added personal service their gifts and contributions
who around with the delivery trucks to the homes of
cy and suffering and the faces OF the children change from
gloom gadne and JOY They relieved suffering, and felt
anyone feels who destroys gigantic evil They given to
human without camoulage. Mothers with fine
of pride looked upon the gifts coldy at times
and tried make appear that accepting the bencicence
they reluctantly yielding to Christmas custom that 1t
sury and in bad form observe but when they
their little putting shoes and stockings and articles
of clothing and the JOY they felt in opening the sacks of fruit
and swcmeats the mothers relaxed and softened and
feeny blessed the Goodfelow for their gifts Their joy and
pratude reflected the emotions of those who had given
of themselves rendering the actual service of distribution and
gifgNing To the gver OF millions this exquisite thrill was
denied,
Every football on the tiled floors of nnumerable libraries
may echo the of Carnegie throughout the coming years
but he will hear it, and it will bring him earthly comfort
After ALL giving ones self is the great gift Christ gave no
millions but He gave himself fully and completely and his gift
stands first and greatest among earths sacrifices