Judsonia weekly advance. (Judsonia, Ark.) 1???-1922, 1919-12-18
THE MEANING
OF CHRISTMAS
By REV. t. B. GREGORY


ity would have no more history than
a flock Of sheep.
Such days are the monuments of
mental and spiritual achievement, the
eternal reminders of the only true
) progress process that ever en-
enables US to perceive and admire the
moral sublime.
conspicuously radiant among these
gala days is the Christmas, standing
as it does for the nativity of One who
all theological quibbling aside, was
the living embodiment of the most
beautiful and at the same time, the
most helpful manhood that this world
has ever seen.
The One who is foremost in our
thoughts at this time was pre-em-
inently hopeful. From the harp over
which he swept his hand there came
no pessimistic strain, no note of de-
SPAR.
He gave US the gospel, the "Glad
Things" To all, his word was "Be
not afraid" Tn Supreme, in whose
embrace he ever rested, like the babe
in mothers arms, was supreme love-.
Hence that other word of His, which
he was SO fond of repeating to the
multitude, "Let not your hearts be
troubled
Religion, so-called, is responsible
1or as@yast amount of mental misery.
It has created many mind, broken
many a heart, driven countless thous-
ands into the throes of despair. bat
let it be remembered that the Beau
tiful One who is commemorated in
the Christmas season, authorized no
man, or combination of men, to speak
in his word the name of gloom.
He was born in Bethlehem, grew up
to be one of the most uncompromising
optimists that ever walked the ways
of earth. Wherever he went, along
with him went gladness, and from
His radiant presence despair fled as
the darkness fees before the rising
sun.
He was Ike the wonderful r,ver in
the sea, warming and encouraging all
that He touched The Gulf Stream of
humanity, he put new life and cour-
age and JOY into the cherries, sor-
row world to which he came.
And lie was able to do this because
He. was so gloriuosly hopeful, SO
stanchly committed to the belief in
the best.
Looking up he saw, instead Of the
'black, bottomless eyesocket" the liv-
ing, loving glance Of the Father"
whose eternal goodness would never
do Him harm.
Looking ahead, this man saw no
spooks or bogies, no devils or fiends
in the way. The path was. clear, and
over it hung no dark clouds of inn
pending disaster.
Ii Jesus had written a poem we
may be sure that it would have been
very Similar to Whittier's
know rot where his islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
only know l cannot drift
Beyond his love and care.
And so beside the silent sea
I wait the muffled oar;
No harm can come from him to me
On ocean or on shore.
Now it is just this sort of spirit
that every one should feel within the
soul at. this Christmas time TIL.
spirit of brave trustfulness, of
rock-ribbed confidence and hope.
Be not afraid of anything. To be
afraid is to be sham, cringine
mental, a nobody; while to be able to
believe in the best and to trust that,
no matter what our evil genius may
suggest to the contrary, the light
awaits US on ahead, is to be here
and a conqueror, friend and helper
to all mankind.
1t is well, then, that in obedience
to the old custom, we should throw
about the Christmas season the parti-
colored mantle Of joy and wreathe ii
with the hearts most exuberant
gladness.
1t would be shame not to be glad
and not try to make everybody else
glad, on Christmas day.
On Christmas day to be cynic and
to curl the lip of scorn at sight o.
the rosy festivities about us, would
be an objectionable crime, the very