The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1920-12-22


tyranny was harsh beyond measure,
soulless, and all-powerful. How long
would paganism tolerate the preach
ing of doctrines which were eventu-
ally to shatter its idols, purify its
temples, and convert its worshipers :?
And yet how touching, tender and APP
pealing were the doctrines thus
preached. Woman was enfranchised
and made fit to become the helpmate
and companion of man--to adorn his
household, rear his offspring, teach
purity and virtue, thereby making the
family homogeneous, and thereby
making as adamant the foundations
upon which to erect the two precious
and priceless fabrics of society and
the state.
When polygamy died, something
like human freedom began to take
vigorous and healthy root in the
earth. The Sermon on the Mount
penetrated and illuminated the sur
rounding darkness, as Sinai must
have blazed forth as some huge
mountain on fire when Moses went
up to have laid upon him the COM
mands of the Lord. AS balm softer
than any in Gilead, how the incul-
cations to be charitable to one
another, and just and forbearng to
one another, must have fallen upon
the ear of the miserable and perse-
cuted in every land.
And then the promise of 4 haven
of rest in the end. Here at last
was something tangible. Here at
last was something which stopped
deaths power to make the grave the
end of all-which robbed the grave
of its power to any longer make of
its coffin and winding sheet utter and
absolute oblivion. Here at last was
something beyond the Jordan.
When the road had been rough,
and weary and desolate; when old
age had come on apace, and all the
air was full of farewells for the dy-
ing; when the morning was never 50
bright any more on the hilltops, nor
the twilight ever so wierd and
strange any more in the valleys;
when youth had seen all the fires of
its aspirations and ambitions go out
one by one on desolate hearthstones;
when fancy could NO longer fly a.
imagination no longer take wings
and soar, as a bird that scars and
sings; when illusions had simply be-
come spectres to torment and af-
fright; when the light had so soon
died out of the faces of the early
doomed and dead; whoa there were
voices in the air that nobody could
hear, and sounds in the darkness that
nobody could interpret; when the tot
tering gait had well nigh reached
the limit of its strength, and the
tremulous hands the fullness of their
tension; when life was felt to be
flarmg in all the veins as a taper
about to be spent, and something
like the presence of the Invisible
Angel was felt to be at the door
HERE THEN AT LAST WAS THE
BLESSED PROMISE OF THE
RESURRECTION!
Is it any wonder, therefore, that
the Christian world hallows the birth
day of such a Redeemer-of such
God showering upon it such multi
tude of inestimable blessings? The
whole plan of salvation-fraught as
it is with so many glorious promises
and pledges--is the simplest, purest
and most easily adopted of all the
other aggregated mass of teachings
and revealments the ingenuity or
the inspiration of so-called potenta@
ties, prophets or powers ever in
tellectually encompassed. 1t appeals
to everything that is pure, truthful,
clean, upright and unselfish in hui
mainly. 1t asks for nothing that is
not good to grant, either as the in
dividual, the citizen, the ruler, the
conqueror, or as simple unit in the
vast volumes of the population which
people the earth. Millions have EN-
braced the religion of Christ and
die as only those can die who are fill
ed with perfect peace. To the poor
and afflicted it has brought such
consolation as made grievous burdens
less difficult to be borne, and physi-
cal pain and mental agony less ago
nizing in their tortures and afflict-
ions. It has made nations merciful,
and the strong more tolerant and
helpful of the weak. 1t has resisted
a legion of assaults, and has seen a
legion of its assailants cut down,
broken, overwhelmed or disgraced.
Blessed, therefore, is the land which
still hallows, reveres and celebrates
its Christmas. There is not another