The Little River news., 1920-12-25
THE GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS.

VlL OE
 This Christmas morning finds the civilized world engaged in the cele- bration of the annual Christmas fes- tival. Not since the first Christmas day in Bethlehem, when Jesus of Nag areth, born in a manager, came with his gift of life eternal, has the season carried with it more significance than this Christmas. Never before has there been more opportunities for service to our fellow men, of forgetting ourselves in the happiness of others. Wrapped in the sweetenng power of Christmas, we already hear the music of childish voices, with their joyous melody, as they clasp each new and shiny toy. We misinterpret the whole spirit of Christmas when we lead ourselves to believe that fat year is most fitting for the joys of the occasion. The un- tarnshed kernel of the Old-fashioned Christmas, the very first Christmas, was the gift of the spirit of service. The best that this year brings us is the revival of that old-time spirit of warmpth and contentment, intersperc- ed with a glad new joy. We have at last stripped away some of the shucks of show and superfcialty.
 He who was born in stable, who spent his early life at the carpenters bench, said: Tt is more blessed to give than to receive" Emerson speaks of how the mass of men worry them selves into nameless graves, while here and there great unselfish man forgets himself into immortality. Jeff ferson is remembered by what he gave to the world and not for the honors he got out of it. Men are remembered for what they gave and not for what they got. A popular magazine editor said: Little by little business learns the true value of Christ's words. We are in a testing period, a sitting of businesses and men. And those that have been greedy in getting, that have stretched too far and strained too much, are being weighed and found wanting. While the men and busi- nesses that have really served are coming through, chastened but strong
 the gift of unselishness.
 The cornerstone of the whole busi- ness world, even civilization itself Is based on confidence, faith, yet do we know that faith Is another gift of Christmas. "He that believeth shall not make haste" With land full of plenty hard times and panic comes through fears and loss of confidence But underneath the fundamentals re- main unshaken. Faith in an Overrul- ing Justice, faith in the nation, faith in each other and ourselves-thatl faith speaks confidence in times like these. It knows that in weeks or months or years conditions will right themselves, and all that is fit to sur vive will emerge stronger than before. It was this faith that He came to bring the world, which needs it more this Christmas than ever before. We know of no more appropriate time to revive your faith in your fellow man than at Christmas time. It is the cure of most all the ills that trouble the world to- day. Without that faith and confi- dence the business and social struc- ture would tremble and topple into chaos. This nation and its great in- stitutions were builded on faith, has endured and prospered on faith, and as long as faith endufes we shall never be shaken from our great destiny. Faith-it was the gift of Christmas