The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-12-23
CHRISTMAS!

spirit. 1t is a season of joy, but it
should be the joy of the Lord. No joy
has so good and firm foundation as
that which is found in the Lord who
has bought us and with whom we may
be blessed with all spiritual blessings.
If we wish to rejoice in the blessings
purchased by Jesus, we must be in
Him, united to Him by faith. This
union will be a source of continual
joy. 1t will be accompanied by a
willingness to obey, love and glorify
Him.
This season of the year impresses
us with the duty of cheerfulness and
joy. There is no place for gloom here.
JOY may be cultivated-it is contagi-
Gus. The joyful person is always a
welcome guest. Nature smiles in the
face of storms. She covers her wounds
and effaces all trace of scars.
The commander of the Boy Scouts
said to them: "Smile all the time, in
pain, in anger, in anxiety. But it is
hard to smile in the face of disappoint-
ments, though it is not impossible. 1t
is hard to be joyful when things go
wrong, but Gods in the heavens and
all's right with the world"
Troubles will end. Why grieve while
they are passing? Too many are
like Giant Despair: so soon as they see
sunshine they fall in fit. Joy brings
peace of mind, rest of soul, love to
others, self-denial, resistance to the
calls of pleasure and the world and ac-
tive benevolence.
Why rejoice? 1t is the spring of
energy "a cheerful Christian is an
active one" 1t increases the iniu-
ence of your life.
We should rejoice in what the day
stands for. 1t means to US salvation
and all it's blessed fruits. 1t means ul-
innate victory, even our glorifcation
with Christ.
Rejoice for your own sake There
is no virtue in melancholy; for the
sake of your work-it is ipvigorating
for the sake of others. Our gloom
saddens others. Gloom makes towards
of us and one coward can demoralize
company. Better than all, it is
pleasing to the Lord. 1t is our duty
to rejoice. Is it possible? Certainly
it is. 'Let your forbearance be
known; sorrowful yet always rejoic-
ing" 1t produces good results. 1t
destroys selfishness and leads to gen.
tleness to and forbearance of others.
1t dispels anxious care. We are not
distracted by anxiety for worldly
things; it leads to prayer; it makes US
thankful for the blessings of life, es-
pecially of salvation. We naturally
think of the children and want to
make them happy. We think of the
Christ child whose coming has exalted
childhood, for the day of His coming
was glorious day for childhood With
what joyous longings do they look for
ward to the day that brings them
gifts. Even older ones love to be re-
membered and we cherish the gift and
delight in giving because of the
thought that prompted it. Though the
gift that is prompted by love is small,
it is far more than the one prompted
by sense of duty or of obligation
There is no place here to give for the
return you may get. That takes away
the very object of Christmas.
1t is time for showing sympathy
as well as for coming into closer touch
with friends. We NAV
extend our gifts very properly to all
objects of need who are waiting to
have Christmas joys showered on
them. In myriads of homes there will
be no Christmas joy this year, for the
little ones will not hang the stocking
by the fireplace and sad hearts will
not look for Santa Claus, for the pail
VI an awful SOIiOW over L0Gll.
The rider of the "Black Horse" is
galloping through their home lands
and poverty, sickness and famine are
following in his wake. Thousands of
children sit by the desolate fireside
weeping for loved ones who will never
return, shivering for lack of warmth
and gnawed by hunger. Starving mil
lions of children! Pity and help them.
If all in our good land would share a
bit with these needy ones, it would
make many poor child happy!
The spirit of Christ, whose coming
into the world we celebrate now, still
illumines the minds and hearts of His
followers and energies them with
power to know and do His will in the
world. 1t adapts itself to the varied
conditions of life. It's humanizing and
purifying influence enters into our
commercial, political and social life.
1t enters the peasants home and the
employers residence; the toiler's cot
tage and the palace of the great; the