The Penn's Grove record., 1920-12-24

the Christmas season. eelsG like Hockng off by himself, Ike
Dundrearys bird. 1t is a season, not for isolation and loneliness, but for
fellowship and universal brotherhood, Is though we we're saying to one
another, GALL HANDS AROUND" with nobody left out.
When VIZ to think of the way in which the Christmas originated
to be the occasion of deep rejoicing and multform gladness.
Beyond a doubt the festival had it's birth away up in the frozen North,
in the region of the aurora boreals, where the battle between the cold
and the heat. the darkness and the light, is the longest and the most ter
and warmth began to return, men should turn themselves loose in a sort
of paroxysm of joy.
And by degrees the festivities of the men of the far north worked their
way southwark; for ever there the return of the u meant life to men,
meant the sunshine and heat without which the human ace must perish.
The hyperboreans had their Christ, Badur by name, Baldur the good,
the gentle, the compassionate, who, taking pity on them, destroyed the
Frost Giant and saved them from death. We cannot very well blame the
hyperboreans if, at first, their religion wa largely of a material type-the
worship of the sum-, for Baldur a % more than the sun ideaized:
Chrit-not the petty Christ of the professional theoogan, but the
Christ of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS for OPTIMISM. All is well. Let not your
hearts be troubled. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. In reality
there is n evil, the thing W re call "evl" being but good in the making. 81
am come that ye might have life, not death; confidence, not despair; glad
ness, not weeping and wallng"
Away with all grouchiness and greed, all doubt and despair! This is
the season of love and good will, of hope and gladness. Joy is always and
everywhere orthodox" and in order.
If you are able to do ST at n o other time of the year, during the
Christmas time resolve to have the full courage of your noble self, and to
let your worthiet and bravest sentiment assert itself to the full.
Let joy be unconfned! Again be is said, GALL is WELL" The Sun
is rot going to be conquered by the Frost King; the anarchists re not
goirg to overthrow the Constitution If thu United States and the govern
mer that was inaugurated by u venerated Washington; in spite of the
lit 2 politicians who are ready to "gve up to party what va meant for
ma kind" the ways and means of lettering the condition of mankind will
ly be found; the life of men and nations shall not have been in vain;
as for Old Death, who awaits US at the end of the little earthly way,
all that we o the contrary he may turn out tic be best friend.
Those who have crossed the north Atlantic in winter need not be
inded of the uplifting and joygving influence of the gulf stream.
Sc who have felt it IAN never forget it. Once fairly upon the mysterious
ert of the sea-" the chill and nurtbness of ones body and soul depart
gid muscles relax, the pentup feelings let themselves loose in singing,
nat and aH-round sociabiHty and enjoyment, and all the world seems
refashoned for the better.
And such is Christmas, with it's good will and good cheer, its brave
dence and spontaneous gadness. 1t is the gulf stream of life, warm
us into the sentiment of a common humanity, with its unsefshness
comradeship, and imparing to US all the glad sens of security and