The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-12-18
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
Is Christmas Time to Get--Or Is II
a SAMOAN Ia which tn Civa7

Is Christmas a Time to Get--Or Is il
Season In Which TO GIye7
In the second chapter of the Cos
pei according to Saint Luke, verses
l through s, it is written:
"And it came to pass in those days
that there went out a decree from
Caesar Augustus that the world
should be taxed. (And this taxing
was first made when Cyrenius was
governor Of Syria.) And all went to
be taxed, everyone into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee
out of the city Of Nazareth into
Judea, unto the city Of David, which
is Methlehem, because he was the
house and lineage of DAVID to be
taxed, with Mary, his espoused wife,
being great with child"
/ The remainder of this chapter is a
vivid and graphic story Of the birth
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
This event is reverend and revered
by all faithful Christians, and should
be commemorated as its sacred mean
ing and blessings to mankind de-
mand.
The Church and State both are
calling on US to pay tribute or tax
to support them in the spiritual and
moral uplift and maintaining those
conditions which we enjoy under our
civil state and national government.
In appreciation Of the manifold
blessings, youchsafed to us, we should
be honest enough and willing to dis
charge our every duty, both to the
Church and State, and to always
Render unto Caesar the things that
are Caesars, and unto God, the things
that are Gods"
The old habit the children had of
writing letters to Santa Claus and
mailing them up the chimney by burn
ing them, was and is, beautiful idea,
and the mysticisms, and maybe sup
erstitions the children are taught
about Santa Claus, add much to the
happiness of childhood and do no
harm. A child once wrote to Walker
Kennedy of the Commercial Appeal
and asked him if there was a Santa
Claus His reply was one Of his best
and most POLITICALLY beautiful of his
many literary gems. Is it right to en-
courage children to write letters to
Santa Claus, as is now done, asking
for many things, their parents can
not afford to give them, thus CONNER
cializing the Holy Season and leading |
many little hearts to ache with dis
A story is told of newsboy at a
Mission Sunday School who was re-
,iting the Lords Prayer. When he
anne to the petition-"Give US this
lay our daily bread" the boy next to
lin said, "Strike him for a pie for
Jimmy" About forty years ago when
Columbus had many open saloons, the
writer was in the barber shop of
August Geigen one Christmas Eve,
nd the streets were full of drunken,
oisterOus people making night hid
Gus with their yellS, and endangering
fe and property with the reckless
nd indiscriminate use of fireworks,
ieigen said, Il am jew, but this
tanner of celebrating Christmas 4
hooks me. ] was born in Hungary
here the Christians observed the 4
ay by worshipping in their churches
nd by dispensing charity to the poor Is
nd unfortunate, but there was no
runkenness, reveling or fireworks"
The following rhyme was very pop
lar with the negroes especially:
Christmas comes but once a year,
If | get drunk, don't keer."
1t is truly gratifying that the day
now more decently and fittingly II
Dserved, and its sacred place in the
carts and minds of the people is be- II
* acknowledged as the season comes
nd goes. II
To quote from Bishop Phillips H
rocks of long and blessed memory n
The earth has grown old with its
burden of care,t
at at Christmas it always is young II
nd the heart Of the jewel burns lus-
trous and fair.
nd its soul full of music breaks on N
the air
hen the song of the angels IS sung"
into whom much is given, Of them
shall much be required
ear the words Of the Lord where He
said,
t is more blessed to give than to y
receive" III
L Il unDKINC