The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-12-24
THE CHRISTMAS TRUTH.
Nv BAIRD MITCHELL

aST-NlD You ever read that exquisite little story by
sEkSI George Elliot entitled Silas Warner? When
4 Youth silas Warner lost himself in another soul,
Hat thai other soul cast him off Thus, thrown back
upon himself the life of Sias Warner. like once
flowing stream suddenly checked IN lis flow ano
thrown back upon ts self. gathered putrefacton and
began 10 dry up He betook himself to lonely
country district in the outskirts OF lonely countrT
village and there he worked away at his loom AL
day and far into the night the horizon .: his lie
usnarrow as the horizon Of his thought The currents
ofshis soul, flowed toward only one thing and
that was the shining guinea which the housewife u
the neighborhood put into his open palm IN payment
forsthe product Of his loom.
sBut this overflow into tho guinea and then back
again into himself not current enough TO keea
waters Of his life sweet and nure and Wholesome
While sti a young his c%c lost its lustro his
step its elasticity and the wrinkles Of furrowcd
his face One day in his absence thief entered his
cottage and removing the thing from tho floor whore
his guneas were hidden stole his boarded treasures
Now the little current that had been in his life IS
wholly stopped and he witncrs and fades fast. One
night Slas Warner returns from trip. ana rs h"
opens the door of, his cottage he what 10 his
excited vision seems to be heap Of guncas lying on
tliRg before the glowing hearth, His heart leap
with Wild ecstacy, and in his frenzy he rushes
forward TO wash his hands of yore in The golden
coin, only to find that his fingers :iave necom'
entangled in the golden curs o: sleeping cir,
As this little girl grew up In the light o! his hearth
ht9awhoIe being went out to her. and with this new
outflow OF his soul energy and purpose came
info his life His eye rega;Ecd lis uster his step It's
fEmness and some unseen rower irCued the wrinkles
from his withered face Though his lor" 10" ihis
little one, as through an open door his hear: To7'
out in confidence aud IeTc ;0VarG hll nstEhho"s az
toward his God. and the bells In the hc!fry yondei
which 10 long have rpng upon his needless nov
appeal to him with meaning. and ne walks hand
nThand with the little TO divine worship SncE
tsthe way is clothed with moral beauty by losing
himself in another. Man can find true high Joy
Only in the giving of himself to others The fostering
stsgnant pool makes music. II Is only filled with
croakiug The flowing stream laughs and sings
lit is not the inspiration OF tho air into the lungs
bh the expiration OF that makes the vocal cords
vtbrate with all the rich tones 0! thc human voice.
soit Is the outfowing soul that laughs and sings |!
outflowing soul that smtes all the chords in
LIES harp and brings out their sweetest divnest
music. No truer words profounder words. evcr
S(distilled from human rs than those which a-o
REPORTED to have been uttered by Him whose birth
FeZcelebrate tomorrow: 1T is blessed to give
thanto receive" Christmas is the day oE days. and
all the generous impulses Of the human heart are
loosed in response to it's appeals Of love and char%
There is no land under the sun thai shall fail To
rejoice in the glndness OF Christmas.
Il aThe marts shall be silent. the trader will descr
hts post the money changer will not 81; in the
seountingh house Instead the world shall give Itself
4upsto feasting and worship and kindly deeds. Every