The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1944-12-28

suffering world.
We once heard doctor of medl-
cine tWit minister of the gospel
because the church had made SO
little progress, as he said in re-
moving sin from the hearts of men
after nearly two thousand years OF
trying. A partial answer at least
to that criticism could have been
made with the counter statement
that nearly 2,400 years have passed
since Hippocrates lived and he thus
antedated Christianity. And while
Hippocrates is considered the father
of scientific medicine, yet despite
2,400 years of attempting to teach
mankind how to take care of their
bodies and live beautifully. yet to-
day the human race is afflicted
with hundreds of diseases and the
medical profession, despite all its
magnificent progress, is still far
from freeing the human race OF
disease.
All of which brings us to the
thought we should like to leave at
the beginning of this new year
Very evidently progress in most
lines of endeavor is slow. Some
times we think the slowest progress
is made in the making of better
men and women of us. 1t seems so
much easier to do that which one
should not do. The flavor of for
hidden fruit seems in anticipation
so sweet but later it turns to bit
ter ashes in ones mouth To err
seems particularly to be human
attribute When one considers these
things, when one ponders all the
wrongs, evil and injustices Of the
world, the task of making better
man does appear discouragingly
slow.
Yet one should not permit cyni-
cism or doubt to fasten onto ones
mind and heart. The angels who
sang the message Of peace must
have known the world that was
later to cruelty the Christ, the one
perfect man, would never be won to
sanity, to right living, in day
That message Of peace on earth was
a shining ideal, glorious goal held
out to ignorant and foolish mankind
toward which he could struggle
down the dark and superstitious
ages. That shining goal still stands
before an erring world
One can. discern encouraging
signs even today despite all the
horror, all the heart-rendlng sor-
row an insane humanity has brought
upon itself More than ever mems
minds are searching for those things
that will bring just and a perma-
nent peace. The forces of right are
again arrayed against those of evil
and men recognize that in this pres
ent world struggle there is involved
that age-old battle between good
and evil, between justice and in
justice More and more men are
admitting that there can be no
permanent peace that Is not built
on foundation of justice to all
men.
One should not become too dis
couraged at this Christmas time and
as we enter into new year because
men are again making colossal fools
of the human race There is still
plenty of the brute in mans nature.
But progress is being made. There
fore, let us march forward into the
new year with courage and with
faith that the lives of our sons that
are being sacrificed today will help
to bring eventually better and a
peaceful world. The Christmas mes
sage of peace on earth, goodwill to
men heralded the birth of new
Teacher, who was to teach better
and grander way Of life. 1t is still
the one cure for mans insanity
the4one hope Of the world. There is
IN o4ba,. may