Year: 1868

The Duty of the Season.


We are not about to call politicians to
new rally. Our cry is not "the duty of the
hour" We are only about to remind our
readers that perhaps this season has a spe-
cial duty for them-for them as citizens
as men-as christians. We mean of course
this season of festivity-the holiday season.
All seasons carry with them demand for
duties but we think this season has a
special claim particularly on christians
men who are believers in the divine origin
of our religion. 1t is not at all necessary
to prove that the day called Christmas
and made to commemorate the birth of our
Lord should be the identical day or even
that this is the actual season of the year in
which His advent took place. The fact of
the true date may he hidden so far back in
the darkness of the past to be restored to
certainty, but by common consent the
Christian world has acquesced in the GUS
as commemorative of the birth of Christ.
We must, as ali do who love the memories of
the day, regret that it is so much made
season of revelry and debauch-that it is
changed from its Legitimate purpose to an
abuse that often causes sin and shame. 1t
is season that should be festive and hap
py-given to innocent enioyments but not
to wild scenes of drunkenness and riot.
There must certainly be an observance of
the day in harmony with the event which it
commentaries. Every one who honors our
Lord must feel this. and he owes it to him
self by all that lies in him to rescue the day
from dissertation. He who spent this dav
IN innocent hilarity when child in chris
tian home, must still reverence and love the
day, and it is his duty to aid in the rescue
we propose.


That sweet old story of the Evangelists
recording the Saviour's advent makes men,
tion of the angels song by which the birth
of the Lord was heralded to earth. That
song it appears to us contains the daty Of
tile season. The angels sang Peace on



work hctitting holy day-duty that will
sanctify the season. After season of Bit
terness and strife now let a new era set in
alienation ot brethren--the bitterness of
war-the hate of party have fallen like a
chill. death-bringing shadow upon families,
churches and communities. Let its rcmem-
brance at this season be awakened, that
God gave his Son to make peace on earth
Il that the most sacred of duties regarded
by Him is forgiveness Is it not duty
then to "seek after the things that
make for peace ?" On this sacred morn
ing let families and neighbors divided
by feuds make peace. Let the proposal
come from those who have most of Christ
and who recognize the duty of the season to
be to make peace on earth. May we not go
step further, and without offence or with
out being justly liable to the charge of pro-
fame intrusion, insist that christian societies
and Christian Churches shall enlist anew in
the work of the season and make peace on
earth. Can ever the earth have peace until
the Churches understand this to be sacred
duty required by the Head and appropriate
to the season that commentaries his birth !?
We do not write in the interest of any creed,
and are far from indifference to the life of q
true christian faith /; but yet We do think
there is now, just here at home, great
christian work to which this season invites
all christian men. God gave His Son a
sacrifice to make peace and should not those
who love him at heart attempt the holy
work of re uniting the severed people that
make oureemmunities under the sweet power
OF Ch<sAhanity,while the sacred influences of
th|>day that commemorates the birth of
~Hthe Prime of Peace prevails.


Besides this it is now appropriate and a


duty to evidence good will toward men,"


What abundant room for this is now afford


ed IN every direction. Should not such as


are Diessen W IA the ability express the good


VIII due lrp man to his brother. Did not


lie VINO pc' han,-who assumed our
nature teach Fand all ye are brothers ?''
The brotherhood fall men is the reason in
part OF the gooa will that is due them. None


need go Tar 10 M such as would be proper
objects of this goo will. 1t is easy to find


the sick, the poor, he widow and the or
phan. The childrel Of want and sorrow