Show If Christmas thoughts J. J What an astonishing contrast Christmas creates in the of off f love and kindliness in mens men's hearts I E wrote Clergyman Norman Vincent Vincenti i Peale Nothing during the year is so impressively convincing as the vision Christmas brings of what this world would be if love became the daily practice practice practice tice of human beings It is easy to believe that the spirit of goodwill that indeed does characterize this special day and season is dulled somewhat by the commercialism of Christmas Yet Eleanor Roosevelt offered offered offered of of- this appealing thought about that If you spend money to give joy you are not being commercial It is only when you feel obliged to do something about Christmas that tha t the spirit is spoiled Poets and philosophers as well as clergymen and First Ladies of course course- have sermonized about the meaning of Christmas for centuries They have only hit the mark however when they have credited Th The Source Jesus Christ a athe as the reason that Christmas has endured as the most honored day in the Western world 1 Napoleon Bonaparte noted that P. P Alexander Caesar Charlemagne and andI 1 t I I myself have haye founded empires but f upon whom do these creations creationS of genius depend Upon force forcel Jesus alone founded founded founded found found- ed his empire upon love and to this very day millions would die for Him And Mohandas Gandhi said that If Christians would really live the teachings teachings teachings teach teach- ings of Christ as found in the Bible all of India would be Christian today Finally as we near the end of our nations nation's Bicentennial year it is appropriate appropriate appropriate to note that the Founding Fathers likewise took careful note of the timeless timeless timeless time time- less truths taught by JesusI Jesus I hold the precepts of Jesus as delivered delivered delivered ered by Himself to be the most pure benevolent and sublime which have ever eve been preached to man said Thomas Jefferson And Benjamin Franklin added of Christ that I think the system of morals and His religion as He left them to us is the best the world ever saw or is likely to see Especially at this season we should follow Christs Christ's example in being more loving to those around us and more compassionate to the less fortunate And we should go to our various houses of worship to thank God f for r the example of His Son and our heritage as a Christian Christi n nation |