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Show THE CHRISTMAS SEASON The Christmas season is approaching, with its varied and beautiful beaut-iful features. It will not be many days before holly and evergreen will make their appearance, the windows of the larger department stores be artistically arranged, crates of turkeys will arrive to grace the tables, and cranberries will come into their own. Up and down the different streets of our American cities will move men bearing pine, spruce and cedar trees, ranging in size from the dwarf evergreen for the dining-room table to the municipal giant whose towering branches will tax the ingenuity of the city's electrical department. Indeed, one is reminded, in seeing numerous men completely com-pletely buried under the trees they are carrying home, of Macbeth seeing the horrifying spectacle of Birnam wood moving toward Dun-Einane, Dun-Einane, each enemy soldier bearing a tree on his shoulder and the mass approaching the castle in assult, thus destroying the magic spell of protection cast upon the Scotch usurper by the apparition, who assured him his crown would be safe until the wood became animated and walked a seeming impossibility. However, to get back to the holly, mistletoe and cranberries after this temporary flight into Scotch lore, there is a peculiar peace in the Christmas atmosphere. Aside from its deep spiritual qualities, its appeal to the Christian, the twenty-fifth of December brings the loving tokens of remembrance from family and friends. There is a great spirit of charity manifest, Jew and Christian alike liberally contributing con-tributing to the alleviation of want, hunger and dire poverty. The silent and faithful Salvation; Army workers are to be seen on the street corners with their kettles, many noteworthy organizations and individuals are making plans to bring joy and gladness to the little orphan kiddies, our disabled world-war veterans are to come in for their share of good things, and even to go a long step further, men and women confined in penal institutions will be remembered. The spirit of joy and peace will penetrate the cold stone walls and slip in through the steel bars of the prisons. So we see everywhere the beneficent influence the Christmas season brings. There seem to be so many evidences of unselfishness, consideration and warm-heartedness on the part of all people, whether wheth-er or not they accept Jesus, the Christ, as the Son of God. f: As a nation we may rejoice over the many contributing factors that have marked our national prosperity. Our countrymen are blessed bless-ed with many advantages not enjoyed by the people of other nations. The members of the Masonic Order in America arei not persecuted as our unfortunate brethern in foreign countries, but rather enjoy the confidence and respect of a great majority of the population. Our public schools are going forward with an impetus, and the near future fut-ure looks bright for more wonderful improvements and benefits in the educational system, thanks to the fraternal and patriotic organizations organi-zations who are honestly and consistently backing a movement that has for its sole object the interest and welfare of our boys and girls. Everything considered, this Christmas season! should be a joyous joy-ous one. As American citizens we have only to glance back to note the steady progress made; facing the future, undaunted, we may assure as-sure ourselves of even greater progress. Christmas-tide affords every one an opportunity of silently thanking the Creator for His manifold blessings to our nation, and our Craft. It does not matter what one's individual religious predilections predilec-tions may be, those ancient words that have been associated with Christmas all these years are1 for each and every one: "And on earth peace, good-will toward men." |