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Show ?!Im! CHRISTMAS. ' Tibound ' 'ad'v tc "'r -'nr'Mmas I'l'N a,"l niake good cheer ' lain'ed 1 . ' 'r -'''-'"isli'niits comes but once a year." J (rc.ui1 iMiring tlie coining week ihat. joyous festival j im? it r w ill be celebrated. It means happiness to the young, ; 'LjsnT; who look forward with joyful anticipation for a "SlKi;i' renewal of .Christmas gifts. It, recalls to the ab- '''hi'h C 11-11 i ability sent ones the cherished memories of the old home i-.'ifts aiH 0V"1S affection of fond parents, it reminds -cm- m the aged of the fleetness of time, whilst to the Ftu- 'ihetwc 0nt nst0IT marks a new epoch in the history, siting. u the world. Through the influence, example and beauty ' 1 teaching of the child born in Bethlehem 1903 j-ears 'norals &8X a new orcer civilization was introduced into' Koran tte world. The darkness, which overshadowed the- va ighbo x the unl . i . , ......... :' i worldwas gradually dispelled, society was trans-lionned, trans-lionned, and the family restored. . , '- The ideal home, where woman reigns supreme, owes its existence to the teaching of Jesus, who reestablished re-established the unity and indissolubility' of marriage, mar-riage, and raised that solemn contract to the dignity dig-nity of n sacrament. Roman civilization had degraded de-graded the family life, and reduced woman to perpetual per-petual servitude. There was no mutual affection, as woman Was subjected to the brutal selfishness of her lordly master. Nowhere in pagan nations do we tind that woman was treated as the companion or equal of man. According to pagan morality and Gretk philosophy, she had no rank in society and was considered wicked. From this humiliating position po-sition Christian influence ck-vated her tu the true dignity of a child of God. Among the Greeks and Romans polygamy was universally practiced., and divorces obtained for the most trivial and frivolous cause. ' This gave jhe husband unlimited power over the household, a power that was recognized and guaranteed by law. In pagan Rome, according to the established law. the new-bom babe was placed at the feet of the father, and if he deemed it proper to haye the. child raised, he would take it up in his arms. But if he failed to do so. the child was ; strangled. This inhuman act" had the sanction of j the law, and the approval of pagan writers. Writ- j ing fin . tiie matter Seneca says that "nothing is j more reasonable than to remove useless things from the house," "whilst Quintillian, the famous rhetorician, rheto-rician, taught that "to kill a man is frequently a crime, but 1o kill one's children is frequently a very -beautiful action." - All this is abhorrent, because unnatural when viewed under the light of the twentieth century. It. took centuries to cure the evils and change the tide of. public opinion. The source and origin of tlie great change which came upon the face of the earth began with the birth of the inf anf Savior. -As. late as the third century. Tcrtullian inveiged against those evils. With Christian fortitude ho " faced his ' pagan prosecutors and exclaimed: "Among those who surround us and who fliirst for the blood of Christians, among you yourselves, O etern magistrates, so severe towards us, who h there who has not put his own child to death?" Common usage, legal sanction and the writings of sages" and philosophers adopted and encouraged what custom condemns, the law punishes and writers writ-ers call barbarous today. Why There is but one answer. Because through the influence, exanlpla and reaching of the apparently helpness infant born in Bethlehem on Christmas day a new order of civilization broke in' upon the world. Apparently Appar-ently powerless, he dispelled pagan darkness, broke down old customs, and renovated the face of the earth. He is lite uniting link between pagan and , our present civilization;, the grand central figure around which the amelioration of society and tho evolution of humanity revolves. Therefore it is that the anniversary of his birthday is celebrated as the greatest event, in the history of the world. It should bring ieaoe and happiness to all homes, and drive away cares and sorrows. ' ' 'Christmas night should be.filled with music, And tlie cares that infest the day Should 'fold their tents like' Arabs,. . And silently steal away." |
