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Show Tli CLriiimM Spirit I J fr & &mIN TUB grim business of war, algJ and under the spur of con-rgjKny con-rgjKny servatlon plcaa wrongly un-!j un-!j derstood, there Is danger OKy this year that something of the Christmas spirit will be lost Never before has It been more Important that It should not be. The Christmas spirit aa well aa civilisation aad liberty must be saved. The world la In the midst of a war that Is wrenching wrench-ing men's hearts; a nation that has madepeace Its emblem Is throwing Itself It-self and every resource into the conflict; con-flict; on all sides sons 'have parted from mothers and fathers; news ot casualties Is being received. Under such circumstances It might be natural for tho weak to yield to depression. This must not be. There Is n brave and cheery side to tho picture, which must be kept constantly In our hearts and minds. Preserving and accelerating tho Christmas spirit ot other years will help do this; omission of the nednl acts of kindness and generosity wilt add needlessly to the depression that ull are trying to drive from them. Hearts were never In greater need ot cheering, than this year. Nor was there ever greater need for an outlet ot tho spirit of kindness and generosity generos-ity n man. We aro engaged In tho unpleasant un-pleasant business otbringlng to ber senses by forcer a brutal government. That Is the task of tho hour. But It should not be permitted to blind .our eyes to the things. wliolly'oCtho spirit, to dull sensibilities Into disregard ot obligations' less presslncly Important, but. tawi'ly essential to the preservation preserva-tion of tho tlnest typo, of American manhood and womanhood. That Is why chnrlllcs In Vur times should bo more generously supported than In days of peaca; why his ChrlMmas should be made, If possible, cheerier and happier than any Christmas that has gone before. There are' somo people who cannot afford to observe this Christmas as they have observed It In years preceding. pre-ceding. There are others who can better bet-ter afford to be generous thnn ever. All should give In proportion. There la no reason why they should not, sua every reason why they should. Not to do so will be unpatriotic and selfish. |