| Show NOT A HOLIDAY LIKE OTHERS significance of christmas Is not lost its spirit enters into life of world T IS not likely that all of the multitude of people who eagerly arid anxiously prepare to celebrate christmas christinas are conscious of its sacred character they know of course that it stands for the anniversary of the birth of the founder of the christian religion but that thought Is not uppermost in their minds to such for the moment it Is merely a holiday in which they wish to give gifts to persons they care for and whom they wish to please it Is a period in which they forget themselves in order to give joy to others in this one thing though they may not be aware of it they demonstrate the teaching of the one whose day they observe for unselfish thought for others Is one of the great lessons taught by the teacher of teachers who was born in bethlehem of judea centuries ago there are christmas givers today who make no sacrifice when they purchase rich gifts for family or r friends they know no self denial though it does not follow that they do not give all their hearts but with the great mass of givers there Is a setting aside of personal wishes and even urgent needs in order that those they loie loe may be glad on that day of the year when all the christian world rejoices the self sacrifice Is as nothing compared to the end to be attained on the other hand a multitude of men and women are spiritually aware of the character of the day they look back across the centuries to the child in the manger and see in it tile dawn of a new hope to mankind a revelation of a new life it a bond between mortal ext existence stence and the hereafter that has given comfort to myrinda myriads and a light to the world that prows brighter with the passing of the ages the gifts that they bestow and those they receive typify to them the greatest of all gifts to the world the one who come came to point the way to eternal life no christmas for nil all its seeming frivolity frivolity and thoughtlessness Is not a mere holiday like others even the light minded and heedless ones realize a difference and if pushed to explain would do so reverently under all the hurry and confusion and gayety gaiety of the preparations and the celebration the signI significance fleance of christmas is not lost the meaning of the great event whose who se anniversary we observe cannot be escaped its spirit has entered into the life of the civilized world indianapolis star |
