Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY DECEMBER 24,1889. HANDS ACROSS THE SEA.

Manawatu Herald, 24 December 1889, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY DECEMBER 24, 1889. HANDS ACROSS THE SEA.

„ 4 Snow a foot deep, the thermometer below freezing- point, and the day calm and the sun shining, makes a day which every inhabitant of the old country declares to be a regular old fashioned Chvistnias. Tomorrow *we celebrate the day, ' under a far different clime, but stljl with, a feablo attempt to imitate t&e customs^ of our forefathers. Year ■ "by year tho "bonds "between " home " and the colony become loosened. 1 our family ties in. this, the land of our adoption become stronger, and the day is fast approaching when the old associations of the season, as known in Europe, will be gone. (•hristnias, as the grandest church festival of the whole year is bound to be celebrated for its Christian in-tere.-ts, but the hopes inspired by the invigorating air, and the promise of nature, are not here. Those 1 of us who have strong family conn ctious in the mother country can spare a time to reflect on the altered circumstances of their lives in this colony, and whilst, may be, heaving a sigh, for the loss of their dearest association , wh'ch time and distanca makes sweeter perhaps, than the realiti : s wore, can yet look the i present cheerfully in tho face, and Uie their influence te Have thio fair

land from being the scenes of wretch, odness which the old country unfortunately produces Pi.vorty, in reality, we hare irpi\ ns we pi:o bound to say there are few eases whero food, sufficient for the .suppoitof life is not to be had. Poverty, in a milder sense, wo do notice, and so we alwa} r a shall, whilst human lusts will bo satisfied At the cost of hdriie' and comfort. Though the authors of these are to be blamed, let us not at this season, when wo havo had so much forgiven us, forget t> stretch out the hand of pity arid succour, if request is made, so that the help* loss and sufferers]from others wrongs, may be enabled \, v participate m the general nierl'y making of the day. j Christmas is the on 1 © 1 church festival calling upon its members more particularly to exercise " peace o;n earth, goodwill toward mcii " and it is but fit that we y should do so. avid carry the instructidn through the year. Those who d\) so will find a iibtr life, and obtain anew self respect . ' ' We are but a little part of a great whole, says a great writer, " and to be serviceable to i oiirselvrs and others, or to be happy, we must cast our" interest into, and draw it out of, the common stock." W e look with hope, that this colony will ono day be peopled with a hardworking industrious race, where the distinctions between extreme wealth and extreme poverty may never be known. Where the land will be used for the production of food, and the towns ke. t clear of douse masses of inhabi tants Let manufactories be carried out in open fields, with the pure air of heaven blowing around them, and then, the sorclidnoss, wretchedness, misery and crime o' the ciUcs of the old world need never be known here. These are hopes aud they are possibilities, and whilst rejoicing in the I altered circumstances of our lives, | let us keep in remembrance that it ! is just a we use the mighty power we wield, that we can influence the lives and happiness of those who follow after us. Let us be me ry and wise, accept the good so bountifu ly presented to us, and eschew tho" evils by which we may bo tempted. Christmas comes but once a year, which is not too often to review our fellowship with our neigh* bours. If during the year gone by, we have hurt the feelings oi anyone, we honos'Jy say, wo regret it, and that it was not done with evil intent, aud we hope to avoid doing so in the future. With a kindly expression of good will to all a heai ty grip of the hand with those we meet, a figura tive hand shake with those dear ones across the sea, and a wish that all may be spared to witness nnother anniversary of tho day. we wish our readers a " Merry Christm as."