The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, December 23, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1086, 23 December 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, December 23, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The return of Christmas is the visit of an old friend with something new in the expression of his lace every year. The one distinctive feature of Christmas is the fact that it is the most striking instance recorded in history of the transfiguration ot a heathen festival into a Christian one. The real origin of the boisterous mirth, the frolicsome fun, the rich feasting, the universal holiday, the free fraternisation of rich and poor, gentle and simple, high and low, was in the Saturnalia celebrated in the Roman Kmpire about the 20th;

of December to commemorate the passing of the winter solstice, to celebrate the joy ol safely surviving once more the shortest day. During the week, of the Saturnalia ail labour was suspended, all social distinctions were laid aside, prince and peasant, master and slave, met as equals to enjoy together the social pleasures of their common humanity. Christianity consecrated all that by setting apart this season of the year to commemorate the birthday of Him who came to be the brother of the whole human race. Christmas is a call to the cultivation of the three monastic graces, simplicilas, benignilas, hilaritas (simplicity, kindliness, cheerfulness) by the revival of the memory of Him in whom they were all perfectly embodied. These three graces are a sweet sisterhood. They are the three lair daughters of that holy mother Dove. Each of them has her own special charm. Simplicity is the spirit which makes the best of circumstances, kindliness is the spirit which thinks the best of its fellow creatures, cheerfulness is the spirit which makes the best of itself. These three things are all we need to make this world a happy world. Christ offered to give them all to every one of us. And Christmas is the gracious, genial invitation to take them all lor ourselves and pass them on to others. Simplicity is the first-born daughter of Dove, because it is the spirit which asks for nothing artificial or unnatural to increase its own comfort or peace of mind. The lull charm about the life of Him whose birthday Christians celebrate was His absolute perfect simplicity. Jesus Christ never owned an acre of land or a pound of money. He never read a book except the Old Testament, He never had even a home, and He never asked for any of these things. He never wanted any of them. He could be contented, calm and satisfied without any of them. And the first legacy Christmas comes to give us is the spirit which does not depend on circumstances for its happiness — the spirit which takes things as they come, and makes the best of them. Catch that spirit, and yon will have a merry Christmas whether you are rich or poor, successful or unsuccessful, sick or well. The second daughter of Dove is Benignitas , or Kindliness. Christ always thought of meu at their best. He never despised any man, never despaired ol any man, never envied any man, never hated any man. The second message of Christmas to each ol us is, think of all our fellow creatures at their best. To think of them at their worst will only make us miserable. To think ot them at their best will make us always happy. How the turmoil and excitement ol election is over, bury all unkindly thoughts about our political opponents. Give the man who has taken the opposite side in the contest credit for being as conscientious as ourself. Give the man who has beaten us the credit of having played the game fairly, and congratulate him on his victory. Think evil of no one. Think well of everyone. Have a smile for everyone you meet, a handshake for everyone you know, and a lilt for everyone you cau do anything to help. Get that spirit into you aud nothiug cau hinder you bom having a merry Christmas. The third aud youngest of the daughters of Dove is Hilaritas , or Cheerfulness. The charm of this grace is that she never grows old. The secret ol perpetual youth is cheerfulness —the spirit which needs no external stimulus to cheer us, because it has an unsealed fountain of joy within —the spirit ot Mark Tapley, who only regarded adverse circumstances as an opportunity of coming out strong. The crowning message of Christmas to each of us is, “You cau be cheerful if you will.” The most victorious force in the world is the will ot the man who has made up his mind to be bright—aud all the world can't hinder him. We have abundant causes lor cheerfulness around us ou every side. We have the lowest death rate, the fiuest system of education, the most perfect civil aud religious liberty, aud the most equable diffusion of the comforts ol life in the world. The possession ol these things ought to make ns cheerful. Do not let your cheerfulness be dependent ou the possession of these things or any other. True wealth is measured not by income but by output. The glory of file is not in being shone ou, but in shining. In the hope that ail our readers may catch the spirit oi the suusliiue which gives everything aud asks for nothing, we heartily wish every one ot them A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAITY NEW YEAR.