The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1920. CHRISTMAS, 1920.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3660, 24 December 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1920. CHRISTMAS, 1920.

which is incorporated “The Taihape Post and Waimarino News.”

Despite the floodgates of the mind being forces wide open they do not permit of the volume of thought to pass that swells up on the eve of the festival the Christian world will celebrate to-morrow. Christmas is not so much a time, perhaps, for dwelling upon the past, or the future, as for the present. The recent past has shaken the world down to the foundations of civilisation; what the future will bring forth no man can foretell, so fraught with uncertainty is it. The present is what the people of the world are willing it should be, and* are making it. Look where one will the satanic spirit of strife, of death and destruction is looming up across the field of vision. Will the time never arrive when every individual man will commence a thorough self-interrogation as to the part he is acting in the prevailing strife, and as to what Tfe is doing towards securing a rapid return to that State of Peace' on Earth and goodwill to all Men proclaimed nearly two thousand years ago? No man can truthfully deny that materialism and commercialism are the twin devils responsible for the greed, lust, vice and venality which are forcefully blocking the road to Peace” and Goodwill on this occasion of Christmas* The old spirit of Peace and Goodwill has been driven out by the devils of commercialism and materialism; the spirit of charity is missing; that humane force that was wont to hold sway at Christmas time is albut suppressed, and the common view is- that individuals are seeking gratification of their own lusts and appetites, and care nothing for thonfellows; that the spirit of Goodwill to All Men is albut missing. Love, charity, goodwill, is largely narrowed down to the family circle; here they reign as strongly as ever, but in many cases no sooner is the doorstep passed than the bitter cold blast from the selfishness of materialism and commercialism blows away . those characteristics which render man the superior of the brute creation. A materialistic science which sot in ovcrtwo hundred years ago has not improved the races in those principles which are essential to permanency of national life and the health physically and morally of individual humanity. It is claimed in some quarters that increased viciousness and general immorality whatever progress in science of living may have been achieved, but be that as if may it seems that very nearly every man’s hand is raised against his s fellow, ilt is because things and conditions are not always what they seem that hope does not perish. From that side of the great conflict v>*‘ ~" stills hangs like a heavy black pall over the spirits of the people, whence a ray of brightness glints through occasionally, much is hoped for. The nations of the earth have come together, and are persistently endeavouring to evolve a modus operand! for pimples, nations and empire’s working together in amity and goodfellowship; for the abandonment of war; for converting swords and other weapons used in life destruction into implements of food production that life may he saved. Evil counsels yet prevail in isolated quarters, nevertheless, much beneficent progress has been made towards rendering the world as warless as it is practically possible to make it, and there is yet good reason for believing that a grand unanimity of nations for goo<j will yet become an accomplished fact. The world has been in travail and although it is yet uncertain what the ultimate will be there are no uncertain indications that a purged and more , humane civilisation

will rise, from the ashes of' destruction; that peace Sir* goodwill must eventually triumph over counsels for strife aiicl evil. In this Dominion the spirit of strife is virulent, doing iTs ffotiuTy ~wbifF in many ways and in many places, yet contrast conditions prevailing here with those prevailing in Russia, and the difference in our favour is found to be incalculable; and yet the demon of strife is abroad. Wild men are sowing the leaven of distrust, deceit and bitterness throughout the whole community, and it speaks volumes for the spirit of British fairplay, of justice, honour and tolerance of the majority of New Zealanders that risings against the common good are but of a patchy and not very definite nature. May they be nothing more than guerilla skirmishes in the -retirement from retrogade ways in settling differences, for whatever the' faults of peaceful methods have been they have never involved a tenth of the loss and bitterness which direct action methods have. Wild men are amongst us working and striving to contaminate our reasoning faculties the fountain of our judgements. Britons may be slow, but they are sure to decide for right and justice in the end. Britons want no bloody revolutions of any kind, but they do want justice foir every member of fhe community, and if needs no prophet to predict that they will have it. In rhe Taihape district 'thei-c is virtually no strife in evidence; one small difference bids) fair to be speedily settled, and every resident is fully justifid in toping that the Ohutu Box Mill will be again working early in - the New Year. Then, at present, Taihape territory .residents have nothing clouding the present or threatening the future of an extraordinary character; in common with an overwhelming preponderance of the people of the whole Dominion they have no cause to mistrust the present or dread the future. There seems nothing to prevent them from fully entering into the spirit the season of Christmas by cultivating, encouraging and spreading the blessings of Peace and Goodwill to All Men. Right through the great world catastrophe the people of this Dominion had, among all the horrors of war, still the faith in British justice and courage to send round the usual salutations at Christmas time } and now that the lingering clods of strife and discontent are gradually growing less we can with greater confidence and no less heartiness wish; every citizen of this Dominion A Merry Christmas ana a Happy New Year.