The Daily News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24. CHRISTMAS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 273, 24 December 1909, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24. CHRISTMAS.

For many hundreds of years have btvn celebrated on tlie 25th December llie i festival in memory of the birth -if Christ nearly two thousand years ag>. "Peace. goodwill to men," Wits thi* injunction given on the iirst Chrielinas., and ever as the festival approaches thai, beautiful sentiment is wont to mike i;.s influence felt on mankind wherever Uiq Christian story is understood. Tli- 1 celebration of Christinas is good in that it never fails to bring out those qualities of goodwill, which Jn the strenuous endeavor of modern life unhappily lie dormant during the remainder of the year., Christmas with us is celebrated by a cessation from sordid care and mere business, as a season f- r the healing of broken friendships, and for re-uniting those long severed. J>y all it is accepted as a happy interregnum between the year that is passing, and , the year about to be born. To-morrow I throughout the Christian world will be heard rejoicings in keeping with the gladness of the season. The Gospel is indissolubly wrapt up in "Christmas 51 ; Christmas is virtually the (iospel. "H.'liold I bring you glad tidings of great joy"; Christmas was glad tidings—tile sentiment of which still endures. In New Zealand, under bright skies and smiling nature—free from the misery which grinds down .sections in the oldi.r nations—and with promise of a coming venr full of hope, th<*re is much reason for thankfulness to Him whose mission on earlh was to inculcate the spirit of love in the hearts of the people. Peace happily reigns among the nations, though unfortunately there is not peace in the industrial world. Even where enforced unemployment obtains at the moment, however, the Christmas festival will be joyously observed. When, therefore, the greeting '"A Merry Christmas" is exchanged, it carries no meaningless sound, but lather goes to make both wisher and recipient happier for its utterance. In the hope that our readers will accept the impulse in this spirit, we wish them a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.