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7 "Com right in, Lola. "n't this a glorious day? It rally 1tettins to smell like Christmas, don't it?" and Eleanor Day hustled cheerin about. .011va her guest in tho most comfortable chair, and awaiting her to by aide her VII-am. "Do be sum and step in next Tues- day or Wednesday. I’ll be glad to have you help me do the things up.” And taim can "'i’ihrtakr drifted to other things, " another neighbor came in, and when Lo went away, Pernor. aid to her: "Everybody nln't like you. Eleanor Day." Lois replied. "You was always a master hand at playing, when we was children: it seemed as if 'twas rally so and not playing at all. nnd I believe you're at it still!" "Well, you know it any: in the Bible then’ll be ‘boys and girl: playing In the streets thereof,' and sometimes I wonder if it don't just moon us that have got through being children hero, burning how over attain. I don't be. Ileve but that God like: us to play In boll as to work.” - - . . Christmas Just the Same for [fatty and kind of queer, nice odd fwlks for John. And then there are .lwnys children." "Well, who arc the children for, IU Like to know?” Lois inquired. F ‘Winnr ftu.qhod a little and sat back in her chair and resumed her knitting sud her rocking. ' oh, I suppose I'm awfully foolish, Lair-I." she said. " didn't mean to mention about them particularly. but I always got sort of lonesome, about Christmas time for the children I might have hsd. maybe. if some things had been different; and it kind of warms me up inside to plan things for some children somewhere. if they ain't the oms I wish they were." Lois's own Nee softened s Btt% but she only said, “Well. you do beat the Dutch'." "Plt tell you. Lois.” said Eleanor, 'You just step in next week, s day or two before Christmas. end I'll show you the things I've not. It's little I can do, end I'd be ashamed to show them to you. but I kind of think you might like the felinl of it, too, if you tried it once. Why, it seems to me 'twould make me sick shed, I'd be so lonesome. not to keep Christmss " Lois Robinson looked " her. Ulf in wondermert. and MY in bitterness. "Don't see what difference it who. to you 3nd me whether it smells like Christmas or ttt--smrn1ls like a Inc'- Itorm eomine up, I should san" Ill. replied terse!y. any. Snow mm to. T nnd it looks it and hear yourself!” These two elderly women had been -ated for nearly twcnty years Int“ within the past few monthsJ Brought up as neighbors and school-! girl friends. they had lived on G'ii'i2l, in: farms until, after the death of! her father end mother, Lola hed left; the old home town and M. West mi keep home for a widowed brain-Ll Within tho last year the brother 'stsol, had died. end now she had come beck' to the old house, a solitary and lonely woman, to peas the rest of her days. Eleanor. too, led I lonely liie.l Fathv-. mothor, siyter and brother hadi, long ago been taken from the old home! ‘you're as lone a pm don't mean round to keep mear d sho had Ike the ben Well no "tor Du WES 'm0 an I)! 'ld M he H WY“) Hy and A or h ou h mow. but I can smell r--that kind of muffl- know-and it makes t’s moat time to get ke scorn in her v nd 1orn as I um, to tell me that Christmas, all is the snowy smell replied good-nutm- you can tell that some folks don't I it feels like snow, nw, but I can smell Ahat kind of mafft- f' Eleanor Day n- word. “I keep It. [ the same. and I'll gh I never said so keep it for nll the Ces it the happiest never feel so close I am planning loft quite Hone to ife that she eould, her-the old house 4 to work with and heme Ware her solo Id as “this nked at his , composed onatie, if T gently in [on there Is al- an to make me 'e are invalids queer, nice odd then there are BY ESTELLE M. BART. Ight knitti Lois, with veh, and ssessions, ight Ind She and she you the by n 9” I "Mr land'." she exclaimed, u Ill. looked " Eleanor’s little kitchen tablo. set out with a varied array of ”tides, and with sew. ral empty boxes, plenty of neatly ironed wrapping paper and a roll of narrow red ribbon at one lside. Then, with some disapproval. "it must have cost you a lot of money'." -- i .. “The bedsocks no for Miss Part tlrue-pink is n foolish color, mnybe; 'drub don't show the soil half so quick, lbut lend! can't you remember when iwe was little girls how lovely Miss {Partridge used to look walking up ithe church aisle with a sprigged pink imuslin and pink roses in her bonnet? it seems to me she'd like to feel that ithe pinkness hadn't all gone out of iher life. { "Old Deacon Andrews used to be }such a scholar, you know, and he was one of Father's best friends. Ho don't ihave nothing to read but the 'Hop l River Herald,' and that don't tell no- ; thing except when Warner has paint- 1'esl his chicken coop, and I don't sup- I pose that gives the deacon much food l for thought. LXI‘KD I1TY VVll|llull . - "r'.".""'. I'VIII lessons wo hav , , f ll . h me ever, but. you see, I get him to take 6 Jc'.en o owmg t e A . . . , A, growth of the mxsmonar s lrlt and tr,'r,,.'cyitr,lei,,,nul',1,ii.' Idfii11f 2igtlts, the c,e.t.-t,'n, of J/df/f/lf/g, ogerations ' a . , ' ' in t e early Christian church. In rin- too Pniilddw {lure it if” nothxng, and ciple it became universal, and L" op- so we 1n o even t inns up y my eration it became everywhere tt - getting him some little thing or other. greSaive. In our lesson to-da we tuft: m, and John T". great friends, you back to the pages of the Old Testa.. know. I've subscribed for a magazine y.tr2, where the prophet gives us a for Henry; he'll enjoy that. These men “lid. picture of the Messioh and the folks cost the most. /n'utifest results of his reign. j‘Then there's Julia Morris, with a I. THE CHARACTER or THE massun, spinal complaint, poor child! I got: ISA. 11: 1-5. this lot of ribbons at a sale last spring; Vs. I, 2. There shall come forth a real ehearr--lust look at them roses! rod. When Assyria falls it falls like They ire gang? wordeulio likes u cedar of Lebanon which sends no to ma 0 p y t ngs, an this gives fresh ' rout from its broken stump her a chance to give some things awgy but Judie): is like an oak which, though herself, so the good times I have lclnd,hewn to the stump, sends forth new of spreads, you see." :growth. A shoot shall opt-mg from the "A d h to stock, and a fruit-bearing branch shall boson? 83%;: 9": h 11er motherly grow from the root. When Christ was an an er e as brighter and more tender.y 113313: 'gdn,,,wt,g,t,t,htTt"atlgi,frntt"'ruf, opened a long box and displayed three what we know of the earthly eircurn-" dolls, "just of the holdable, hugablo stance! of Joseph nnd Mary, l'"' 5°91 size): Eleanor said, delightfully, as 1ogde"t?2fdnl,',efuo,mt/hseegPld)ii, sho letid them up, And. displayed the David. Th. spirit of the Lord chum pretty, ome-made clothing that would . ' ' 1 d - n R " not upon him. The spmtua en ow take o Iand put on, and all complete ment of the Messiah is to be in mark.. to the little hoods and sweaters and ed conugst to his material circum- mittens. stone". The a 'rrit o wisdom and) “Oh. it was such fun to make t,,,jji,)ijieiLg,t. 'it'i')/1 i"t7iiDiiriil, "Now, I’ll tell you shout that,”i Eleanor responded cheerfully. “I sup-' pone I eouldn't do it if I didn't do 'il considerable planning. I figure it thir, way: If I sew or knit or crochet, tr) whatever it is, six hours . day, I can manage to cet enough to live lint-i?,?) don't take much, you know. Well, that gives me plenty of time for housework) and making my own clothes and doingl errands and making calls, and going} to prayer meeting and monthly so- ciables, and working in the garden in aurnmer; and then I begin the first of January and put in half an hour's work a day extra, for the next Christ- mas. It averages about five cents a hnlf hour, you know, on knitting or plain sewing, and that's thirty a week, and that's about fifteen dollars a year. You wouldn't think 'twould be so much, would you? "And now, see here!" Her motherly bosom expanded and her eyes grew brighter and more tender, as she opened a long box and displayed three dons. "just of the holdable, hugablo size." Eleanor said, delightfully, as "Oh, it was such fun to make the tiny things!” she said. "One goes to Susie Sullivan-her mother takes in "These cost {our dollars and a half. the two of 'em," and she reverently lifted from their box two fine new volumes of a recent history of Egypt. "I know it," Eleanor replied guiltily, "but someway when I got thinking how comfortable Deacon Andrews would look o-sitting by them south windows a-reading these books, and how he'd push his spectacles up on his forehead and smile, kinder like Path.. er, I just wanted to, and so I did! "it's about the hardest to get things: for Henry Harrison, and he's so proudl that he wouldn't take nothing from' me ever, but, you Bee, I get him to take, me around in his old sleigh Christmas morning regular, and I tell him pm too proud to hire it for nothing, and so we kind of even things up by my getting him some little thing or other. lie and John was great friends, you know. I've subscribed for a magazine for Henry; he'll enjoy that. These men folks coat the most. i "It seemed a lot to pay, but I talked make a lot of cup cakes for Christmas it over with the minister and he said' and put frosting on top and little red they “ms real cholce books, and that' and yellow candy miter-Mother al.. the deacon would read them back-E ways did that and then I make a big wards and forwards for a year, and 1,one for Henry and me. I make him decided 'twus worth while. Maybe it's come in to dinner when he brings me thm last year hr'll have, and it everi home from our morning TOWNS: or there was a saint that walked this'; else I tell him I won't go, and think earth, Deacon Andrews was him, and" how that would disappoint the whole we know it. Dreadful heathen 100k.icab00dlo!" and she laughed the cheer- in: pictures, ain't they? But the min-: iesst kind of a laugh. hr said they was just right." l "-rru=erehees-s-ve_1--eer-s.,-, [his Robinson listened in petrified/ 4 a toi ishmont. "Why, Eleanor Day,"; Tl S d cha finally gasped, "four dollars and; 1e un ay a "Well, that buys all the materials/ and I make 'em up evenings, if they're of the making-up kind, and some of them I buy right out. I always buy a rubber water bottle for some old, lady-Mother did enjoy hers so much.) This one is for Aunt Mary woodrur/ Her son's wife is kind of close, to tell, the truth, and don't waste any can” and Aunt Mary is having rheumatismI quite . bit this fall. 1 half '." . washing and can't get Susie any play- things worth speaking of; and one to Mollie Stevens, who is lame, you know, , and has to stay indoors a lot; and one to little Louisa Clark-I don't know as there seems to be tiny particular {reason for giving it to Louisa, only l she's such a motherly little thing." ; "They need the mittens," said Elea- nor, "but bless you.' Christmas would not be Christmas unless there were some prwmts that you could get I along W t," and she sat back and :viewod the treasures happily. we . ........., CFA "'""'""""J "e"'""""", , . . in the early Christian church. In prin-l Vs. 8-5. .Shal.l make him of quick ciple it became universal, and in Jirityultrty,t,tlirt9,; translate rather, "And eration it became everywhere ag-l he shall draw breath in the fear of the greasive. In our lesson to-da we turn; Lord." Love of G.od 13 to be the very back to the pages of the 0% 'f1ebsi12')i.tje:l1r.s,hift of his soul. Jesus ex- ment, where the prophet gives us a,prcssed the. same .tru1h,-r"My meat is vivid picture of the Messiah and thai to do the W111 of him that sent me, and manifest results of his reign. to finish his work." There are no mixed motives in his heart He has I. THE CHARACTER or THE MESSIAH, one supreme motive. Ha shall not 13A. 11: 1-5. Rudy: after the sight of " eyes. The Vs. I, 2. There shall come forth a Iessiah is to see the unseen fact and rod. When Assyria falls it falls iifPg,'g It rnrttered Tlt',',' the: "at/l a cedar of Lebanon which sends no!, Wit" n n will; ju We" d it fresh sprout from its broken 11e.r,y,'i'd ttg,'.'t't'ui,',!'ti, the p?!" . il',' 2tft'. but Judea is like an oak which, though: t so}? wit l {on of f: moat . hewn to the stump, sends forth new! For t t5 1ofl'i f ’ t spea djum‘?’ growth. A shoot shall spring from the‘but 1:19 93?] my“ t {allelic J." t e stock, and a fruit-bearing branch shall 'it.", WI wor 3 as WI a ro . ' row from the root. When Christ wasl . THE CHARACTER or THE MESSIAH l gem we see how low the fortunes of. REIGN, 15A- 11: 6-10; PB. 2: 8. ..' God's people had fallen, and from Vs. 6, T, The wolf also shall dwell, what we know of the earthly eircurn-l with the lamb. The prophet's visionl stances of Joseph and Mary, we see,does not end with a regenerated so-l how humble had become the eircum-deiet.y: He sees a new spirit in the ani-i' stances of the family of Jesse and;mal kingdom, it') " other le,",?',',',',',':, David. The, spirit of the Lord shall! see nature itee at its best w on man; rest upon him. The spiritual endow- is at his beat. There is first to be ment of the Messiah is to be in mark- peace among the beasts themselves.) ed contrast to his material circum-I he savage beast of prey that lives on,' stances. The ain‘t-it o{ wisdom andithe weaker, is a companion with the' understanding. he fru t of the Spirit; herb and grass-eating animal. A little which rested upon the Messiah is now: child shall lead them. George Adam' described in a threefold way. First, Smith calls attention to the dread of he has wisdom and understanding, or,the ancient rows in regard to the what we might call insight, and ore- ', wild beast. hey were a real menace. sight. He sees through, and sees be-yNeverrtheless the prophet looks for neath, and sees beyon . The saint of i reconciliation and not for extermina- eounael and might. Second, he as the [ tion. spirit of action. He acts with Wisdom' Vs. 8-10. The lion shall eat straw and power. He has “moral driftottlwitA the as. Nytereis_tob, no longer REE Bib}; Gdrisy The mm tl knowledge and of the fear of Lor " 'Twas kind of close skimping after'; buying them books," she said, “but. there was just enough left for a roll} of red ribbon to tie them all up with. The wrapping paper that comes on' bundles I always save and iron out,' and it answers beautifully, if it isn't, soiled to start with." "Wcll, I neverl" said Lois. "Did you'." responded Eleanor. "And ain't it beautiful? Now, there's nothing left but the baking. I always make a lot of cup cakes for Christmas and put frosting on top and little red and yollow candy mites-Mother al.. ways did that and then I make a big one for Henry and me. I make him come in to dinner when he brings me home from our morning rourlds, or else I tell him I won't go, and think Lois Robinson half shut her eyes in reverie. What did she dimly remember about Jack Clark's attentions to Elea- nor one winter forty years ago or sot And this was Jack’s little daughter--- no, irranddtsughtes--we11, well, to be sure! But Eleanor had put the dolls snug- ly buck in their respective boxes, and was laying out half a dozen pairs of mittens of assorted sizes, for some children .who lived down at the cor- ners where the mill had been built; and there were tops and Jumping- jacks, and two or three gayly colored picture books. The Sunday School Lesson LESSON SETrINo--1n the last few Universal Reign of Christ-Christmas Lesson-Isaiah 9: 6, 7; 11: 1-10; Psalm 2: 1-12. Golden Text-Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inherit.. ance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy pos- session.-hahn 2: 8. "I MUST BE A LITTLE AHEAD OF TIME." DECEMBER 23 l Yes, it was a happy Christmas, "lust the same," as Eleanor had said, even if they were solitary elderly people. As she sat alone before her cheery fire in her comfortable chair on Christmas-night, she said to herself: "it seems as if each one was a little better than the last. How pretty Lois looked when she got het up getting the dinner, and how kind of limbered up in his spirits Henry seemed to get, too! Yes, this fe.rtainly was the beat i Christmas yet!" Ito put in Aunt Mary Woodruff and lbring her along, would you'?" l "Why, Lois Robinson, I guess we (would'." and Eleanor's face was " 3 ready aglow with the pleasure of see- ing Lois so animated and happy, l though she was stifling a regret in her 3 heart that she couldn't make those cup cakes herself. His wisdom and action spring from a [knowledge of, and reverence for, the will of God. It was a divine program for human need that he carried out. Vs. 8-10. The lion shall eat straw with the ox. Nature is to be no longer red in tooth and claw. The fieree spirit of man and beast in to pass aw”. "Eleanor," she said, half tremulous- ly, half fiercely, "let me do some of it. We were new? great hands to give presents at our house, but we was master hands at feeding. Pd like to do something for my mother," and her voice broke suddenly, "pleaae," and she grew eager, as she caught the look of surprise and hesitation on Eleanor-'5 face. "I'd like to have a part in Christ- mas myself. You and Ii'enry stop " my house on your way down, and PII have them cup cakes all ready. And I got here this fall in time to put up pickles and grape jelly-the mothers of the poor children would like that. Then when you and Henry come heel: you just stop at my house for Christ- mas dinner. You wouldn't have room Suddenly Lois Robinson's eyes gieamed, and she sat straight up in her chair, her cheeks turning an old rose pink. "It will save me a lot of trouble," she said, "and I was worrying because I didn't see how I could ever finish a pair of gray mittens that I had begun for old Uncle George Ripley, who brings me my wood. I was just think- ing Pd have to wait till New Year'sl" fl l Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon and the eight little Raccoons were sitting lwfore the igreat open fire watching. the flames ' and sparks crackle and roar and rush up the chimney way. Perhaps they were just a little bit sad, for every one likes to.Jiave something different and exciting happen on Christmas day. To be sure, they were cozy and warm, and there was a basket partly filled with dry corn, beside the ilrrr. place. It would do for their Christ. mas dinner. But there was nothing exciting or Jolly about corn! However, Mr. Raccoon had been trying his best to make things cheerful and was re- citing The Night Before Christmas. Illa had just reached the part where Old Bachelor Bear lived .11 by him- it says, "When out on the house-top ihattN to in; self in a lonely part of the forest.“ Hard such a clatter.” when there ‘3 bom at. an a The other animals saw little of him', was a great crash and a splash and a I', David": do! and because he had so little to saygsiuling. the sputtering of melted 'lh,"g . Luke , when they did see him, many of them snow and coal and ashes and out went f a?“ l le','.'?.', s, thought that he must be a gueer and, the Bru. 5;, tb : gp,!,? eenl unpleasant old codger. But the truth Some of the little ones were tro' “1mg I,lli m the is, he had a very kind heart, only he frightened that they screamed out 6 den“; of Font did not know just how to go about loud. Mamma Raccoon, who happened a?" 'd ranee. I) making friends. He had a speaking tobe sitting very close to the fire, with the! I.“ of Fonm acquaintance with Mr. and Mrs. Ra- her baby on her lap, threw herself l Il,',' ittle Bon, tt coon and knew something about their back so suddenly that the chair tipped hoe s Ind bluo IT'"! family affairs, or, to be more out.' over and she rolled in a heap on the from the most inf spoken, he knew that they had a large floor. tum; ls he gazed family of children and also that they Mr. Raccoon was very angry, for, 'i','" hes {Hound the were very poor. In his big-hearted " soon as he had time to collect his It e smmng (”I l way he often wished that he might do thoughts. he supposed that someone 'dll?,'. And WW“ I something to help them. {was playing a trick on them. Mr. Rue- 'ifl,0i 06::vhJ’12ntillzi Dip down deep into your punts," you who have them, but don't leave‘ love out of your gift You who have no money on give the best gift-the Christ gift. He never gave money, but wherever He went He brought his love, health, power, hope, strength to overcome all diffleu1tieer. By giving Himself He lifted men above them- You have no money for Christa?” presents? Then pass on the things you have,--tho books you have read, the unhung picture, the duplicato present, the scarf or gloves you do not need, the musical instrument you have stored away, the Christmas card: packed in desks or boxes-anything by which you may enrich or comfort or please others without impoverish- ing yourself. These things have yields ed you their beat flavor; let them carry to others friendship" rich aroma. Pass them ont. So, at about eight o'clock, when he felt pretty sure they would be wishing that something might happen to make their Chrintmu n cheerful one, he dressed up in some Santa Claus clothes and, taking his sack of good things and toys. he trumped through the woods to the little hut where the Raccoon: lived. It was Christmas eve. The ground was covered deep with snow and old Mr. Bear had thought of a most de- Iightful plan. He had secured a large sack and filled it with all sorts of things that he knew would make the little Ramona happy and he meant to play Santa Claus. Old Bachelor Bear had his heart set on climbing to the roof and coming down through the chimney, Just as Santa Claus does. He was quite dis- appointed when he discovered that they had a great fire blazing in the open fireplace and there were so many sparks and so much smoke coming out of the chimney that he knew it would not be safe to attempt to go down that way. Isaiah sees the possibility of co-opera- tion of the who e of life. Peace and harmony is the deepest truth of life. The suckling child shall play . . up. The spirit of fl",,",',',', extends even to the creeping t ings that sting and poison. We may interpret the dwell- ing of the wolf with the lamb in a ftgurative sense as applying to human- ity. Then it means the subduing of all the fierce and selfish instincts be. tween man and man. The earth shall be [all of the knowledge of the Lord. Isaiah believes in the reformation or transformation of the world, not by organization, but by inspiration. A peace-filled earth comes in a God. filled earth. It is the advent of Christ to the human heart that alone will do this. To it shall tha Gentiles cook. The prophet sees the Gentile world floe1rintr to Christ. re" But Mr. Bear was not one to give up a plan after it was once made, so he set about thinking up a way that would make it possible. There was a snow-shovel just outside the door and the roof was heaped high with snow. “I know what I will do," said u, to himseh "l will get up onto the roof vnd shovel enod.eh snow down the chimney to put out the fire; then I can go down very nicely." So he took the shovel and climbed to the' roof. selves. Bachelor Bcar’s Christmas BY ENDS B. COMSTOCK. _. But fortunately in another moment he noticed the Santa Claus clothes and caught sight of the sack and then, all of a sudden, the whole truth dawned on him! So he climbed up on the mot and very warmly shook paws with Mr. Bear and they whispervd to each other for a minute or two. Then Mr. Raccoon went back into the hut and lighted some candles on a little Christmas tree that he had brought in earlier in the day. Ho rushed out of the house, mold- ing and threatening all sorts of things, and there might have been serious trouble, for. when he saw old Bach. elor Bear standing on the roof of his house shoveling snow down the ehirm my just as fast as he could shovel, he was more angry than ever. "t couldn't see nothing," said he, to his waiting family. "but I think it must have been old Santa trying to get down our chimney. I will go on with the story and perhaps he may try again now that the fire is out. Let me see! Where did I leave or". Oh arose such a clatter, t sprang to the window to see what was the matter.' " Just 3t this moment there was a rustling, scraping noise in the ehim.. ney and then I thud and a hump, as old Bachelor Bear, 9. blt sooty to he sure but laughing widely, picknd him- self up and stepped out of the firts- place Into the room, carrying his big sack of treasures. To-dny Christmas eommemoratm but one event. the birthday of Christ, but originally four event.- wero com- memorated--the birthdny. the appear- ance of the star which guided the Wise Men, the baptism of Christ. and the first miracle. Mr. Raccoon was very angry, for, u soon as he had time to collect his thoughts. he supposed that someone was playing a trick on them. Mr. Rae- coon does not like practical jokes. yer- 'When out on_tho home-top there Concerning' Christmas. The date on which Christmas was originally observed was January 6th. Uniformity in the dam of Christ, ttusa-with the exception of the Ar- menhn Church, which still retains January 6th--w" not attained until A.D. 428. "Yule," u 1 name for Christmas, is derived from an anciemt pmn fer tivar-Muul--whieh was held to rejoice in the passing of. the shortest ar-- December 2m. The beginning of the modern Christ,- mu plum-pudding was "plum-por- ridge," esteemed a creative“. “Haw,” the favorite decoration for Christmas, should really be "holy." It wu accounted mud. If Mr. Raccoon had not prepared his family for the surprise, some of the little ones might hnve been badly frightened. " it wan, they were all expectant and very much dolisrhted and you may guess what a very happy time they had, the kind people can have when they are good friends. Old Mr. Bear was invited to spend the night with them so as to be on hand bright nnd early on Christmas day. The f1re was rekindled and they all sat around and told stories and nibbled at the good things from Mr. Bear's sack and it was very late when they all wished each other a Merry Christmas and cuddled up and went to sleep. J Be not tfgtei' ' behold“; I bat: _ 1W good o " " w Hop thagl be to 13%. J'G'.. for there TORONTO Christmas means everything to n because it is the birthday of a Saviour. 1 A great Person has come into the lvmrld. He was human, "like as w. ' are." He ate, He drank, He lay down 1 and slept; He became tired with long l journeys, He found ft necessary to l pray, He had friends, but the one dif- l ference between Him and others m, ‘Ho was the one perfect Man. Tho I great object for which He entered the ‘world was. to give men victory our themselves. He came to found a whole. liiiiiii; perfectly normal not. Chriu loved normal humanity, and no wu willing to do anything, pay my price. tsuffer any torture. that would mob I normal humanity pouiblo. ', A Hebrew legend runs like this: Once there lived in far Judenn hills two nffeetioturto brothers, who worked their fhrld, together. One had a wife and a houseful of children. The otha. i we: unmarried. One night in the heh l vest time the older brother said to " I wife, "My brother in lonely. I will go I out and move some of my sheevee on i to hie side. so that when he eeee then ' in the morning hie heart will be chea- Ied by the abundence." And he " [That lune night the other broth! I said to hie workmen: "My brother in. Imeny children to feed. I do not need _ this wealth. I will tro end move some "sf my sheaves over on his field, Io et: he shell rejoice in the morning; liwhtheeho-tuttiaur. 3m” And he did Bo. They did it ithnt night and the next, in the dark. t But on the third night the moon an. *out from behind I cloud as they mot 5 {Ice to Nee. Each mun had his nrml (full of sham. On that spot, the Hegend says. the temph of Jerusalem was built, for it wu um am .that was the place when earth cam nearest to heaven. It in no wonder that the mam-la picture the coming of Christ as an event of "great joy.” it is the most happy event that ever lighted up a dark world. There are the shepherds, watching their fueks, by night, and they hear the angel Chortle. There are aged Simeon and Anna. who ere in rapturee, as they behold the infant Messiah. And there ia the Maenitie" of Mary, u ahe thinks of the coming King. Hymn writers have echoed the joy of Scripture. Hymn. that touch on the nativity are radiant with glad- nesa. Nog to the World'. the lord ia Come," sings Watts. “Mark! the hers aid angels sing," is Wesley's hymn, while an American newspaper writer, Joshiah Holland, begins his 'onR, "There's a song in the air". Ther" a star in the sky! There's a mother's deep prayer, and a baby's low cry!" But probably the greatest Chrhstmas hymn is the one by Phillips Brooks. It runs: "O little town of Bethlehem, i- bow-1' it." '01r'l'i;'tn"'t'LTi't; of David t mun Jo in Christ the_ Lrrrd,", Lula 2; lo, It. the Lord." [1151312. IL One Christine: eve. $h.uatrram of the eleventh century. a “who wen being held in the little church M. the castle of Font-inn, in old Bur. gundy. France. To the oervioe came the Lord of Fanning, his wife. end their little son. I child with golden locks and blue eyes. who we: later to become the most influential man of hie time. As he gazed upon the burning candles around the altar and listened to the singing of the hymmi, he fell asleep. And while sleeping, he dream, ed he saw the infant Jesus, As he gazed on the tender faee of the infant Lord. so small. yet so mighty, there came into his heart a deep love for the Chriet. that never burned out. Before he died, Europe was debtor to Bernard of Clairvaux. How still we see thee lie! Above thy deep and dreamloss sleep The silent stars go by; Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light: The hopes and fears of all the years Are met in thee to-night." The good news that Christmss brings is the good news that a Saviour has come down to earth, to live among men. As one looks up at the starry heavens on a clear night, he feels how small he is. What are those worlds, many of which, astronomy tells us, are much greater than our earth? How long have they been there? What stupendous force keep them traveling on, on, and yet on, in their orbits? And then to turn and think that the Being who controls the universe, whose power guides those stars, who upholds all things by the word of his power-to think that this Being be- come man, snd wss born in s bsrn and became subject to poverty end toil, is to glimpse the meaning of Christmas. As St. John puts it, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt sm- ong us.” And it is the some Word who crested all things. And wherever this good news has gone, it his brought peace and goodwill. It in but I lmnd. but the very spirit spoken of, between the two bro. thers, in the spirit, multiplied I million fold, that Christ had. And this in net legend. This is (net. That in why ChrUtmaa lo a happy time. It in the birthday of the Kim. People born on Chriatmu Day an according to m o14 super-uh lucky all that: lint. Christan: wu flrqt eiebmtad u 3 religious festival about 3.0. Mtit. m 'ia-i-a-ti-taaa-SX,,. " wax yr ' 3 = Lt 'i' Bil I w 1-: a. s,'.';?., t! ' “gin (G [in 'tl " V " ' I.