The Commoner
JANUARY 1922
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vith maturifr-rletjrttamj, not cjoud jthe skjes of
the young. , Jt would be likertfee$g :ong
meat to the Jpfaitf to introduce, ip,o arly-j the
truths which, though they seem soae.mn, .urnishi
the substantial Joys, of older hearts,, , ;
The opening mind of a child must first know
the gladness that comes with receivjng before
jt can understand how much, happlqr o;ne,is who,
by giving, brings brightness into Una lives of
others. The child learns gratitude as 'its heart is
poured cut in thanks for the remembrances that
have been saved for this blessed days,, The mem
ory of Christmas? seasons long, Ago , makes us
realize how little,. it takes to make little hearts
overflow with thankfulness. , , ,' '
CHRIST'S LOVE FOR CHILDREN
The children are entitled to all the happiness
they can contain at this festive season of ,the
year, for they' celebrate the tijrth of One who1
lifted the child to the highest eminence it has
ever occupied. No one else has so fully ap
preciated the power of the child.
It was Chrlpt who humbled the pride of the
wise and prudent by revealing to babes the
truths that the older ones sometimes fail to
learn. It was Christ who made the innocence,
the open-heartedness and the, trustfulness of the
child the basis of the Christian's hope "Ex-'
cept ye be converted, and become as little chil
dren, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven." (Matt. 18:3'.) . i .
To those who are grown, the Christmas sea
son offers unlimited invitations to test the prom
ise that more blessedness it to pb derived from
giving than from receiving. In tlie family, af
fection protects all from disappointment needs
are gratified, wishes expressed and" unexpressed
find fulfillment on this day and wants are an
ticipated. Parents are happier than the children
and the children themselves passingfrom recip
ients to donors begin to learn the great lesson
of life, namely, that happiness, ;as -well as. great
ness, is measured by service that life is esti
mated by its , overflow rather than by its in
come. THE DAY OF UNIVERAJL. .kjSHIP
But Christmas .Day is too large , tb be limited
to the family circle or to be ' donfined Within
the radius of the fireside. The measureless af
fection of the Father, manifested in the gift of.
His Son, and the boundless love that prompted
the Saviour's sacrifice touch -the hearts of all
who have taken Christ's native upon them, and
the anniversary of His birth furnishes an oc
casion for the expression of gratitude.
At this season every, worthy charity makes
its stongest appeal, and tho Christmas dinner
is enjoyed in proportion, as those who dine have
remembered others besides themselves others
to whom they are not obligated except as the
sense of kinship binds each to all. There should
bo no hungry people at any time, least of all on
Christmas Day.
Christ did not confine His attentions to the
deserving. His salvation was for all and He
revealed to man a Father who "maketh his sun
to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth
rain on the just and on the unjust." Many of
the misfortunes that overtake men are unde
served afflictions that are in jio sense a punish
ment for sin. Even the punishment that comes
as a just retribution for sin sometimes opens
the way whereby the strong may help the weak.
If thine enemy hunger, feed him.
THE GREAT FACT IN HISTORY
But Christmas turns our thoughts to larger
subjects than physical needs. The wants of the
body are imperative and brook no delay, but
the Master who was touched- by the hunger of
the multitude taught that the bread of life was
more important than the loaves and fishes; the
Bame great Teacher who blest a cup of cold
water pointed us to the priceless valife of tho
"water of life. No one so exalted little acts of
kindness, and yet no one so understood relative
values or so emphasized the great things of life.
Christmas is to us a sacred day because it
turns our thoughts toward the Great Fact in his
tory and to the Growing Figure of all time, and
our gratitude for what He has brought into our
Jives should make us consider the large methods
by which we may be able to make partial pay
ments on the incalculable debt we owe.
May we not find one outlet for our devotion
in a defense of His deity and In resistance to
those who would curtail His claim to authority?
purely at this season they should speak in sub
dued tones who Question His super-natural char
acter, discredit the' evidence of His Sonship,
reject the miraculous in Hid .Ufo and dis
pute the fact of His resurrection.
Could a mere man have so impressed 'a
world? if ao wiiy ave, not other, men en
inralled succeeding generations for so many cen-
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feSj?7. has Christinas no rivalswhy was
Bethlehem's the only manger-cradle? --y a-8r
rm, w,ttJS7 THE SKEPTIC IS SILENT
low?d Sf PMC m4ay rmi6ulG the Magll fflft fol
thfiv Jn f?r in 8crch f,th0 Messiah?, but
they will not quarrel with, their own chi drenT
on the morning of this glad day. They may call
Christ a myth when He rebukes them in the
onliness of the library, but they will be silent
' ftwi? h fTEST, W?S the childrei acclalm th
HftftSS ? HIS bLr,9,n lhfl sInlessness of HiS
Hf? and in the sublimity of Hjs death.
Christmas furnishes the thoughtful an 6c-
SSJ"!. t0 r.tvIe.w &! hiBtoy, of mankind and to
note how the teachings of Him whoso birth we'
celebrate have, softened the harshness 0 ancient
laws, introduced mighty reforms and moulded
the manners of mankind. For a thousand years
110 really great improvement has been wrought
'u ""J iurujr 01 me worm that is not in har
mony with His philosophy.
Whenever His Gospel has been carried and
f His words have been heeded man has been on
nobled, his purposes purified and his possibil
ities enlarged. Whether the pupil bo an individ
ual, a nation, Or all the world. His counsel
has been equally helpful and the beneficence
of His wdrd equally demonstrated.
To the individual Ho has brought not only
salvation, but security; not only 'a consciousness
of sins forgiven, but a code of morals to be em
bodied in the life.
To the nation He has brought a knowledge
of the exalting power of righteousness and of
the invincible strength of truth. His philosophy,'
though simple enough to be understood by the
unlettered, surpasses in its depth and breadth
the learning of the schools,
THE LESSON THE WORLD IS LEARNING
The world Is just now learning that His yoke
is. as easy' for all mankind as it is for tjie individr
uaj and, that His burden is, the only burden that
, is. light. The devil's burden has grown so heavy
that the world is compelled to lay it down, after'
i has staggered up to the every verge of the-
abyss of universal bankruptcy.
, rAt the time of the writing of this Bibje talk
we do pot, know what Christmas message the
Arms Conference will issue to the world, but
'enough ha,s already tjeen done to make Decemr
ber 25, 1921, the happiest Christmas since
Christ was. born. There 'Is joy enough-for old;
and1 young,- ,L"et everything that hath breath,
praise the Lord for the. Gift of His Son.
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A 3000-YEAR-OLD TRUTH FOR
. 192?
By WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
BIBLE, TEXT -LESSON FOR JAN. 1
(I Kinffs 12:12-20.)
So Jeroboam and all tho people came to Reha
boam the third day as the king had appointed, Bay
ing Gome to me again tho third day.
And the Icing answered tho people roughly, and
forsook tho old men's counsol that they gave him;
And spake to them after the counsel of tho
young men. saying, My father made your yoke
heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my, father also
chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you
with scerplons. , , , . ..
Wherefore the Icing hearkened not unto the peo
ple: for the cause was from the Lord, that he might
perform his ' saying, which tho Lord spake by
Abijah the Shllonite unto Jeroboam the son jpt
' So when all Israel saw that the. king hearkened
not unto them, the people answered the king say
ing. What portion have we in David? neither bayo
we Inheritance In the son of Jesse: to your tents,
O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So
Israel departed unto their tents. .... ...
But as for the children of Israel, which dwelt In
the cities of Judah, Rehoboam re'ned Over them.
Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram. who was over
the tribute; and all Israel stoned him with stones,
that ho ded. Therefore, king Rehoboam made
aneed to get up to his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.
So Israel rebelled against' the house of David
U And came to pass, when all Israel heard that
Jeroboam was como again, that they sent and
cJllod liim unto the congregation, and made him
i nvr all Israel: there was none that followed
SSSi J!S of David,' but the tribe of Judah' only.
Before taking up our talk for today it may
not he out of place to spend a moment on the
beginning of the new year.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day have,
from tirne immemorial, heen singled out from
all the rest of- the year for special observance.
Thn machinery of Father Time is so exquisitely
tamtotZe pass from the old year to the
new without a jolt or jar. Only the hands of the
clock furnish evidence of the change that takes
Siace when a year Is added to the days that are'
gone and la new. year opens with its unstained
PaA?'such a time people are wont to gather
the mirthful for rollicking pleasures and the
serious for prayer. Tho difforonce between tho
- tWO KrOUDS'-tlfl to Rnnin nrttnt. & mnHnr- of atra
rue young eagerly greet the days as they come, .
& f r all of life la before them. Opportunity is
the fereat word that they see written In glowing
letters ,oh ' tho dawn opportunity to bo Im
proved. Hope, rather than mfcmory, holds sway
and their joy finds expression in youthful ways.
AN APPEAL FOR GUIDANCE
The older ones, In proportion to their age,
recall opportunities unimproved, days wasted,
and possibly,, errors that have loft doop scare.
There. is, also a feeling of aolicitudo that mis
leading paths may he shunned and" that: tho
coming- year may contain more to mako retro-
- speotion satisfying.
While tho gay mako merry until tho midnight
hour- calls forth a glad welcome to tho" new
year, the sohor, increasingly impressed with the
flnitenoqs of man and the infinite power and
wisdom and lovo of God, look to tho Heavenly
Father as tho only source from which enlight
enment can como. Thoy appeal for guidance '
during every waking moment of the coming
year,
Experience has taught them haw Imfaflfllblo
it is, to judge which moment will bo rlchesl in
fruitage; they have learned -how Impossible' it Is
to eqtimale tho consequences of a slngjo act.
Trivial events sometimes bocomo epoch making,
while things seemingly great dwindle into in
significance. Happy are those who early learn
their own need of prayer, and through prayor
open their hearts to divine suggestion. - '
And New Year's Day is; more thm any other
day., the time for salutation and expressions of -good
will. It is a gloomy soul that does not re
spond on this day ,to the summons of friend
ship. If there Is any warmth In the hoart, it
radiates in, the greetings that are at their flood
on New Year's Day, ' "
'ONE FUNDAMENTAL JIESOLVE
Formerly John Barleycorn reaped Jlii? social
harvest on tho first day of the year. Ho offered
his services as caterer to those who operieil-their
homes to New Year guests and many a young
man displayed a volubility that increased -until .
it. was lost in Indistinctness, the number of hi
calls being limited only by his power of, locomo
tion. If thp Eighteenth Amendment has lessened
for some the attractions of Now Year'dl Day,
it has for a stUl larger multitude dejtfr&ujld th
unpleasant reflections that come with.' pile clos-
- ing days of the year' and made It possible foy'
more families to face the future wfthbutfear.
It will be easier also to keep the new-ypsolu-tions
that this anniversary calls forth,
As it is impossible for any, one 'to know all
I of the easily begetting sins against which old
I and young fortify themselves by resolution, I-
will, not try to enumerate them or even.suggest
a partial list. Whatever these resolutions may
be, they rest in part or in whole- upon,' on
fundamental resolve which Includes all good
resolves, viz.: '
"God helping me, I shall so conserve all my
. powers of body and mind and so consecrate my
' life 10 purposes high and noble that I may
render the maximum of service to my fellowmen
and be content to draw from society a reward
, commensurate wijth tho good I may be able to
do."
If this introduction seems long, please, re
member that New Year's comes but once .a year
and" that the offense cannot, therefore, be re
peated for at least a twelvemonth
WEALTH CANNOT INSURE WISDOM
Our Talks for the new year take us back to
the Old Testament and we shall have an op
' portunity to trace God's methods of dealing
with a "chosen people." We shall consider from
week to week characters great and small, noble
and ignoble, and learn how from the beginning
it has been true that the "wages of sin is death."
Nowhere except in the Bible do wo find por
trayed so vividly and so abundantly the just
retributions that follow wrong doing; nowhere
are the rewards of righteousness shown to bp
more swift and more sure.
We begin with Rehoboam, the only son of
Solomon, arid we wonder how one so wiso could
have a son so foojish so far as known the sole
contribution which he and a thousand wives and
concubines made to the peipetuation of the race.
Rehoboam had all the advantages that a youth
of his day could have. His father's reign was
conspicuous because of its prosperity; wealth
poured in Upon his kingdom, and the heir-apparent
had everything that the worldly-wise
think necessary for a favorable environmept.
But the son' taught the lesson so frequently
repeated before and since, that neither a great
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