Page Four Thursday, December 19, 1918 EASTERN CLACKAMAS NEWS R From the Local Committee Y our C h r is t m a s Groceries, Raisins, Nut?, Oranges, etc. “ Your b e n i g n a n t c o u n t e n a n c e a n d e x p a n s i v e s m i l e is as wel co me no w as in by gon e y e a r s . ” I a m a c cu s e d of b e in g a “ l a u d a t o r t e m p o r i s a c t i . ” T h e e xp e ri en c e of life s h o w s t h a t “ t h e old o r d e r c h a n g e s , y i e ld in g place to th e n e w , ” a nd we who b e lon g to t h e f o r m e r m u s t c h a n g e a n d yield w i t h it with good o r bad gr ace. So we c ry : ‘T h e K i n g is d e a d , long live t h e K i n g ! ’ Hail, C h r i s t i n a s p r e s e n t ! Co m e a n d fill th e h e a r t s of t h e y o u n g wi th joy a n d g l a d n e s s , a nd we t h e i r e l d e r s will r ej o ic e w i t h t h e m . You b e a r t h e s a m e blessed m e s s a g e as t h a t of y o u r f o r r u n n e r s , of a ‘peace on e a r t h , goodw il l t o w a r d m e n . ’ May you i m b u e o u r h e a r t s wi th t h e t r u e sp ir i t of t h e se ason. May t h e y be filled with c h a r i t y t o w a r d s a ll ; t h e c h a r i t y w hi c h s u f f e r e t h long a nd is k i n d ; which e n v i e t h not , wh ic h v a u n t e t h n o t itself a n d is no t puffed up; wh ic h doetli not b e h a v e itse lf u n s e e m l y , s e e k e t h no t h e r ow n , is n o t easily p ro v o k e d , t h i n k e t h no evil; w h i c h r e j o i c e t h n o t in i n iq u i ty b ut r e jo ic e th in th e t r u t h ; which b e a r e t h all t h in g s , b e ll e v et h all t h in g s , h o p e t h all t h in g s , e n d u r e t h all t h i n g s . ” FROM Do we realize w h a t a b le s s in g to h u m a n i t y is the C h r i s t m a s s e a s o n ? It is like a w a r m , vigorous, h e a l t h y br eez e of l o v in g k i n d n e s s s w e e p i n g ov er the l and , d i s p e r s in g the ch illing, p o i so n o u s m i a s m a s of envy, h a t r e d a n d u n c h a r i t a b l e n e s s . Horne u po n its wings, t h e m e r c y -f u e ig h t e d c lo u ds of P r o v i den ce a ri s e to de s ce n d in r e f r e s h i n g s h o w e r s of b r o t h e r l y love. F o r on e day at least in t h e y e a r s w o r d s a r e t u r n e d i n to p l o u g h s h a r e s , a n d we p e r ceive th e e a r n e s t of the ti m e fo re t o ld by th e p r o p h e t . A lit tle chil d s h a ll lead us, a n d on this day o u r feet a r e g u i d e d by t h e Bab e of B e t h l e h e m into th e way of peace. W h e t h e r D e c e m b e r 2f»th was t h e a c t u a l d a t e of this e v e n t is a n op en q u e s ti o n . S o m e a u t h o r i t i e s place it in t h e s p r i n g - t i m e a n d o t h e r s in t h e autum n. Hut th e weight of a u t h o r i t y rent ainb on t h e side of t h e t r a d i t i o n a l d ate . E d e r s h e i m s t a t e s : “ T h e r e is no a d e q u a t e r e a s o n f o r q u e s t i o n i n g th e h is to ric a l a c c u r a c y of this d a t e . ” T h e m a t t e r is not i m p o r t a n t in itself, but if De c e m b e r 2 5 t h lie t h e rea l day, it is s i n g u l a r l y a p p r o p r i a t e a n d b e a u tif ully significant. One would fain not h a v e it o t h e r w i s e , as it t h e n c o in cides with t h e a n c ie n t c e l e b r a t i o n by th e N o r t h m e n of the w i n t e r solstice. As they rejo ice d for th e r e t u r n of th e s u n to c h e e r th e w i n t r y e a r t h , so C h r i s t i a n s rej oi ce for th e r e t u r n of t h e S u n of R i g h t e o u s n e s s r is i n g wi th h e a li n g in His wings. 1 was b r o u g h t up to go to c h u r c h on C h r i s t m a s Day. T h i s is on ly m e e t a nd r ig h t , for C h r i s t m a s is e s s e n t ia l ly a r e l i g io u s festival. T h o u g h it m a y • hav e displ ac ed it, ye t it is not t h e s a t u r n a l i a of t h e a n c i e n t R o m a n s in a n o t h e r form. I de em the m a i n t e n a n c e of its r e l i g io u s observancfe to be most i m p o r t a n t , o t h e r w i s e it m ay d e g e n e r a t e i n to a s a t u r n a l i a . I n d i c a t i o n s of this possibility u n f o r t u n a t e l y a r e n o t w a n t i n g , i love t h e C h r i s t m a s service, a n d s o m e of my m os t p l e a s a n t re c o l le c ti o n s a r e a s s o c i a te d w i t h it. liow willing we wer e to g a t h e r t h e holly a n d g r e e n s fo r d e c o r a t i o n s ; to weave fes to on s a n d f a s h i o n v a ri o u s a p p r o p r i a t e e m b l e m s a n d o v e r s e e t h e i r b a n g i n g a n d a r r a n g e m e n t ! T h o u g h this r e q u i r e d m u c h t im e a n d t h o u g h t , we felt well re p a i d , w h e n e v e r y t h i n g was finished a n d t h e c h u r c h s to od a r r a y e d in festal dress. T h e c h o ir also, d i li g e n t l y p r a c t i c i n g , wou ld e n l i v e n the t im e for t h o s e w o r k i n g at the r e a r of t h e c h u r c h w i t h carol, a n t h e m a n d hy m n. T h e n , w h e n t h e m o r n i n g c a m e , a goodly c o n g r e g a t i o n a s s e m b l e d for th e “ C h r i s t m n s s , ” to w o rs h ip a n d a d o r e the o r i g i n a l C h r i s t m a s G i v e r a n d His U n s p e a k a b l e Gift. A f t e r which t h e y d e p a r t e d to t h b i r h om es , c a r r y i n g with t h e m to a u g m e n t t h e joys of t h e day , t h e b l e s s i n g a n d p ea ce of God, which p a s s e t h all u n d e r s t a n d i n g . S u r e ly s o m e t h i n g m u s t be missed, u n l e s s C h r i s t m a s is t h u s h a llo w e d , b e c a u s e it is m e a n i n g l e s s if it be not a holy day a n d kep t as such. • Many y e a rs h a v e p a s se d since I m a d e o n e of a b a n d of waifs, in a vi llag e w he r e 1 f o r m e r l y lived. How p l e a s a n t it was to t r a m p t h r o u g h t h e s n o w in th e crisp, frosty air, to s e r e n a d e o u r f r i e n d s a n d re c e iv e at e ach s t o p p i n g place a w a r m C h r i s t m a s g r e e t i n g a n d welcome. Hut w h e n I recall t h e s e tim es a feeling of s a d n e s s comes o v e r m e as I t h i n k ho w m a n y of t h o s e whose j o y lu l voices b r o k e on th e s ti l ln e s s of th e n i g h t a r e now s il e n t f o r e v e r on e a r t h . W hil e a s h a d o w is t h u s cast o v e r t h e f o r m e r m e r r y p a r t y , how m u c h d a r k e r would it be w e r e it not for t h e ligh t of t h e S t a r of B e t h l e h e m . Yes, C h r i s t m a s ni ght b r i n g s p e a i c to all t h o s e wh o a r e a n y wa y s af f l ic te d o r dis- tressed, in mind, body, o r estate. To t h e m , as to t h e s h e p h e r d s of old, f o r co mf or t a n d fo r hope, is given t h e s ig n of t h e Babe, w h o is t h e e a r n e s t of a new a n d a m o re a b u n d a n t life, t h e b r i n g e r of s w e e t n e s s a n d light. In t h e babe all t h in g s a r e be c o m e new. Jle is t h e f u lf il lm e n t of th e past a n d t h e gnldyii p r o m i s e of t h e fu tu r e . His very h e l p l e s s n e s s e n d o w s h im wi th Hie peculiut p r o p e r t y o f c a p t u r i n g »lie aff ec tio ns a n d e n l i s t i n g t h e s e rv i c e s o: men. He p e r s u a s i v e l y appe als to t h e w h o l e of h u m a n i t y . All s o r t s a n d co n d it io n s of m e n r e s p o n d to th e cry of t h e babe. H e lays hold of t h e i r h ea rts , e xe rc is in g a p u r if y in g a n d e l e v a t i n g in flu en ce o v e r t h e m . It is a babe who ca us e s tilt* mo th, r a n d f a t h e r love to s p r i n g up a n d blo ssom as tlie rose. And no n e , no m a t t e r how r o u g h a n d i g n o r a n t , but su ch love re- linos, m a k i n g t h e m less b r u t i s h a n d s o tt i s h a n d r a i s i n g t h e m to a h i g h e r level. T h e force wh ic h thus t h e b a b e e x e r t s is m a n i f e s t l y not phy sical n e i t h e r is it i n t e l l e c t u a l . It can o n l y be s p i r i t u a l , c o m i n g d o w n f r o m t h a t Hod who is love, l ig h t a n d life. L e t us a c c e p t t h e si g n with t h a n k f u l n e s s a n d in faith t h a t t h e r e sh all be “ n o g l o o m io h e r tlfht wa s in a n g u i s h , b o r u n t o us a child la b o r n ami u n t o us a s o n is g i v e n . ” •‘O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend o n us, we p r a y . Cast o u t o u r sin a n d e n t e r in, Be b or n in us to da y . W e h e a r t h e C h r i s t m a s a n g e ls ! Tht* g r e a t g la d t i d i n g s tell O, c o m e to us, a b i d e with us. Our Lord E m m a n u e l! ” One! Two! Three! Four! Fi ve ! Six! Se ve n ! Eight! Ni ne ! Ten! Eleven! Tw el ve ! M id n ig h t! A n a p p y a n d a m e r r y C h r i s t m a s to all! God bless us e v e ry one! You'd hardly know Pete was chewin ' Yet he says he gets more satisfaction out of his small chew of Gravely than he ever got out of a big chew of ordinary to bacco. “Reel Gravely has a pure, rich taste,” says Pete. “It’s sweetened just enough, and one sm all chew holds its good taste so long. I figure that this class of tobacco costs me nothing extra—maybeless than I’d have to spend for ordinary plug.” • l i e Jt goes fu rth er — th a t’s why you can get the good taste o f this class o f tobacco to il’t ou t extra cost. PEYTON BRAND Real Gravely Chewing Plug each piece packed in a pouch ~{7¡Te Hotel Oregon- Respectfully solicits the patronage of the People of Es tacada and Eastern Clackamas County,.when in Port land. » The HOTEL OREGON has been for many years one of Portland’s leading hotels and is located in the heart of the business and theatre section, at the convenient corner of Broadway and Stark. You are assured a cordial welcome and your patronage will be appreciated. Stop at the HOTEL OREGON, the next time you are in Portland. Room s $1.25 and up » i Red Cross E A D E R S of C h a r le s D ic k e ns will reca ll a t t h i s seas on , his ex q u is i te “ C h r i s t m a s C a r o l ” w i t h its p a t h e t i c a c c o u n t of Tiny T i m , a n d t h e m y s t e r i o u s visits of t h e t h r e e g h o s t s of C h r i s t m a s past, p r e s e n t a n d f u t u r e , which effected su ch a h a p p y t r a n s f o r m a t i o n of c h a r a c t e r in t h e m is e r Scrooge. Such gh o stl y v i si ta tio ns a r e n o t p u r e l y fictional fo r I find, e s pe cially of la te years, th a t as C h r i s t m a s E v e c o m e a r o u n d , t h e g h o s t of ( h r l s t m a s pa st, k n o c k s at m e m o r y ' s d o o r fo r a d m i t t a n c e . I h a s t e n to open it. “ E n t e r old friend, m ay God bless y o u . ” mu « h i m i Bull a Membership • in the