The Spirit of Christmas | Page 5

the Earth.
The other angels followed him--a throng of dazzling forms, beautiful as
a rain of jewels falling from the dark-blue sky. But the child-angel went
more swiftly than the others, because of the certainty of gladness in his
heart.
And as the others followed him they wondered who had been favoured
and chosen to receive the glad tidings.
"It must be the Emperor of the World and his counsellors," they
thought. But the flight passed over Rome.
"It may be the philosophers and the masters of learning," they thought.
But the flight passed over Athens.
"Can it be the High Priest of the Jews, and the elders and the scribes?"
they thought. But the flight passed over Jerusalem.
It floated out over the hill country of Bethlehem; the throng of silent
angels holding close together, as if perplexed and doubtful; the
child-angel darting on far in advance, as one who knew the way
through the darkness.
The villages were all still: the very houses seemed asleep; but in one
place there was a low sound of talking in a stable, near to an inn--a
sound as of a mother soothing her baby to rest.
All over the pastures on the hillsides a light film of snow had fallen,
delicate as the veil of a bride adorned for the marriage; and as the
child-angel passed over them, alone in the swiftness of his flight, the
pure fields sparkled round him, giving back his radiance.
And there were in that country shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping
watch over their flocks by night. And lo! the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they
were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them: "Fear not; for behold I
bring you glad tidings of great joy which shall be to all nations. For

unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,
praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good-will toward men." And the shepherds said one to another:
"Let us now go, even to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to
pass."
So I said within myself that I also would go with the shepherds, even to
Bethlehem. And I heard a great and sweet voice, as of a bell, which
said, "Come!" And when the bell had sounded twelve times, I awoke;
and it was Christmas morn; and I knew that I had been in a dream.
Yet it seemed to me that the things which I had heard were true.
* * * * *

A LITTLE ESSAY

CHRISTMAS-GIVING AND CHRISTMAS-LIVING
I
The custom of exchanging presents on a certain day in the year is very
much older than Christmas, and means very much less. It has obtained
in almost all ages of the world, and among many different nations. It is
a fine thing or a foolish thing, as the case may be; an encouragement to
friendliness, or a tribute to fashion; an expression of good nature, or a
bid for favour; an outgoing of generosity, or a disguise of greed; a
cheerful old custom, or a futile old farce, according to the spirit which
animates it and the form which it takes.
But when this ancient and variously interpreted tradition of a day of
gifts was transferred to the Christmas season, it was brought into vital
contact with an idea which must transform it, and with an example
which must lift it up to a higher plane. The example is the life of Jesus.
The idea is unselfish interest in the happiness of others.
The great gift of Jesus to the world was himself. He lived with and for
men. He kept back nothing. In every particular and personal gift that he
made to certain people there was something of himself that made it
precious.
For example, at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, it was his thought for

the feelings of the giver of the feast, and his wish that every guest
should find due entertainment, that lent the flavour of a heavenly
hospitality to the wine which he provided.
When he gave bread and fish to the hungry multitude who had followed
him out among the hills by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were
refreshed and strengthened by the sense of the personal care of Jesus
for their welfare, as much as by the food which he bestowed upon them.
It was another illustration of the sweetness of "a dinner of