THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1895.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10012, 25 December 1895, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1895.

Two thousand years ago Christmastide was first ushered in with the message of peace on earth and good will toward moil; and so far as we can trace away back into the twilight of history, and from then till now, men have caught tho genial spirit of the season as it came round from year to year, and have sought to cherish within themselves and in the relations surrounding them the sentiments of gracious kindliness and of hope for the reign of universal brotherly love. But while this will be the spirit desired to be cherished now perhaps in everyone of the millions of homes in Christendom, it must be with grave misgivings that we contomplato tho prospect of peace and good will presented in tho existing relations, and in tho attitude of nearly all the principal nations of the world that profess to be the followers of liitn whose advent was intended to be the herald of peace. It is strangely incongruous to a Christmas season, to find it just the culminating point to which the forces of destruction liavo been massing up, p.nd that just at tho moment when tho Christmas bells may be ringing out tho glad news of peace to all, ttie first shots may be fired that may throw all Christendom into deadly conflict. There have been other times of general apprehension, and even Christmas has often enough found nations in war. But never in all history, before have the preparations for mutual slaughter among Christian nations been so colossal or so complete, nor have so many great nations been watching one another with jealous vigilance, each suspicious of each other's objects, and ready to spring at the first intimation of intended movement on another's part. It seems a disheartening realisation of tho results of two thousand years of the teaching of peace, and tho ghastly incongruity is intensified in the fact that it is around or in close proximity to the vory land where peace on earth was first proclaimed, and from which its sound lias pone through all the earth, that the hosts of war are gathering, waiting for the merest incident that may start the scene of appalling destruction. In fact, it is but the mutual dread the Powers liavo of ono another that has averted strife so long, and watching around the death bed of the Sick Man of Europe, they stand as ib wore with hands on sword-hilts, listening to the chiming of the Christmas bells rejoicing for the message of peace and goodwill among men. Sadder scene than all: just as Christendom is setting itself to keep the great festival of peace, we see the message of irritation and ill-will hurled across the Atlantic from one great Christian nation to another, and the two families of one race and tongue, to whose friendship men have looked as

the guarantee o£ universal peace and ] liberty, stand awaiting, as it were, the few more angry words that may make the world a spectator of unnatural and fratricidal war. This is a dark, depressing picture of our Christmas tide, nor have wo even the consolation of thinking that, so far as the trouble in the East at least is concerned, the clouds can roll away from the sky without the inevitable thunderstorm. Bat while such scenes as these might almost tempt to doubt the efficacy of the message sent, wo have just as striking evidence that its influence and spirit have been growingandextendingamong the nations, as was never seen in other days, and in spite of the horrible evidences of impending war, It is doubt and distrust that is at the bottom of the enmity between the nations, and not mere cruelty and lust for bloodshed which were so potential elements in ancient wars; and the humanesentimen t that appears in respect of ambulance corps in battle, and in the merciful treatment of wounded enemies, and in the general regulations and tho laws of war are evidence how far the kindly breathings of that first Christmas greeting have permeated the mind of humanity when they even show themselves so markedly in such a fiendish tiling as the battle field. But apart from these discouraging phases of life in our times, there never was in the relations of man with man such a force of human sympathy, such a spirit of altruism abroad, never has there been so much sincere endeavour to succour and relieve suffering, and to ameliorate tho conditions of life of the oppressed and the destitute as what is seen in the social organisations, and the individual efforts for others' good which are the glory of our age, There is self seeking enough and more than enough to leave plenty of misery in its train. But never before did society appear so to realise its responsibilities for the waifs and the strays that have been whirled aside from the wheels of its progress as in this age of marvellous advancement.

Though dark clouds are hanging over the destinies of nations, and terrible solutions of threatening troubles seem imperative, humanity has been advancing all the time in the spirit of that angel greeting of the first Christmas morning ; and not even the cataclysm that seems to be impending can arrest tho development. For ourselves, we may take comfort that we are far away from the threatening scenes which, whatever they may eventuate in, must have the effect of at least disturbing the genial Christmas spirit, of those who are comparatively standing face to face with them. Indeed, the circumstances in which we are must be calculated to make this Christmas season a happy one to most. We are experiencing at least tho springtime of a season of great prosperity, and are enabled to look forward into the future with feelings of confidence and hope. No one knows, to be sure, what the future has in store. But the a usuries are favourable to a general prosperity ; and with considerable assurance of good times coming, and with all sincerity we wish to all our friends a Happy Christmas.