THE COLONIST. SATURDAY DECEMBER 23, 1916. CHRISTMAS.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14293, 23 December 1916, Page 4

THE COLONIST. SATURDAY DECEMBER 23, 1916. CHRISTMAS.

For the third time Christmas finds the world still involved in the greatest war of history, and with no immediate prospect of its cessation and the return of! the millions engaged on the battlefields j to the ways of peace. The nebulous and fraudulent proposals of the German Government were astutely devised to j capture the sentiment of. the season, which irresistibly impels the thoughts of men along the courses1 of humanity and fellowship and with which bitter; and relentless war seems utterly incongruous. "Gloria in altissimus Deo, ec in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis," as the Vulgate has the Christmas message—"Glory,, to God in. tho Highest, and on earth peace to men of-'goodwill." \ But even the great nentral nations', more disposed than belligerents for whom everything—national honour,, future sequrity, and even national existence—is at stake, to be impatient for peace, have seen through the hollow fraud, and realise that the termination of the war at Germany's instance and on any terms short of the of Prussian militarism and the fullest reparation for all Germany's fotil violations of the -usages of international law and humanity would merely nullify the tremendous sacrifices the Allies have made to secure the world from an intolerable menace. An honourable peace is notyet within our grasp, but it is not, tu> may hope, far off, and until we have finally and conclusively beaten the enemy to the ground we must fight on with unrelenting determination. For the Allied nations the Christmas message is again a message of war, bufc also a message of comfort to the civilised world, an assurance that the Allies will not relinquish their task until they have given a new and deeper significance to the angelic Christmas song of; peace, on earth and goodwill among men, secured by the re-establish-.rnent-jpf diiternaiaoßal; aith and recognition. >of jiieUright^Jof ;smaU na.iions^to the^joymetifcstof • freeibm" and independence. 'v:JEorv'^Ehe,/ countries, ot' which New'.l2feaiandv is1;one,-which ere giving Hin'strntingry ;of sjtheir, blood and ;trmsure.:in<^the^eatscau'se,'Christmas cannot" be a season of unrestrained festivity; widespread sorrow and anxiety prevent that. But to all Christmas brings its message of hope and comfort nevertheless', and perhaps from the circumstances of the time a fuller, understanding and appreciation of the meaning of "Peace on earth and goodwill among men" which we may trust wo shall see well on the way to enthronement in the world before another Christmas comes round.