The world to-day has less excuse than ever for being ignorant of its own sorrow, The company In the Shanghai drawing-room this December evening can hear the voice of London steeped in fog, or Melbourne rejoicing over a glorious summer registering 00 degrees in the shade, So it Is possible to wallow as naked og modern fashions permit in December snow while thinking on fantastic summer's heat, That should give the Ydnship which makes us wondrous Kind," A' spirit of charity ju the broadest sense of the word Is essential to the peace of mind of nations today, It has been pushed into t background by the clash of cor troversy and feuds. week, bringing the suitable to Christmas, should enable men and women to' extricate that bedraggled figure and allow it, to) minister to their comfort, For untos there is kindness in the heart com fort cannot be securely sought, how-over brightly may burn the log-fire, however radiant the glow from the modern substitute for that symbol of Christmas cheer. Shanghai seldom needs special incitement to charitable thoughts, The Shanghailander gaily puts his hand in his pocket at the slightest hint, oven though it has Tost some of the silver lining in those cloudy days of depression, Thal depression hits the—charitable organization in two ways: it Increases the amount of relief required and it fonds to diminish resources on which the organization has learnt to rely for the sinews of the campaign, It might also be added that in hard Umes the competition of new—per~ haps just og desorving—charitles has to be encountered, Nevertheless Shanghai is prepared to face these aimeulties, For example, that long. standing Christmas appeal for the Rickshaw Mission has, without special commendation, started its annual lreulation with success and It may be. expected that, whatever con troversies have caught hold of the vlekshaw, itg puller and owner, the public will assist this Journal to make: the customary gesture of goodwill to some of the hardworking pullers who, in cold or heat, rain or sunshine, do their bit to solve the problem of transportation. Then there is. St Tichon's Orphanage—an institution of ess ancient growth but well-sponsored by on influential committee Who, {0 use General Macnaghten's words, are tmnxlous to ensure the Proper training and education of children who will be the Shanghal-Janders of to-morrow. "The im= portance of this effort cannot be Ignored: Ht has taken children off the streets and from places which could be dignified with the term "homes" to give them the chance which they ought to have by humanity's law. It be hoped that when Shangha'
making its plans for Christmas and adjusting that dimeult budget for entertainment and. presents, it will hot forget these and other oppor-Aunities of earning a happy Christmas by helping others less fortunate than themselves to benefit by the seasonable spirit of goodwill,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.