Dec. 24.
In a city the size of Shanghai there are bound {0 be innumerable problems relating fo the poor. Not all of them can be solved, but the fact that efforts are being made to do so by the people who make up the popula tion of the city and are not officially connected with any of the three municipal authorities in the area, speaks well for their social sense and their feelings of responsibility. The regrettable fact is that Shanghat, by yeason of its size, its economic problems, and its complicated political structure, provides fan excellent testing ground for schemes of improvement which may ultimately be adapted for use in the whole of China. For, a problem can be solved in Shanghai, the most dim cult centre of all, there should be ttle ditieulty in applying a similar solution to any other city in the republic. Already and with varying success, plans have been put into operation to combat some of the more obvious evils which aMict this city. A camp is to be formed for the beggars and destitute, under the control of the Salvation Army, which is doin an enormous amount of other good work to relieve suffering. There are various organizations to save the young from degenerating into a life of vice, and these are doing much in an unofficial capacity to ameliorate conditions. But the persons who devote their lives to organizing such institutions are the first to admit that they are touching only the fringe of the pro blem. For many reasons they can do nothing more.
In yesterday's columns there appeared a grim account of conditions among the poorer mothers of Shanghai and what is being done to save the children born in these destitute homes. The margin between existence and starvation in many of these homes is so narrow that it is not a question whether the family can afford to have children, but when ther the mother can afford to spare sufficient As these lines are read by many this morning, Scrooge will have dreamed his dream, reached his repentance, and come to realize the real spirit of Christmas, For this day will have come to Great Britain, and in many a humble house, many a richer dwell~ ing, and in millions of shelters Britons will have kept their vigil of Christmas Eve, It may have been to the wailing of sirens, the shrieking of bombs, the roar of antiaircraft guns, and the flashing of searchlights, strange accompaniments to the birthday of the Prince' of Peace, the great diapason of hate heralding in the anniversary of the birth of the preacher of love. It is not easy to write such an article as this. Long custom recalls all the old features of Christmas, of family gatherings, of happy feasting, of yule Joys, robins, holly' and those glorious services n church, when the songs of the ages Feemphasize the stories of Christendom and all that it has meant, and still means to mankind. Instead the world writhes in the horror which the spirit of evil has invented, Suffering, fear and hate abound. The light goodwill Mickers as if almost it would be extinguished, 'This day is an earnest that that will not occur. "The very fact that many millions of people throughout the world, even in those countries where the wicked' reign, will be bowing in spirit before the Babe cradled in @ manger is the best possible promise that the good shall not disappear from the earth, The light is still there. Dim though it may be, it beckons to men of goodwill, bidding them lift up rheic heatts, fearing nothing except that evil may prevail. The world is going through a period of great spiritual testing. It may be paying for the follies of the years which the locusts have eaten, but the good people will realize that the debt has to be paid in full before the score can be wiped clean, the old order changed, and the foundations laid for better things. For better things are ahead. As sure as the sun rises and sets, as surely as the verities of of former days shall "and, rising out of the despond mankind will yet have an opportunity of ordering the world a the Prince of Peace would have it.
It must be remembered that what is really occurring in the world at the present moment is an attempt to impose different values upon it, On the one side, there -are those who seek to reintroduce the spiritually bankrupt values of the Dark Ages. They are misguidmen misauiding their peoples. On the other, there are those who realize that the values, as they existed before this war came aMict mankind, will be no Tonger suitable, but that others will have to take their place in order {0 ensure that brave, fine world which alone can compensate humanity for ils present tribulation. The forces of the Prince of Light are arrayed against those of the Prince of Darkness. The former have all eventually won in the past, and wilt continue to do so now. The' way may. be hard. It may have to be passed along at the cost of blood, and sweat and tears, but the Children of Light know how to suffer in the knowledge that eventually they will prevail, This is not the only occasion on which Christianity has celebrated one of its major festivals under such conditions, It may not be the last. That rests upon the dispensation of Providence, This Christmas must, therefore, be one of faith. Faith not only in the truths which the Babe impersonates, but faith that Christianity will overcome: the works of the Devil and bring about his ulti mate annihilation, The forces of Antichrist have made a bold bid to shackle humanity with the bonds of evil, but even now they are gradually being shaken off, It may be that other Christmases will also have to be faced with faith as the only spiritual armour possible, If needs be they will, until the faithful, again marching towards the Jight, shall sing anew the glorious invitation of the "Adeste Fideles" (0 all the world to come to the Bethlehem of peace, of goodwill and of love. Today may not be as happy a Christ~ mas as could be desired, but it can be enjoyed, as it is hoped it will be, with the quiet certainty. that. the, good. shall, inevitably. proval
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.