People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 27-25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1896 — Christmas and Sentiment. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Christmas and Sentiment.

A, T A period like / \ tho present, when / jfc* \ tho commercial r ITO 4 \ SBir it prevails and \W I people are devoted ft 1w I to material interests almost to the M H, exclusion of everything else, they r—M are very liable to | relogate sentiment | into tho backLjjJ j... ground. TJiis tenIj dency is oven noticoablo in the u <*~r. , celebration of parly. tioular events, such as the birth

of Christ, when young and old are too generally inclined to regard tho observances characteristic of the occasion without thinking of their significance or the sentiment underlying them. If this decay of sentiment only affected the external aspects of our lives, our businoss, and the ordinary affairs and events of our everyday existence it wore a matter of no great importance, but when it adversely influences our views on religion, on society, art, the love of naturo, etc., we must admit that tho matter is one of grave importance. Religion is largely a matter of sentiment, and he who regards society merely from the standpoint of tho utilitarian, while ho may be a fairly good citizen, will most assuredly bo an unsympathetic, unsocial and not very amiablo man. Art, the love of natural beauty and thoso graces and elegancies which give such an ideal charm to life, aro almost exclusively dependent for their very existence upon sentiment. How sordid and moan would our lives bo if di vested Of nil those finer feelings, romantic notions and idealizations which keep alive the spiritual flaing within us? NTM.