South Lancaster Academy Fire
Let the resolves to do better, which this closing-year season will bring, deepen into great principles of God controlling heart and life. Where can more or better important religious instruction be found in any current religious issue of any paper in the United States than in this issue? We can not discriminate by naming particular ones. From first to last it is packed full of instruction, information, spiritual helpfulness. Other papers to come will be as full and better. Help us to push on the glad message. At about four o'clock on the morning of December 4, fire was discovered in the South Lancaster (Mass.) Academy building by a student who had arisen early. He immediately sounded the alarm and commenced playing on the flames a fire extinguisher that was conveniently provided for such emergencies. The fire company from the village soon arrived, and altho the fire was a very stubborn one, yet they succeeded in saving the building. Elder Farnsworth in writing us about it states that the loss will be considerable, but just how much he was not able to say when he wrote. The insurance adjuster gave prompt attention to the matter and assured the managers of the academy that they could go right ahead with the repairing of the damage as the loss would be settled right away. Already the work of clearing away the debris and the reconstruction is well under way. The school was discontinued for one day, and resumed again in the church building until the schoolhouse can be repaired. The South Lancaster Academy is one of our best schools, and has had a hard struggle for a number of years with financial problems. And while the insurance will help them out, yet there will be much loss above that, and those who have means with which they would like to assist a worthy educational enterprise could not do better than to send some of it to the academy. Notwithstanding the hard times which the financial panic has brought to thousands of working people, thrown out of employment, the old heathen celebration of December 25 will persist among Christians. Having settled the question, "What shall I give?" some days before, from various motives,—of giving because it is expected, because it is fashionable, to meet similar obligations from others, and because some one may be needy,—the other questions take possession, "What shall I get? What shall I have to eat? How can I have the best time?" And it is an undeniable fact, if we will look it in the face without flinching till we see it as it is, that at the bottom of the great mass of what is called "Christmas cheer" lies pure naturalism, fleshly desires, and the very essential motives of nature-worship—human selfishness. Even so did the ancient heathen. The old Roman Saturnalia was a midwinter feast, ending December 25. In the feast people ate and drank to excess, sent presents one to another, and had generally "a jolly good time." We call it all Christian, but how much,—honestly, now!—of the real Christianity of Christ is there in the greater part of it, for instance, the selfish, costly presents, the feasting and drunkenness, the song and revel? Thank God, there is a Christian spirit in many hearts which even despite the old Saturnalian revels finds joy in helping others who need help on the so-called day of the Nativity. Of course it isn't the birthday of Jesus, but work done for Christ in Christ's spirit is ever acceptable. So we plead with our readers to use the day as Christ would have them. Remember the poor, the needy, the discouraged. Be temperate, sober, happy, and serve Him with a joy not necessary to be given birth to by a roast goose or duck or to be nourished by a Christmas tree or a plum pudding. There is a joy deeper and fuller than all these can give or affect.