Christmas
365
The youth should be treated very carefully. They should not be
left on Christmas to find their own amusement in vanity and pleasure
seeking, in amusements which will be detrimental to their spirituality.
Parents can control this matter by turning the minds and the offerings
of their children to God and His cause and the salvation of souls.
The desire for amusement, instead of being quenched and arbi-
trarily ruled down, should be controlled and directed by painstaking
effort upon the part of the parents. Their desire to make gifts may
be turned into pure and holy channels and made to result in good to
our fellow men by supplying the treasury in the great, grand work
for which Christ came into our world. Self-denial and self-sacrifice
marked His course of action. Let it mark ours who profess to love
Jesus because in Him is centered our hope of eternal life
The Interchange of Gifts as Tokens of Affection—The holiday
season is fast approaching with its interchange of gifts, and old and
young are intently studying what they can bestow upon their friends
as a token of affectionate remembrance. It is pleasant to receive a gift,
however small, from those we love. It is an assurance that we are not
[479]
forgotten, and seems to bind us to them a little closer....
It is right to bestow upon one another tokens of love and remem-
brance if we do not in this forget God, our best friend. We should
make our gifts such as will prove a real benefit to the receiver. I would
recommend such books as will be an aid in understanding the word of
God or that will increase our love for its precepts. Provide something
to be read during these long winter evenings
Books for Children Are Recommended—There are many who
have not books and publications upon present truth. Here is a large
field where money can be safely invested. There are large numbers of
little ones who should be supplied with reading. The Sunshine Series,
Golden Grains Series, Poems, Sabbath Readings, [
Note: reference
is made in this article to noncurrent publications. As the principles
set forth in this connection are applicable today, these specific refer-
ences are left in the article.
] etc., are all precious books and may be
introduced safely into every family. The many trifles usually spent on
2
Ibid
.
3
The Review and Herald, December 26, 1882
.