"'Peace
on earth, good will to men.' These are hallowed words. Through ages
they have heartened and moved mankind, even though their message of
peace is far too often drowned by the strident voices of the fearful or
the arrogant, who fill our minds with doubt and pessimism. . . .
"The spirit of Christmas returns, yet again, to enable us to gain
understanding of each other; to help each other; to obey the elemental
precepts of justice; to practice good will toward all men of every
tongue and color and creed; to remember that we are all identical in our
aspirations for a peaceful, a decent, a rewarding life.
"In the warm glow of the Christmas tree, it is easy to say these things,
but when the trees come down and the lights are put away - as they
always are - then we have a true testing of the spirit. That testing
will be answered, throughout the year ahead, by the success each of us
experiences in keeping alive the inspiration and exultation of this
moment.We must proceed by faith, knowing the light of Christmas is
eternal, though we cannot always see it. We must believe that the truth
of Christmas is constant; that men can live together in peace as Lincoln
said, 'with charity for all, with firmness in the right.'" - President Dwight D. Eisenhower (in his Christmas Address to the People of the United States of America, 24 December 1956)
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