What is the theme of The Luck of Roaring Camp?

The theme or message of this story is that man is essentially good, needing only the right set of stimuli or circumstances to manifest this inner goodness. The miners' redemption stems from an immediate and innate connection they feel with the baby - one born not of a virgin, but of a prostitute. The commonness of the child's birth is meant to point us to redemption's common, not supernatural, roots. The baby serves as a counterpoint to, rather than the symbol of, a redeeming Christ child.