HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1956-12-24, Page 2IM* 1 The T1m*s>Advco*lih December 24, 1154 JpKmgs By J.M.S.
Editorials
This n»wsp«p*r b«li*v»$ th* rigtht *o exprm an opinion
in public contribute? to the progress of th« nation, and
that it must b* exorcised freely to preserve end improv*
democratic government.
A Bountiful Christmas
The Message
Of Christmas
REV. SAMUEL. ‘ KERR
Minister^ Cayen Presbyterian Church,
Exeter
Browning, in his poem, "Saul”,
deals with the sad state of Israel’s
first king. To an unbalanced mind he
brings, through David, the shepherd
lad, the healing ministry of music,
blear the end of the poem, David
assumes the role of a prophet, and he
says Saul’s greatest need is God. It is
not only God who cares for Saul but
One whom he can love also—a God
revealed in human form. We get these
gripping lines:
" ’Tis the weakness in strength, that I
cry for! Aly flesh that I seek
In the Godhead! I seek and I find it.
0 Saul, it shall be a face
A face like my face that receives
thee; a man like to me,
Tllou shalt love and be loved by, for
Over: A hand like this hand
Shall throw open the gates of new life
to then! See the Christ stand!”'
In the lovely poetry of the Christ-
mas message we have a star and the
mOh who followed it were students
Of the Starry universe. The light of
the Star led them to Him who is "the
light of the world”. The starry uni
verse speaks of a Power beyond our
minds to- measure. This vast universe
and the laws that govern it, cannot be
the product Of blind chance.
The first book of the Bible opens
With the words, "In the beginning,
God created the heaven and the
earth.” The Psalmist sings of "the
heavens that declare the glory of God
and the firmament that sheweth his
haiidywork.” The starry universe is
indeed an awe-inspiring spectacle. But
wh must get beyond power, even in
finite power, to meet our great human
heed.
In the Old Testament there is a
strong emphasis on the holiness of
God. We have Mt. Sinai with its
"thunders and lightnings and a thick
Cloud upon the mount,” and the voice
Of the trumpet exceeding loud; SO that
all people in the camp trembled.” The
One who spoke there was the Wholly
Other, far removed in His power and
holiness from human life, in its sin
and meed.
How striking is the contrast be
tween Mt. Sinai and Bethlehem. The
Law is the minister of death, and the
Gospel is the minister of life. The
apOStlO Paul in his Galatian letter says
"that by the works of the law no flesh
shall be justified.” We need more
than principles and ideals—abstrac
tions alone will not suffice. We need
What Browning speaks of in his "Saul”
**-"our flesh in the Godhead.”
How wonderful, then, is the mes
sage of Christmas! And how beautiful
is its imagery! The litle town in Gali
lee Where lived a man named Joseph
and a maiden named Mary. ’The mes
sage Of the angel to Mary. The
troubled mind of Joseph and then the
dream in which God says to this
humble man that he is not to fear to
take to himself Mary as his wife. Her
conception did not point to sin but to
the holy mission of God through her,
for the child she was to bear was to
bO called "Jesus” and "he would save
his people from their sins.”
On the throne of the great Bo
man Empi.rO at this time was August
us, a groat ruler and a master of state
craft. Every 14 years he took a census
pf the resources of his vast empire.
Joseph, because he was of the royal
lino of David, must repair to Bethle
hem, his ancestral seat, there to be
registered, With him he took Mary.
When they arrived in Bethlehem
they could find no suitable accomoda-
tirni. "There was no room in the inn.”
At least they were compelled to seek
Mieitor ill a cave where the animals
wore herded together or in a rude
wayside shelter, erected in the east
for the convenience of travellers, in
Which was an open court-yard for the
animals. In such a place Mary brought
forth her "first-born” child;
Thon we have the angel’s • mes
sage to the Shepherds—"Unto you is
born this day in the city of David, a
Saviour which is Christ the Lord,”
They wore to find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes and lying in a
maiigmv Thon wo have the song of
the angel choir. "Glory to God in the
highosty and on, earth peace, goodwill
to men.” When the heavenly music
had died away,, the shepherds made
haste in the direction of Bethlehem
and there they found Joseph .and Mary
and the babe cradled in a manger.
Then the magi who followed the
star—the mpwentattvde of the great
GeBtite world. Thir arrival in Jerusa- ' JiAfiiata .. ..
he that is born king of the Jews?”,
caused Herod a good many uneasy
thoughts. This cruel and unscrupulous
man decides to slay the Christ Child.
The Wise Men leave Jerusalem and
arrive in Bethlehem where they pre
sent gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh to the child.
It is all so lovely and so familiar.
We sing about it. We read the old
story anew. Our imaginations are
stirred by it and they linger around
it, and angel voices speak to.us too.
How tremendous is the message
of Christmas! That child born in
Bethlehem of Judea in the days of
Herod the king is none other than
the Land of Glory. That event,* inter
preted by what follows—the ministry,
the cross, the empty tomb, and the
character of Christ—becomes a focal
point in history.
Carnegie Simpson, in his book,
"The Fact of Christ”, begins chapter
two with these words: "Jesus Christ
is beyond all reasonable question the
greatest man who- ever lived. The
greatness of a man is to be estimated
by two things: first, by the extent of
his influence upon, mankind; and
secondly, for no one is great who is
not also good, by the purity and dig
nity of his character. Tried by both
these tests, Jesus is supreme among
men. He is at once the most influential
and the* best of mankind,”
Christmas also brings to the fore
the real tragedy of life—sin, "Thou
shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins,” The
Christian church has always believed
that the great Servant passage in
Isaiah, beginning at the end of chap
ter' 52 and running through all of 53;
has its richest fulfilment in Jesus of
Nazareth. "He was wounded for our
transgressions, bruised for our in
iquities, the chastisement of our peace
was upon him and with his stripes We
are healed.”
Christmas brings to the fore
God’s approach to this very great prob-.
lem. If confronts us with the soul-
searching truth that God, who is Love,
will take up into His ovVrt life the
greatest tragedy of man, and God will
find the answer to this tragedy, hot
by taking it Out of man, but out of
Himself, in a love that will make men’s
Sin its own and bear it, and by bear
ing it beai' it away.
* "Dear me, Dr. Duncan, ” (famil
iarly known as Robbie in Edinburgh)
said some people as the famous pro
fessor strode along Princess St., his
face' aglow, and smiling to himself,
and as he walked crocking his fingers,
"you must have good news today.”
"News.” replied Robbi Duncan,
"News—wonderful news—the best of
news! The blood of Jesus Christ still
cleanseth from all sin.”
It is this great Biblical truth of
Christ as the sin bearer who deals
with man's central problem that gives
to the Christmas message its great
appeal, and vitality. It is not a lovely
story from the long ago about a child
born in Bethlehem, that age after
age has a strong sentimental appeal.
Christmas confronts us with the tre
mendous truth that in this child God
will act to break the power of evil in
man and destroy the works of- the
devil. The apostle Paul can write—
"He hath made Him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in
Him.”
The mission on which this child
is embarking and which links Bethle
hem, with Calvary, is the creation of
a neW moral self in man that will re
flect in some measure the* goodness
of God. Christ was born in Bethlehem
that He might be born in us. It is
this great spiritual truth, so dynamic,
age after'age, that makes the Gospel
the most relevant of all messages.
Let us sing then at Christmas
time, with our lips and in our hearts.
Let us lift up our heads for God has
acted in history* and when He wpuld
speak His fullest word to the race. He
spoke it in a little child, over whose
coming the angels sang and to whose
cradle shepherds and wise men came.
The ages have come to that cradle for
that child’s flame is Jesus, out Env
matiuel.
"Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see!
Hail the Incarnate Deity!
Pleased as man with men to dwell,
......-mm.,Erdmann*!’*______ _______
The Tinies-Advocate-this week
exemplifies the spirit so preval
ent at this season of the year*
that of extending to one arid all
best wishes for a VERY MERRY
CHRISTMAS. For the first time
in its history has The Tinies-
Advocate been printed compara
tively free from .commercial
advertising and devoted almost
entirely to expressing the gospel
of “GOOD WILL TO ALL MEN.”
while the modern world is torn
with strife, and the threat of
war hangs heavily over the
heads. of all men, this is the
one season of the year when we
should lay aside our doubts anti
think not only of ourselves ami
our families, but share with
others not only of the blessings
that have been bestowed u&on
us> but also the spirit of kind
liness, gentleness, tolerance and
forgiveness..
From the short visit \vp paid
to several countries of Europe
we have learned that men and
women, boys and girls are the
same the world over, loving and
being loved, but unfortunately
all are not blessed with the same
means of opportunity or expres
sion.
We in Canada,, I believe, have...
more of the good things in life
than anyone else in the world,
for which we should be forever
grateful. Around the festive table
families and friends will be
united and enjoy the finest of
foods to be found anywhere.
Stockings, that hang from the.
the Christmas tree, will be load
ed and the presents will spill
over and, wrapped in fancy
trimmings, will nestle beneath
the tree. The troubles of the
world will be forgotten in the
ccstacy that prevails as children,
unwrao and fondle the presents
that Santa Claus and relatives •
have so lavishly* bestowed in
most families, but unfortunate
ly not in all.
On the other hand, in Canada
this Christmas will be hundreds
of refugees from war-torn Hun
gary, who likve arrived with
only the belongings they can
carry. Separated from loved
ones and fearful of what is in
store for them, thev face the
future with a 'new hope. Calls
have gone out for assistance to
help them become established m
a new land and also for relief
to be sent to the homeland.
RecentlyT heard a report of a'
family in Hungary that had not
had fire in their home for two
years, It seems
ible.
The hope for. the future of
those In foreign lands who do
not enjoy the blessings and the
necessities that we in Canada
enjoy lies in the acceptance of
the gospel of love and “Good.
Will to All Men”, which is the
spirit in which ah Christian na
tions will celebrate the birth of
the Christ Child, who came to
save man from his wickedness
and to teach us to love and
share with one another.
We can he proud of the posi
tion Canada has taken in en
deavoring to foster a better
understanding among the peoples
of the world. There are those
who can see a light breaking
through the darkness of the
present chaotic state in which
humanity lives today. We can
assist by being mindful of the
many who are less fortunate
than we, and express our grati
tude both in word and deed.
'SIDE CAR'
1(1
zJNews Of Your Library
By MRS J. M. 4,
almost incred-
For your holiday, reading we
would recommend
"Archibald Th* Arctic"
An autobiography by Archibald.
Fleming, sometimes called “The
Flying Bishop.” It is the adven
turous life story of the famous
Scotsman who dared the deso
late wastes of Baffin Land 'and
beyond, where no white man
had ever been, do bring Christ
ianity to the Eskimos.
OLD FLAME
-
15 YEARS AGO x50 YEARS AGO
Miss Merrill GOuld is home
from B.lyth, having completed
her duties as milliner ‘ for the
season.
Christmas was Quietly spent in
town. A shooting match took
place on the Gun Club’s ground?
in the afternoon.
• The bellringers of the Trivitt
Memorial Church were kindly
remembered at Christmas by
Mrs. A, Q. Bobier, who present
ed each with a fine large turkey..
The People < of St. Patrick's
C h U.r C h, Saintsbury, presented
the paslm1, Rev. G. W. Racey,
With 100 bushels of oats, -also
with a fur coat, as Christmas
gifts.
The sehobl concert at Creditor
,was held Oh Friday afternoon to
which parents and .friends were
invited. Mr. George Lawson .is
the teacher and was presented
with a suitcase. Mr, Lawson
ptaiis to continue his studies at
Lucan High School after
New Year.
25 YEARS AGO >
Mr. William Balkwill, Jr.
Main Street Sunday School
representing South Huron at
Boys1 Parliament being held in
Toronto this week.
The voting contest for two
large doll houses and 13 dolls
at W. S. Cole’s drug store closed
o'eioek Christmas eve. Josh
Wells won the first prize iiol!
house and the Willrs twins,
daughters of John Willis, town,
won the setond doll house. Doris
Pcnhaic won the third prize and
largest noil.
Misses Margaret Penhale, Iso*
bel Russell and Mr. Charles
Pearce, Normal School students
at London, spent the holidays at
their homes here,
Mr. Harry Cole, who is with
the Sonora Radio Co. in Toron
to, ts spending Christmas at hi#
PQN E. HIULIER
North End Supertest
(Day the joy end love
that glorified
the might of His birth
*hih£ in your heart
thl# ChHrtmai day,
arid all the day* to tome.
• He renounced a ca.reCr as a
successful naval architect and
lived and worked .among the
primitive people of Baffin Land
and the island's to the north of
Canada, about which Canadians
as a 'Whole know so little, He
travelled by boat through ice-
packed seas and trackless
wastes. His was not a stay of
only a year or even of ten, but
of a life time serving the Eski
mo. bringing them medicines,
building Schools and hospitals
and sharing their difficulties,
He was appointed Archdeacon
of the Arctic and was put in
charge of a bishopric covering
2,750,000, square miles and so
he became known as “Archibald
the Arctic.” •
"Never A Day Bright”
in “Never A Day So Bright”
Kate AilkOii recalls her Child
hood and youth as Katy Scott,
daughter of Robert Scott, a
country store-keeper in the vil*
lage of Bcbtoh, Ontario.
The Scott children numbered
five boys and two girls who did
the usual thihgs children enjoy
ed some so years ago: berry*
picking, hitching rides on farm*
ers* sleighs; .swimming in the
old swimming hole, putting on
concerts an the community hall,
playing pranks on Hallowe’en
and Sliding down hill in Winter.
The book’ sparkles with wit
and is filled with unforgettable
characters, which remind , us of
those we all have known ih out
own experience.
The writer, Kate Aitken, needs
no Introduction to Canadian read
ers; her popular broadcasts over
radio .are heard daily through
out the week, she acted, as wo*
meh’s Director of the cahadian
National Exhibition for la years.
This book is refreshing and
wholesome compared to many of
the present day novels.
Consult the librarian for other
bonks to road at Your Library.
ing school at Galt and spCht
the weekend at his-homo here.
Sgt. Pilot Ralph Delbrtdgo on
Friday graduated from No. b
service Flying Training School
at Summerside, P.E.L, and re
ceived his wings. No arrived
home Saturday on a two weeks’
furlough,
10 YEARS AGO
At the close of the council
meeting Monday evening, Reeve B, W. Tuckey was host to the
members of the council and the
officials at a chicken dinner at
Reiher's restaurant
The officers and directors of
the Exeter Agricultural Society
had a turkey banouct at the
Central Hotel last Friday eve
ning.
The student council of the Ex
eter High.School staged a dance
for the staff and students in the
Exeter Arena On Friday evening,
Sahta Claus appeared in Ex
eter on Saturday afternoon and
distributed apples ahd QfangcS.
He was drawn by a white horse
* I
Mr, and Mrs? W. A. Reaman
Of Barranca-Bermaja, Columbia,
South America, are visiting with
Mrs. Rfeaman's parents, Mr. and
Mrs. W. G. Mcdd.
Miss Beta Rowe, who has .been
teaching at Blind River, is
home for the holidays.
Pete. Gordon Bieber, of Camp
Borden, is spending Christmas
leave at his home ih Hay town
ship.
Trooper L, Wells and his bro
ther, Cpl. E. Wells, of London,
were home for the weekend.
LAC Bartie Motz on Friday
last graduated as a wireless ..... ..
operator from the RCAF train- in a decorated wagon.
MERRY MENAGERIE
I2‘24
'Wilt bi*nJy riwfottim
W<wlU Ri jhu XHirvid ■
beat Wishes to yOU
on thio
Happy Christmas Holiday.
Crocker
Refrigeration
Phone< 37-T-4) Dashwood
Our Sincere thanks and
biSt wishes for a happy holiday
to'out friends and patrons.
Just a friendly greeting to wish
you and yours all the joys of a
Merry Christmas ahd a New Year
full uf healthy and happy day#.
Canada Packers
Exoter
Men’s, and Boys’ Wear
Ford Fuels & Building Products
Phone 299 Exeter