HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1971-12-22, Page 4oktrWAstitit:twootAIIONI:ig.000 0Nit*rsOilOpaMoRgroM, 1*:14.•C:RovV414?4igtisivfAIA',41 14tafAitNIII4tflOWti ?ti c*.kmOtR evAsivivgilgroAwAittNiv:instettv
DRAWN BY SCOTT FLEAR GRAND BEND PUBLIC SCHOOL
WisiNit540-14 411- ft •b%Ca•3kA. itL7.Cicia440•4140MAVAPpeZ;gi:$;:;,k54';:::,Vka•Wiz ,X:047$,kz0,ial:i2:3 %;zieaNizAti,lAiz;Nkas;71i«,Wr5 Nvslio
it
BY JUDY-17eJOISId -;GRANli—B616 li1Jl3Ll sait5oL
voikioicootohlow040.3000040.00.****0040.00. tot giet4A0**0.0Aitt(oregob, wiz Oitt rieta 'Ott Wig+
The ghosts of Christmas past
Looking forward to Christmas
has become something less than
unadulterated joy, The thrice-
blasted cards, the seven-times-
blasted tree with its inevitable
crooked stump, the ever-
increasing cost of gifts: these and
other aspects of the festive
season have turned the festive
part of it, at least into an exercise
of hectic futility.
I think many will agree when I
say that there's a huge sigh of
relief on Christmas night when
the last of the wrappings have
been put away, the last of the
dishes washed, and we can sit
back, look at the lights, and listen
to music. It's a lot easier on the
nerves to look back on Christ-
mases of the past. They were
probably just as frantic, but in
retrospect they have a sort of
rosy glow about them.
There's one that still causes me
a pang of remorse and shame.
My mother was making the usual
huge turkey dinner, with all it
entails. We were to eat about
four. Around two p.m. my kid
brother and I sneaked, yes,
sneaked off to the matinee. About
the same time, my older brother
and sister went for a long walk
with a friend. None of us got
home until about 5:30, and there
was Mom stuck with the ruins of
a magnificent dinner, on which
she had toiled for hours. She
didn't say anything, but I, for
one, felt like a rat.
I was about ten, and it was the
first time I ever realized- how
thoughtless and selfish kids can
be. Which reminds me that my
own two thoughtless, selfish
brats will be home this Christ-
mas. Hugh's a vegetarian and
will have his little bag of whole
brown rice. Kim's on some kind
of a crazy diet. By some strange
coincidence, the vegetarian
becomes a carnivore-and the diet
goes out the window, when
they're home. It's tempting to
think of making them a nice. nut
salad, and cooking a small duck
for their parents only.
Another Christmas I'll never
forget was that of 1944, deep in
the heart of Pomerania, behind
barbed wire. We didn't have to
worry about buying gifts, sending
cards or making long-distance
calls to relatives. Maybe that's
why it was so much fun. Not even
a tree to wrestle with. •
We exchanged gifts. I gave a
pair of gloves to one of the artists,
and he gave me a caricature of
myself. Someone else gave a
pack of smokes and received a
razor blade that had been used
only one week.
And there was the Christmas
dinner. We had saved every
scrap we could from the last of
the Red Cross parcels. We had
two tins of salmon with delicious
creamed sauce made from
powdered milk. There were
potatoes au gratin (we'd hung
onto a hunk of cheese.) And there
S0 YEARS AGO
Messrs. W. D. Sanders and E.
J. Shapton attended the U.F.O.
Conference in Toronto last week.'
On Saturday and Sunday this
district experienced a heavy rain
followed by a severe wind storm.
On Wednesday there was a heavy
snow storm.
John Hunkin gave a shooting
match last week. W. E. Sanders
and Mr. Hunkin were top shots
with 10 points each.
The new and modern homes
erected by Mr. C. B. Snell and
Mr. John Wood are nearing
completion.
25 YEARS AGO
After 21 years of service with
the Bell Telephone in Exeter, Mr.
George Lawson has retired and
the occasion was marked with a
banquet at the Central Hotel.
The first meeting in the new
Pentecostal church was held in
the basement which is now in use
for meetings. The meeting was in
charge of The Young People with
Norman Jolly of UWO as
speaker.
Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Sweitzer,
Shipka, were married Saturday,
December 21, in the United
Church parsonage at Fenwick.
Miss Marion Elliott has
completed her course as a nurse-
in-training at St. Joseph's
Hospital, London.
Seven extra employees have
been required to handle
Christmas mail at the local post.
office.
15 YEARS AGO
Rosemary Dobson, of Kirkton,
starred in SHDHS com-
mencement variety show
was that fantastic
cake ... crumbled Graham
crackers and mashed turnips
held together by a bit of marg,
with two melted chocolate bars
stirred in. It was cooked on top of
the stove and weighed about 18
pounds, one pound per man.
With dinner went kriegie brew.
We'd saved enough prunes and
sugar to make a potent potion
— Please turn to page 5
Thursday and Friday with her
dance, "Street Scene in Paris."
Yeggs made a determined,
but vain attempt to open a large
safe in the office of F.W. Hux-
table, early Friday morning.
The customary presentation of
Christmas gifts to the teacher
was omitted this year at the
SHDHS Christmas party.
Instead, money collected for that
purpose was forwarded to the
Hungarian Relief Campaign.
Members of the Walther
League of Zion Lutheran Chruch,
Dashwood, constructed a nativity
scene on the lawn of their church
last week.
Wolf Cubs of First Centralia
RCAF Seonee Park sang carols
at South Huron Hospital on
Friday evening.
10 YEARS AGO
Mr. & Mrs. Norman Norry who
have been caretakers of Exeter
Legion Flail since it was erected
10 years ago will retire at the end
of the year.
Mrs. Doug Parsons, Edward
Street, won the first prize of $200
in Exeter merchants' final
"Share Christmas" draw.
Runner up and winner of the $100
cash award was Miss Lily Greb,
also of town.
Paul Wilson, son of Mr. & Mrs.
Cecil Wilson was premier of
Ontario Older Boys' Parliament
staged at the theatre building at.
Middlesex College at the
University of Western Ontario
last week.
Exeter Legion distributed over
50 food parcels to families in• the
area during the yuletide season.
Parents packed Lucan arena to
sec the annual Public School
Christmas concert Friday night.
g ;gtTAVMIEZNRNRBMNSZWMMNMSEMEMPJZ.M::igitdkIVZMAMETAMgfNA:VZ:V,AqW:E3:*:
• Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924
Ittleereferimes-Alnicitafe
et:
SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND
g C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC
• Editor — Bill Batten — Advertising Manager
Assistant Editor — Ross Haugh
• Women's Editor — Gwyn Whilsmith
Published Each Thursday Morning
at Exeter, Ontario
Second Class Mail
Registration Number 0386
Paid in Advance Circulation,
September 30, 1970, 4,675
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $8.00 Per Year; USA 00.00
-P. sr
2 Phone 235.1331
In meditation of the Christ-child's birth, one is brought
face to face with the greatness and wonder of the God of
Heaven. Here we behold earth's greatest miracle, which fills
men's hearts with glory, joy and wonder. The apostle John
`describes this miracle, in declaring "The Word was made
flesh" (John 1:14). With amazement we behold the
Incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ — God, yet Man!
An old Latin inscription, found in. Asia Minor, reveals a very
Interesting witness of the Son of God to Himself declaring:
I am what I was — God
I was not what I am — Man
am now called both — God and Man
Indeed, the Son of God always has been, and is, and
always will be God; yet He willingly took on Humanity to
identify with us and finally to redeem us. For hundreds of
years, man had sought for a physical representation of God
on earth; then, suddenly He came, John declares, "And we
beheld — we have seen — our hands have handled of the Word
—" (John 1:14, I John 1:1). Now, all men can see, for God
came in the flesh, reconciling men unto Himself The prophet
Isaiah declared, "His name shall be called Wonderful".
' Indeed, there is no better name to describe the Christ.
He is this world's one great wonder, and beside Him there is
no other! None has ever matched His wonderful teaching. It
was so simple the common people heard Him gladly, and yet
so profound that no philosopher has ever sounded their
depths. Paul calls Him, "the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy
2:5). And yet, He is God of very God! Thomas cried unto
the Lord, "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).
Many unbelievers in Christianity have nevertheless
recognized the unique person of Jesus Christ. As examples,
Lord Byron, poet, affirmed, "If ever man was God, or God
was man, Jesus Christ is both"; J. J. Rousseau, atheist, stated,
"the life and death of Jesus were those of a God"; Napoleon
exclaimed, "I know men, and I tell you, Jesus was not a
man". Further, many others have heaped praise upon the Son
of God, including Shakespeare who wrote, "Jesus Christ, my
Saviour", and Daniel Webster who confessed, "I believe Jesus
Christ to be the Son of God".
The Bible itself is filled with praise for the Christ. Jesus
is called "God", "The Everlasting Father", "Lord",
"Jehovah", "Alpha and Omega", "The Word of God", and
"The Son of God". Yet, these truths must be made Personal
if they are to mean something to you and I today. Many
transformed lives of Christians are an eloquent and
ever-present testimony of the Person of Jesus Christ and His
influence on the nations down through the years.
Let's pause to relive that First Christmas. Hear the
angel's message of good tidings, "Unto you is born this day a
Saviour". Notice the clarity of expression. Indeed, the
Heavenly Father did send His only Begotten Son to be the
Saviour of the world. This virgin-barn Christ came to do what
we cannot do and what no one else can do for us — He came
to REDEEM us. Does not the Scriptures say "Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners"?
"Mild He lay His glory by, born that man no more may
die.
LIGHT and LIFE to all He brings, born with healing in
His wings."
Jesus came to give us pardon, peace, purity, power and
to bring us into the Paradise of Heaven. How Wonderful He
is, as our Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace! Prince, yet the Eternal King of Kings! His
throne a manger; His crown a wreath of thorns; His law —
love; His destiny — death; but a King who brings peace.
Consider Jesus, the Lamb of God, and yet the Great
Shepherd (Psalm 23). He is Emmanuel, God with us. In this
living Christ we have eternal life and hope, and the answer to
all our needs for spirit, soul and body. His birth, death,
resurrection and ascension to Glory was for our sake, that
where He is we may be also (John 14). Thus we can sing,
"Glory to God in the highest"!
Yes, in the sky there appeared a New Star that first
Christmas. Behold, the miracle of that moving Star! In a
manger in Bethlehem, another Star of matchless glory and
radiance, "the bright and morning Star — a light to lighten
the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel — the desire of
all nations". The Light of the world!
This glorious Incarnation of Christ marks a turning
point in human history. Here we have God the Father giving
the gift of His own Son because He loved us. Here we have
the Son, with no regard for His own concerns, but compelled
by a compassionate concern for our need, leaving Heaven's
glory and taking upon Himself the humiliation of the human
body, even the body of a baby. Yet, with all the glory
surrounding His Incarnation, we dare not pause at the cradle
to worship a baby newly born, nor do we bow before a babe
in His mother's arms, for Bethlehem's cradle is empty. He is
no longer the Baby Jesus. Bethlehem was only the vestibule
to the holy plan of redemption.
Further, we must not pause to worship the historic
Jesus of Nazareth as He walked among the children of men,
for His footsteps are not now heard in Judea. His holy, sinless
life became the prelude to the Cross that He might be the
spotless Lamb, to be slain for the sins of the people. Indeed,
the climax of our world's history and of God's dealing with
men took place at Calvary's cross where Christ, clothed with
human flesh, suffered the judgment of God against sin in the
sinner's place. He bore our sins. "in His own body on the
tree" (I Peter 2:24). He suffered "the just for the unjust, that
He might bring us to God" (I Peter 3:18). He poured out His
life that we might live.
But the Christ hanging on the cross is not our sole
object of worship, for He no longer hangs'under the blazing
sun of Golgotha. They took Him down and placed Him in a
tomb. We follow Him to the garden where He was buried, but
again we cannot find a place of worship there, for "He is
risen, He is not here" (Mark 16:6). And it is here that the
message needs to be learned. The open tomb became a'portal
through which He ascended into Heaven itself, there today
seated at the Father's right hand, as High Priest who "ever
liveth to make intercession for us" (Heb. 7:25). Here in
adoration we must worship Him, the Man in glory, in spirit
and in truth, for there is "one mediator between God and
man, the man Christ Jesus" (I Timothy 2:5). He chose to be
born in humility, that He might be exalted in due time as the
object of our worship (Philippians 2).
And, how best can we worship Him! By choosing this
crucified, resurrected and glorified Christ as your and my
personal Saviour and God. Those who choose to believe in
this matchless Christ will also be exalted one day into His
glorious presence in the heaven lies. This is what Christmas is
all about!
May the glory and glow of the true meaning of
Christmas encircle you as we once again stop in life's
busyness to honor the birth of our Saviour and Lord, and
give thanks to God for the priceless gift of His Son, Jesus
(John 3:16).
ekt ed e
ekleaM 44
By REV, AUSTIN GEDCKE, Pastor
' The Exeter Pentecostal Tabernacle