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The Clinton News Record, 1943-12-23, Page 6PAGE 6 THE WNT0N. NEWS -RECORD THURS, REC. 23, 1943; THE CHRISTMAS 'STAR Marion Franklin Hain in Boston Even- ing Transcript. O flaming star in that far darkness shining! Prophetic herald of the Christ - child's birth; Thy light was challenge to an age declining, And promise of 'a better, fairer earth. Above the crumbling power of em- pires dying; The gilded pomp of kings laid in the dust; , The ruthless, brutal might of war de- fying Thy light rebuked the world's con- suming fust. Through darkened centuries of sin and sorrow That heeded not the stricken peo- ple's moan, Thy,radiance still proclaimed •a glad to-inorrow, When Love and Peace should sit upon the throne. Our troubled world, still bound by brutish passions, Gropes blindly on its darkened, bloodstained way;• Anod still, above its sordid laws and fashions, Thy constant light foretells the fairer day. O star of lope, still in our 'darkness gleaning! Not vain the promise of the Christ- child's birth; Not futile all our hoping wild our dreaming—. His love and peace shall yet redeem the earth. V -z CATTLE IN THE STALL By Nina Moore Jamieson I hold no place of high import, Where roars the thronging mart— One df the little ones en earth I do my humble part. With fork and pail and stable broom As evening shadows fall In common tasks I tend for Him The cattle in the stall, I love the knotted dark along The heavy rough -beamed roof, The cleanly crackle of the straw, Beneath the shifted hoof; The woven chorus of content That drones from wall to wall — Because I love for His dear sake The cattle in the stall. For since of old a stable knew That wondrous Baby's birth, Methinks be loves the cattle best O1 all the beasts on earth. Their kind eyes gave him welcome there— They heard His first faint call— Oh, prpud am 1 to tend for Him The cattle in the stall! Now comes once more the glorious night, The Christmas of the year! They watch in reverence and awe The miracle draw near. The Child Divine is born again— His love is over all— It rests In benediction on The cattle in the stall! / HAS CHRISTMAS COME? Without, the air is crisp and keen, And now the round bright sun swings low. The stalwart trees are bare and clean Beneath our feet, the crunching snow. Within the homes, tho', all is bright With happy tasks the households hum, . The fire burns warm, the trees alight, For joyous Christmas -time has come. Without ,the wort dis dark and drear, And folk are hard, and greed is rife And many hearts are cold with fear, When all about seems storms and strife. Within your heart is Christmas there? ' And does His spirit fill your soul? Where Jesus is, all's bright and fair, His praises sing from pole to pole. Let Christ be born within your heart, The radiant star shine clear and bright, True joy and peace He will impart, Till all your life be glorious light. v Mary M. Forman A CIHRISTMAS WISH Puddings steaming, candles gleaming Branches weighted down. Christmas on the farms -'and ranches! Christmas in the town! Christmas on the mountain ridges! Christmas on the sea! May your Christmas Day be merry Wheresoe'er you be." The Babe AridHerod (By Rev.'Garland G. Burton). Heaven enters earth by way of cradles, Heaven lies about us in our infancy. In this Bethlehem manger lies alt the wonder, hope and regenerating forces that ever slumbered in any caadle,.n any land. This ?s God's world and there was. a birth, that changed history, and the shining of it will never fade away. There may be many days of moral darkness. Many ruthless Herods, may obstruct the advance of the Kingdom of God. There may be many silent years without a voice of authority; but Wise men are bringing gifts, and the angels are not quite out of hear- ingf. In the cradle is the Christ Child whose very' presence means the rising and falling of many in Israel. The glorious event was heraldedby angelic hosts of Heaven, who came through the cloven skies, and sang "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace,' good will toward men," The. Wise Men cause from the east, bringing their gifts, and asking "where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him." When Herod the King had heard these things, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. A note of joyous rapture re-echoed in the hearts of the Shepherds, and the Wise Men; but Herod was troub- led. Let us ask ourselves, why was Her- od troubled, and why could he not join in the search with rapture in 'his heart for the Christ Child? We learn from the ancient history that he was one of the most conspic- uous and interesting figures of his time. He had the qualities which might have made him a great man, if Ile had been able to curb his tendency to cruelty, He was clever, able but unscrupu- lous and ambitious. He knew well how to manage the Jews . As he grew older his cruelty and suspiciousness increased, and the mis- ery of his old •age seemed to be a judg- ment on the crimes of his life. He was a great builder of cities and important works. The Temple which took decades to reconstruct was be- gun in his reign and was not finished until the Romans were nearly at the gates of Jerusalem. When a. famine ravaged the coun- try he even stripped: the gold and sil- ver off his palace to buy corn for the hungry. Nevertheless through in- trigue and influence of his sister Sal- ome he became very much embittered against his own wife's family, : He had them all put to death, andcrown- ed his cruelty by ordering the execu- tion of his wife and her two sons. It is said that when he was about to die, he ordered the leading people to be placed in the hippodrome which he built, and the whole building to be set on fire, so that there would be lamentation and grief at his depar- ture. It is quite in keeping with his char- acter to slaughter the Innocents, if he had any idea that among them might be one who would rise as "King of the Jews." Herod's words to the Wise Men "to go search diligently for the young child • and when ye have found him bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also" sounds like a piece of subtle camouflage, de. signed to apprehend even a babe of whom it was said: "Born King of the trews." But the eastern strangers were not misled by such honeyed words from. the lips of such a notorious brutal monarch. Herod's only regret was that he could not there and then reach out his hand already stained with blood of lois own }sousehold, and seize the young child before he grew to manhood. No wonder he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him for God •010,j had spoken to all mankind and •was now about to speak to the Wise Men by warning them in a dream, not to return to Herod but to depart into their. country another way. Then Herod when he saw that he was mocked of the. Wise Men was ex- ceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in the coast thereof, from two years old and under, accord- ing to the time which he had diligent- lyenquired of the Wise Men. But the young child and his mother were taken to Egypt and were there until Herod's death. In each case of danger God had warned those responsible ibr the Child's suety in a dream; and so the Christ Child escaped the net set by Herod, No person brought Herod word of the whereabouts of Jesus. Words of Jesus to the world meant that he was come to save the people from their sins and to redeem Isis people Israel. Herod could never visualise the ages singing: Joy to the world the Lord is come, Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and Nature Sing: Much less the peoples of the earth to give forth the refrain: "He rules the earth with truth and grace, • And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness. And wonder's of His love. V Then let every heart keep Its Christmas within -- Christ's pity for sorrow, Christ's hatred of sin, Christ's care for the weakest, Christ's courage for right. Christ's dread of the darkness, Christ's love of the light— Everywhere—everywhere— Christmas tonight. —Phillips Brooks STIUIflUST "Our blessings are as the star -dust Strewn by the )rand of God." * Cluster of stars in a winter sky . s . shadows of dusk drifting into night .. . shimmer of snow in the starlight, on field and roadway and roof .. glow of lighted windows patterning the darkness ... and distant chimes trembling through the stillness. * Christmastide ... and the New Year beckoning ... a fitting season for quiet thought and thankfulness. * For peaceful days and quiet nights ... for homes secure and the laughter of little children .. , for food enough and to spasm ... for the right to live as free men Ii ve .. . Let us be grateful. * For the bounty of the harvest gath- ered in . for the fertility of our fields . , . for the rich resources of mine and forest and waterway . . . 'for the glorious strength of this, our Canada .. ,. Let tis give thanks. * Of all we have endured . , . the sacri- flees we have made ... of unaccustomed task and sterner effort . , . and of our high resolve that freedom shall forever live... Let us ' be proud. * In all we shall endeavour ... in all we must achieve , .. in journey through the' darker days that corse before the dawn .T.. in our unshaken faith in victory . . . Let us be unafraid. * high upon two thousand years ago, a Star led the Wise Men to the manger - throne at Bethlehem, there to hail the advent of the Prince of Peace. So may the steadfast stars inspire us to mightier effort and to greater sacrifice ... that evil may be overthrown and that the day may swiftly dawn "When war is not, and hate is dead, When nasions shall in consort tread The quiet ways of peace . " THE HYDRO -ELECTRIC POWER COMMISSION OF ONTARIO ar WHAT DO I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS? There's little for myself I want ex- cept the power of giving To those who want for everything. that makes life worth the living. I want a shining fairy plane, all packed with glittering playthings Bananas too, and oranges, and every - kind of gay things. To carry just, a touch of joy across the broad Atlantic To Iittle tear stained bogs and girls oris that too romantic? I want a great big Lancaster or bet- ter still, some ,clippers,, All loaded down with solid meat or tasty things like kippers Withsugar, tea, and marmalade, and biscuits, eheese''an•i salmon With cigarettes and books and games like checkers or bacicgammon; To bear to those " unlucky guys" whose parcels never reach them Some tokens clear they still have friends fresh faith and hope . to teach them. Yes, that's my want for Christmas- tide: no nee) to_mension otters; It's just the want that fill the hearts of scores of wives and mothers. —Adelaide Plmnptre. v CHRISTMAS BELLS Ring Christmas bells, in joy ring forth 'Till all the world shall know the spell. 0 honour Him, who came to earth; Ring out, ring out, the message tell! 'Tis Christmas tune, rejoice, rejoiee. Commemorate God's wondrous love, Benign His Reign—make HMI your choice, He'It guide unto the courts above Rejoice, rejoice, 'tis Christmas time; The very God came down to man, To teach mankind the way divine— Rejoice at this, His matchless plan. God gave a gift then pass it on. In tokens that will bring due joy. By love must this old world be won— This Christmas time your love em- ploy. O praise the Giver—you and me, His gretaest gift at wondrous cost. The eye of faith behold and see The manger, crown of thorns, the cross. Rejoice, snake this a happy day; Clinton town with gladness fill; E'en angels sang the glorious lay Of Peace on Earth, to men good will." V CHRISTMAS BELLS I heard the bells of Christmas day Their old familiar carol play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, goodwill to men. And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I salt!; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, goodwill to men!" Then pealed the bells more lout] and deep; "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace' on earth, goodwill to men!' v —Longfellow. THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS I question if Christmas can ever be "merry", Except to the heart of an innocent child. For when time has taught us the meaning of sorrow And sobered the spirits that once were so wild. When all the green graves that lie scattered behind us, Like milestones are marking the length of the way. And echoes of voices that no more shall greet us Have saddened the chines of the Bright Christmas Day. Hence, I shall not wish you tho old '"Merry Christmas," Since that is of shadowless child- hood a part, But one that is holy and happy and peaceful— The Spirit of Christmas deep down in your. heart. —Annie Johnston Flint.