The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1958-12-23, Page 2The. Tin,es•Advecate, Poetis':bsr 23, 195S
Guest Editorial.
haft Does
...ristnnas
Mean
By REV, SAMUEL KERR
President, South Huron Ministerial Association
In thought we go back to a town in Galilee,
where two humble people lived, Joseph and Mary.
Augustus, in his gilded palace in Rome, had decreed
that a census should be taken throughout his vast'
empire. Joseph, in the line David, had to make the
journey to his ancestral seat in Bethlehem of Judea
in order to register. He was accompanied on this
journey by Mary his wife, being, as the New Testa-
ment says, "great with child."
When they reached Bethlehem. it was crowded
with people and Joseph could not find accommoda-
tion at the "inn". He took his wife to a cave or a
wayside shelter and there Jesus was born.
We have the lovely story of the message to
the shepherds by the angel and the angel choir, and
the journey of the shepherds to Bethlehem, where
they found the new-born child.
We have also the lovely story of the magi,
and their search which brought them to Jerusalem
and into the presence of the wicked king, Herod. He
wanted to destroy the Christ -child. The magi con-
tinued their search and arrived at Bethlehem where
they offered costly gifts too the child they sought. It
is all very lovely and appealing.
DARE WE STOP THERE?
Then, at Christmas -time, there are the human.
interest aspects to this lovely story. There are the
family gatherings around the Christmas trees and
the Christmas dinner, the lovely carols and the
creches and the spirit of the season. We live in a
severe world, and there are hardening ministries at
work in it. We have the dark and degrading ministry
of evil, the clash of ideologies and a rampant ma-
terialism that clatters its way on city street and
country road. At Christmas a lovely light seems to
break through all this darkness. Sentiment finds a
place in life and the spirit of goodwill is abroad,
We feel closer to what life should be like.
DARE WE STOP HERE? ,
The little child born in. Bethlehem belonged to
a race of people that had made an important contri.
bution to the highest life of mankind. In that line
are found prophets and psalmists, with their starch.
Lig and penetrating insights and all the moral thrust
that is in their writings. These men were in touch
with the beating heart of life and they had a word
from God for it,
Jesus, born as a child in Bethlehem, is called
in the New Testament, a prophet. He has been called
by people of his own race the greatest of all their
prophets, It ,is well for us to hear these men whose
-message comes ringing down the ages with its call
to Cod and sanity. Jesus is at the head of that
wonderful and inspired company.
•
DARE WE STOP THERE?
Philip, in the New Testamen, expresses a
deep cry in the heart of mankind—Let us see God
and then the heart will be at rest. The answer of
Jesus is gripping—"He that hath seen me hath seen
the Father", The Gospel of John is one of the world's
most wonderful books and the opening verses are a
key to the book as a whole. There we read that "the
word was made flesh", and that "the word was God."
The Apostle Paul, pondering the great mystery
of the Incarnation, wrote: "God was in Christ, re-
conciling the world to Himself." We are on very high
ground here as we think of Christmas and the child
born at Bethlehem and given the name Jesus. But
we dare not move to lower ground without betray-
ing the great message of the New Testament. It is
'from this vantage point that the, tremendous message
of Christmas is seen—a message of life if there ever
was one.
Let us sing then ut Christmas -time this great
message that centres in a little child, God's greatest
e'" to mankind and God Himself in that gift.
Christ, by highest heaven adores,
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!
man with men to dwell,
as
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Vie Cuter Trina0thbotate
Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 18111
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"All X ever hear is, Gimme, Gimme, Gimmel"
Sugar
AND
Spice
Dispensed By BILL SMILE?
'
On CChristmasEve,, when the
last gift has been wrapped, and
the last stocking filled to the
top, when the turkey is stuffed
and ready for the oven, and the
lights glow warmly in the green
of the Christmas tree, sit clown
for a minute, you Iucky people,
and think about Christmas.
,, *
pause for amnnc
moment-ou lucky
people, and give thanks that
you are celebrating Christmas in
your own home, with those who
belong to you, in the midst. of
peace, plenty and love.
Give a thought, however fleet-
ing, to the derelicts on this
blessed day.. The lone alcoholics
You're probably exhausted and who weep sentimental but real
irritable, after the scramble of tears, as they line up shakily for
the last few days, when there their Christmas dinner at the
simply didn't appear to be Mission or the Salvation Army.
enough hours in the day to do The lone, lost souls, by their
all the things that had to be thousands, in the mental institu-
done to prepare for the celebra- tions. All the poor devils of both
tion of Christmas. sexes, rich or poor, good or
< * evil, who are alone and lonely
Somebody else, almost 2,000 on this day.
year ago, was exhausted, too,
At the end of an arduous jour- I've spent some bad Christ-
ney, a man was frantically seek- mases myself, There was one of
ng shelter, on a black and hit- drear bleakness at an air force
ter winter night., in a miserable station in North Wales. A fog
little town in the middle east,
for himself and his' wife, who
was about to give birth to a
baby.
* * *
Before you turn out the lights
in your warm home and go up
to your warm bed, try to imag-
ine what is was like: the har-
rassed husband; the white-faced
wife; their unutterable weari-
ness and growing dismay; and
the rude solution that provided
the simple and beautiful story
that never grows old.
**
And when you come down on
Christmas morning and find the
kids happily smashing their toys,
I
{, nimni1 10,1n11Millnnnlntnpnnnnlnnlit,ns
News Of Your
LIBRARY
By MRS. J.M.S.
According to the new World.
Book Encyclopedia which...has.
has just been purchased for
your library end is now ready
for use, Americans have done
a lot for Saint Nick.
r
They have given him: a Heti~
name, a new face and figure
and a new means of transporta-
tion,
The original European version
of Saint Nick was a tall, angu-
lar man who rode on a bony,
gray mare. Both the horse and
Saint Nick looked as if they
hadn't had a good Meal in some
time. The Saint had deep sunken
eyes and wore a flowing, thread-
bare cloak and a black skullcap.
The early English settlers in
this country started giving Saint
Nicholas his "new look" The
English children adopted the
legendary Christmas figure from
the Dutch but they had trouble
pronouncing "Saint Nickolous".
Somehow the name changed to
"Santa Kalouf" and finally it
was corrupted to "Santa Claus,"
However• this was only the be-
ginning. In 1809 Washington Irv-
ing described Saint Nick as a
jolly fellow with a broad -brim-
med hat and huge breeches and
gave him a trim wagon 'that
floated over 'the house -tops.
A short time later Saint Nich-
olas' transformation was aided
by Clement Moore in his famous
Poem "The Visit from Saint
Nicholas" written in 1822,
Moore, * professor of Divinity
in a New York Theelegical
Seminary. gave Saint Nick a
P tele Turn To Page 6
as heavy as grease hung every-
where. it was bitter cold, There
was nowhere to go, nothing to
do, but gather in the mess and
huddle about the tiny fire. Most
of the types resorted to the bar,
and grew increasingly melan-
choly and sentimental, as they
dreamed aloud of other Christ-
mases: crisp white ones in Ca-
nada; hot, sunlit ones in Aus-
tralia; or cosy fireplaces, hot
toddy and plum duff on the be-
nighted• isle itself.
* * *
There was another, in a Ger-
man prison camp, when, after
the lights went out, we lit a
homemade lamp and lay in our `
bunks, looking at the tiny flame
and talking quietly, achingly, .of.
Christmas in Ottawa and Can-
berra, in Capetown and Aber-
deen, in Dublin and Warsaw.
* M *
And still another, a Christmas
of ghastly gaiety, soon after I
was married. A young wife,
newly with child, and myself
newly ,with a shadow on my
lung, about to be separated for
what I assured her was three
months, she sensed was six, I
expected to be nine, and turned
out to be a year.
• * *
Then there was the one, when
I was a kid, during the depres-
sion. My Dad had lost his busi-
nes, Things were grim. I was
12 or 33 and knew there was
famine in the land. But I still
hoped, as kids do, that there'd
be something special for Christ-
mas. Anyway, when I opened
my sin g 1 e, nicely - wrapped
Christmas present, and said
how a new suit of long under-
wear was just what I wanted,
my mother started to cry. 1
guess it was the look on my
face.
* * *
'But I'v e never been alone,
without friends or family, with-
out Jove, on Christmas Day, so
I don't regret the few forlorn
Christmases 'I've had, They serve
only to highlight the good ones,
and there have been many of
them. I remember singing
carols, five of us around the
piano, with the smell of roasting
turkey creeping in from the
kitchen. and my Dad booming
away like a bullfrog from his
chair in the background.
* tr *
And when we sing the same
carols now, around the piano,
and I see the two pairs of brown
eyes shining heavenward and
the little faces tilted, carolling
fervently, 1 am content and
grateful:
J�!Ftngs By JMS
A Better World
This is the season of the year when the message
-of the angels on that first Christmas morn "Peace on
Earth, Good Will To Men" is heard throughout the
world in sermon and song, and if civilization is to
advance, as advance it must or else go backwards, it
must be the underlying sentiments of all our. thoughts
and actions.
More and more consideration and action is being
exemplified throughout Western civilization for the
welfare of the underprivileged and the raising of
human standards. Without these all other evidences
of progress are vain. Words, without deeds, are but
empty symbols.
Should the angel choir again come to earth, what
would it witness and of what would it sing?
Would it be concerned with the skyrocketing of
a four -ton missile into orbit around the earth; or of
the guided missile, controlled in its flight to reach an
object hundreds of miles distant, bent only on
destruction?
Except in outward form, the world is much the.
same today as when the angels sang their message,
Boats move over the seas and under the seas much
more rapidly. Bands of steel and airborne palaces
carry traffic where once the ships of the desert moved
majestically, but the cry of the soul for peace, for
security and a happy hunting ground in the hereafter
has changed but little.
Material wealth may be a little more evenly
distributed. More time for leisure and pleasure is the
order of the day. But hearts become merry or broken
as when those wondrous visitors looked over
Bethlehem's plains.
Successful greed no longer commands respect.
Kings and rulers no longer have the power of life or
• death. Notice has been served upon mob rule and
mob violence, The idle and the profane command
the good will of no one, Self sacrifice on behalf of
the good of the race; achievement that means the
enlightened mind; the pure heart and the' name that
is above reproach are the watchwords of men who see
that goodness is the nature of things.
Christmas of 1958 comes upon a chastened
civilization. Storms have swept her coasts; swollen
rivers have left behind destruction and disaster;
earthquakes have troubled the earth; financial diffi-
culties have entered the humble cottage and
threatened the captains of industry, Rumors of war
ride on every wind and disturb the peace of mind as
modern inventions by sound and picture brim hourly
messages to an anxious world,
But Christmas comes, and with it the sound of
the angels, a song that rightly interpreted means "A
better world in which to live."
As we wish our readers a Merry Christmas, our
desire is that all of us may heed the message of the
angels and so order our lives that we may be found on
their side. As on the first Christmas, so in this
December, heaven calls upon then to believe in God's
good will and to love our neighbors as we love
ourselves,
As the
1"TIMES"
GoBy
:. -.' ..• :,:.•:inti N'e..rMm+ Y .;
50 YEARS AGO Thomas Collingwood, won first
Francis Davis Sr., Saints- prize—an English perambulator.
The business places irk Dash -
bury, spent Christmas with his wood will be closed every eve -
daughter, Mrs, W. J. Smyth. ning except Saturday during the
Mr. Davis has eaten his Christ- winter months.
mas dinner with his daughterOne of the finest musical pro -
for over 50 years. grams ever heard in Exeter was
Miss Pearl z of Alma put on Wednesday evening in
College, St. Thomas, is spending Main Street Church by the Caro -
the holidays at her home in ling Jubilee Singers.
Caro -
Zurich. Among the students from. Wes -
W. W. 'Taman ate his Christ- tern Ontario who are home for
mas dinner at his home in the holidays are: Messrs. Hugh
Blyth. Creech, Harry Jennings, Misses
Miss Laura Jeckell, Uxbridge, Helen Penhale, .Ruby Stone,
is spending the holidays at her Margaret Taman and Kathleen
home, London Read North. Wiseman,
Messrs, Thomas Case and R. 15 YEARS AGO
N. Taylor returned from' Tltes-
salonwhere they attended the A tribute to the citizens of Ex-
funeral of the late Ben ,Case, titer and the surrounding coin-
who was born on the home farm ]unity has been paid by County
near Exeter and had taught Constable John Ferguson of
school in Algoma district for town. He said "it was the best
30 years. Christmas I have experienced in.
Messrs., Thomas Hartnoll and 22 years. I stayed at home
George Blatchford., having par- Christmas Eve and all day
chased a hush property in Turn- Christmas expecting some, one
berry, left Tuesday with a view to call up butthere was not a
to starting a sawmill do the single call, It's the first time
property. that -I have not been called in
all those years,"
25 YEARS AGO Exeter has filled all offices
The ten -pound Christmas cake by acclamation. Reeve Tuckey,
even as a prize by Grant's Warden of the County -for the
Bakery was wen by E. Linden- Past year, has returned to of. of -
flee as reeve for the filth term.
An entire new slate of village Mr. and Mrs. S. ,7, V. Cana
trustees was elected at Zurich: have received word that their
Henry Eickmeier, Oscar Klopp son, Pte. Stewart Cann, was
and R. Stade. wounded in Italy ott December
The voting contest at W, S. 8 and died the same day,
Cole's DrugStoreclosed at 30 A fire in Huron Countv's sem-
pony. S a t u r d a y night. Little turY old jail at Goderich last
three -yeas -old Leona Alderson, week was extinguished before
granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs, , -- Please Turn To mage 6
*War rightt ftii•W d,
suppose lbok t•ldieuietts,"hut 1 WOULD like
iva.§liiftg vttr.el`tins—and-there's no het•nt ill ASt
,��N'Glrr
If- 6'
iii lost;, %tat helot. Ki Rdie ,tt. id's., World rftitit rt,trt ed',
g.pt zh . fa,ther:a ear', but It's sort of B package
�' deitt�'►
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.••-we, .. 4. -...1. UIM(G`.'xD,YMHNY.Y.
May ti+. heart-warming
Api.rit of Christmas shin•
upon you: throughout the year.
E. L. Chaffe
& Sons
R, R. 1 Centralia
PHONE 54$ EXETER
.1:4040.
�3�¢a
HOLIDAY
Ui ISH ES
Here's wishing you
a holiday season
aglow with all the
good things
that help to make
our lives brighter.
'MAW
le a lunartltlmlus w BANK. OF MONTREAL
Bolllineve4,4'4 9410 Mud
*1141
"'Arkin(' with Canadians to !vary walk of ills slava lOt!
Manager and Staff of Exeter Branch
.o each and every valued
friend, we wish good fortune
without end. Here's to your happiness, health
and good cheer, at this joyous season
and throughout the New Year. May your holiday
dime be merry and bright, and may
all your dearest wishes turn out just tight.
From Milt Robbins & Staff
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Please Nate
Our Store will be closed
horn New Year's tea a -
Monday, January 5
x
For Stock Taking
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