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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1965-12-23, Page 2Cpn earth, peace, good will to all men. A joyful Christmas! A Christmas Message Rev. R. S. Hiltz The titles given to Christ indicate the purpose of His coming into the world. The early Christians found a description of the Christ in the writings of the prophet Isaiah. These words tell of the nature and works of Him who was to become man's Saviour. As ancient Israel looked forward to the promised Messiah, so each Christmas, men of good will hope and pray that the message of Christ will find fulfillment. These words from Isaiah (9:6) are closely re- lated to our Christmas thinking: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the ,government shall be upon His shoulders and his name shall be called, Wonderful Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, •the Prince of Peace." Let us meditate upon three of these titles, Wonderful, Counsellor, the Prince of Peace. Wonderful is a word that well expresses the regard of those who knew Christ on earth. His very presence brought a sense of wonder. We find this note of wonder in the birth stories of Luke and Matthew. Indeed, his life was lived out in a sense of wonder. "What manner of man is this?" Even in our day, the name of Jesus calls forth wonder, mys- tery, awe. We cannot understand Him fully. John's gospel speaks of Christ as the "Logos", a modern poet Sidney Lanier calls Him, "Thou Crystal Christ". But He is more than all these descriptions. "I stand all amazed at the love, Jesus, offers me, Confused at the grace that so fully He prof- fers me, I tremble to know that for me He was crucified, That for me a sinner, He suffered and bled and died." 0 it is wonderful that He should care for pe, Enough to die for me. 0 it is wonderful to me. This wonder of Jesus has captivated many young people and they lived their whole life in His service, Such a one is the late Albert Schweitzer, or Kagaw of Japan, or Dr. Carldon of Belgian Congo. Christmas brings the wonder of Jesus to a tired, busy and selfish world. The early Christians spoke of Jesus as their Counsellor, Guide or Saviour. It was a personal knowledge of Christ that they had, and this we need today, so we can sing, "He talked with me, and He walked with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share, as we tarry there, none other has ever known." Man's deepest concerns are within his own heart. Here he masters life or is de- feated by life's anxieties, It is the inner struggles which are the greatest. It is the set of the sail, and not the gale, which determines the way the ship shall go. If we are right at the centre, the circum- ferences of life will not bother us. Jesus came to be our Counsellor. Modern man needs counselling more than he ever did. Christ is your counsellor this Christmas. He is also the Prince of Peace. is not sought at the Council of the earth. His plan for world peace lies of God and every Christmas, men of and pray for peace in the world. This finds expression in the words of the Longfellow— `And in despair I bowed my head "There is no peace on earth," I said For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men.' Then pealed the bells more loud and deep God is not dead; nor doth He sleep The wrong shall fail The right prevail With peace on earth, goodwill to men. Our world still harbours hate, hate of people who are coloured, hate of political opponents, hate even in religion. Christmas comes again with the wish that hate be put away. A man once remarked that he found a method of doing away with his enemies. It was by turning them into friends. So Christ would do. Pray for your enemies, speak well Yet his advice Mighty of the in the purpose good will hope hope for peace American poet Sati104I y eaut Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 exeferZintes-Aburicafe SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND Member: C.W.N.A., O.W.N.A., C.C.N.R. and ABC PUBLISHERS: J. M. Southcott, R. M. Southcott EDITOR: Kenneth Kerr Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ont. Authorized as Second Class Mail, Post Office Dept, Ottawa, and for Payment of Postage in Cash Paid in Advance Circulation, September 30, 1965, 4,208 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada $4.00 Per Yeah; USA $s.00 Let us journey in spirit to the manger, that its message may inspire us anew. of those that despitefully use you, that you may glorify your Father which is in heaven. George Bernard Shaw was considered a critic of the church of his day. But he did say wisely, that he had never seen Christianity really at work. Then he added, "Why not give it a chance?" This is what we ask on Christmas 1965. ONE MAN'S OPINION by John C. Boyne Sensitive to Christmas 355 Main St. South Exeter 2-35-1990 41.%:440,040.5;iiie a TRAQUAIR HARDWARE PHONE 235-2511 EXETER WAWAWAW.A•WA'WA'WA•WAW.AWA•W.A'WAWA'WA'WA•WAWA'c:MWAWA'WAAMW4:Ve Christmas &reetin s We offer best wishes and sincere appreciation to all our friends on this Blessed Christmas. „Cee(4,W *BANK THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA ort WA ea<i WA WA WA WA t??,(0 tt%',e6V41414VAA'45•0:?4 {V$ t74iMtd tVd tz?45 sae WiVrAti Like jolly old Santa himself, we're full of good wishes for one and all for a holiday season that will long be remembered for its good cheer and happiness. A•'024 Niil 5)10 5A No 14:0 oyaa g441vi'eaFli;0 s4•40 SV.0 Oit)Vio N:tpilsw,134,4 40-44 Age-old yet ever-new is the tradition, of spreading Christmas cheer. In this spirit we extend our best wishes for your good health and happiness. #4110.1111.11N, Hopper-Hockey Furniture ENOMESIMIliSMil9ClitaW.M The Times-Advocate publishers, staff, cor- respondents and contributors trust that you and yours enjoy the full measure of Christ- mas blessings and that this year you may share in the joy and wonderment that befell the shepherds near Bethlehem when they received the news of the birth of the babe in a lowly manger. OLD 'TIME$' On July 14,1'789, Jean Lenoir, a cobbler living in an obscure street in Paris, wrote in his diary: "Nothing of importance happened today." Just a few blocks away was the Bastille and on that very day a mob had stormed it. They killed the troops, freed the pris- oners, destroyed the building and lit a fuse under the French Rev- olution which changed the face of France and influenced the history of the whole western world. The same sort of lack of sensi- tivity can afflict us during the Christmas season too. We can get so wrapped up in the routine de- tails and extra chores that noth- ing of importance happens to us. But our hearts and minds, our faith, hope and love can be re- newed at this season. The old message of "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good- will toward men" can still be meaningful. In fact though, peace seems to be the one thing missing in our frantic celebrations of Christ- Inas. But it is still available. On February 24, 1948 a most unusual operation took place in Ohio State's department of re- search surgery. A stoney sheath was removed from around the heart of one Harry Beshara who was 30. When he was a child he had been shot accidently by a playmate with a 22 rifle. The bullet had lodged in his heart but hadn't caused death. However, a lime deposit had begun to form over the protect- ive covering of the heart and was gradually strangling it. The oper- ation was a delicate one involv- ing separating the ribs and mov- ing the left lung to one side. Then the stoney coating was taken from the heart as an orange is peeled. As soon as the pressure was taken from the heart it responded by expanding and pumping norm- ally. That story is a significant par- able of life. Our figurative hearts, our souls, our minds develop a 50 YEARS AGO Whalen farmers are investing in new gasoline engines. John Foster has installed a Fairbanks & Morse, James Earl, a six horse power White, H. Millson, a Gil- son and John Hodgson, an Eaton, so there will be no more going to the mill through the cold and bad roads this winter. Lloyd Rivers visited his par- ents here for a few days. He has enlisted with the heavy artillery of Toronto for overseas service. ToM Sanders, who has been attending the College of Pharm- acy in Toronto, succeeded in passing his junior examinations with first class honors. 25 YEARS AGO Mr. Jake Sweitzer of Grand Bend is building a new house in Exeter and has moved temporar- ily there while finishing it. Mr. B. W. F. Beavers resigned as superintendent of Main Street Sunday School Monday night after serving 26 years in that capacity. Mr. J. J. Knight of London called on friends in Exeter on Saturday. He states there are a great many Changes since the day he was station master here. hard protective coating because of the accidents and incidents of life. They are coated because of a thousand deceits and rebuffs. They are hardened by the pres- sures of daily living. Almost inevitably we slowly but surely become smothered and insensi- tive to God and to the other persons around us. We gradually find it easier to snarl than to be kind. We find it easier to sneer than cheer. We find it easier to feather our own nests and forget about the needs of other people—'charge all the traffic will bear and let the devil take the hindmost' becomes a working philosophy. In short we come to find modi- fied war easier than peace, be- cause peace will demand some- thing from us. We find that it is easier to be self-satisfied and cynical than it is to really care. and so the conditions of peace remain absent from us and from our world. If we give our God a chance Christmas can start the surgery we all need at epe time or other. It reminds us of that Other Person who wants to come into our lives. He can bring an awareness of the unique value of others and in- deed of ourselves. The Christmas story reminds us that one baby, one coin, one sheep, one person is significant in the eyes of God. And so mass bombing, mass star- vation become abhorrent to us. As Paul Sherer once said: "We have been taught by some to see human life as a blob of proto- plasm, an itch on the epidermis of a pigmy planet, an accident of matter, the first cousin of an ape that learned how to shave. A man has a hard time thinking of him- self as he ought to think." If we are sensitive to the Coming of God in the Christ Child we can no longer see any person as a thing—and on that realization hangs the key to peace. On that sensitivity the future depends. 15 YEARS AGO At a luncheon served at the Ho- tel Clinton to Hereford breeders and their friends a cheque for $50 was presented to Bob Hern of Usborne who had the best Here- ford steer at the Royal. DashWood Businessmen's Club have purchased the property of the late Charles Guenther. Christmas carols were sung merrily at the Lions Club supper meeting at the Central Hotel Fri- day evening, Doug Knowles led the singing with Harold Sturgis at the piano. 10 YEARS AGO With the arrival of Santa last Friday RCAF Station Centralia began a week of festive parties. Every section on the station plans a party of their own during the week and the round of merry- making will be climaxed by a station party December 23. Fifty new Canadian families proudly Opened their first church hi their adopted land at a special service Friday night. The con- gregation of the Christian Re- formed Church turned out In full force to mark the completion of their house of worship.