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The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1972-12-21, Page 4''-%ii:i.$1,.a.suipiot:40.0244444lien,40AO ;$4.0.14'414:40414,10421::4wq0w4440.r,;w4•40,w. , T'01:01;•01-Wilt•C,lio•N;?,.v040.v.014.0404opro.v.:44470,-c**.ps.ilt.ty 141014 FAO-Virkr4a0M4WisaVizAka 4 2 ss 0 By REV, BARRY ROBINSON, Minister Thames Road - Elimville United. Churches Around the twenty-fourth of December there are people — and by no means the worst people — who do not allow uncontrolled emotion to well up within them. Instead they force themselves to the conclusion that the real message of Christmas doesn't concern them. The message that God became man, that the Word became flesh, and that their life's destiny is tied up with that babe of Bethlehem doesn't touch them at all. For there are always some people who are not afraid to be honest with themselves, people who take the message of Christmas seriously and who are wary lest hard and inexorable questions such as "What does it mean?" and "What about it?" be dissolved into nothingness by clouds of emotional steam. There are people who think, and who really want to know what there is to it. The unfortunate fact is that there are many such sincere persons who have concluded that the story of Christ's birth is simply a ragged legend of a far better day, gone by, a myth that was, perhaps, appropriate to people who lived centuries ago and which is still "nice" for little children, but which has little or no impact upon the day to day lives of men and women today. No Time For Legends There are conscientious persons who miss the miracle of the Christmas event and who fail to see the intent of God's great gift because of the unnecessary emphasis placed on the historical certainty of "Bethlehem" and the overbearing sentimentality with which we have surrounded the birth of Christ. Quite in keeping with our tendency to drift off nostalgically once a year to a fairy land of bright-coloured lights and happy childish song, to a dream world of Christmas trees, fairy princes, and to the cheerful laughter of a red-suited, white- bearded legend, we have also succeeded in reducing the dramatic event of God's coming to man to little more than a beautiful, quaint but fanciful myth. We cannot understand or we immediately become upset when some of the more realistic minds amongs us cannot seem to gulp down our dogmas, as prematurely as we do, without choking on them. However, we should listen to these voices of doubt and concern, for it just may be that we have failed to present the miracle of Christmas because of our sentimental proclivity for legends. Friends, my encounter with the living Christ and my understanding of Scripture tells me that Christmas is a which can only be known and fully appreciated by those who fall in love, a mystery about which we may endeavour to use words to express our joy and excitement, but a mystery have had it happen to them. experienced. It is a miracle in the order of when two people good thing that God has brought about for mankind which can never be adequately told or described, but simply miracle, not a legend. Christmas isa miracle — a wonderfully the only Son of God for you today. No one acquires this faith simply by ascribing to a denominational venture or by accepting a set of doctrines. You must experience the miracle does not mean simply believing that there is a God or being moved every year by the simplicity of a beautiful story. Faith means knowing that God is your God and that Jesus Christ is Of course it takes faith to see a miracle. That is, faith It Takes Faith of God's love in your own life. The Word must become flesh A Light in the Darkness and dwell in you. This too is nothing we accomplish, but is The author, John, in attempting to put into words the something which must happen in ,us. Christmas event of God's coming to man in Jesus Christ, put it this way: Love is from God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God, but the unloving know nothing The light shines on in the dark, and the darkness has of God. For God is love; and his love was disclosed to never mastered it. John 1: 5 (NEB) us in this, that he sent his only Son into the world to bring us life. 1 John 4: 7-9 Is this not what the miracle is: a light shining in the You and I are to let that costly, extravagant, forgiving, darkness, a light with nothing more to commend itself or to peacemaking, humble, unearthly love dwoll in us. It is not justify its existence than that it is there, shining in the just a question of doing what is charitable, but of being love. darkness? For those who try to forget the darkness at It is not our love that the world needs; it is God's love. Christmas, for those who pretend to ignore the sorrow that Friends,, Christmas is no time for legends, but it is a time envelopes the lives of us all, the darkness of fear and care and to witness to the great miracle God has brought about for us guilt in which we all sit, the beautiful legends and tinsel- in the gift of his Son. The miracle of Christmas is that the wrapped traditions of the festival make them cheerful only Word became flesh, that God came and lived in a certain man for a time in a light that is not God's light, but men's dreams. at a certain time and place and made a world of difference to The Christmas miracle is not just a bit of magic. It is not the people he encountered. a legend telling us that there is no strife and selfishness. The miracle of Christmas is that, despite all that the Christmas may indeed be the great delusion for some people, world is and we are at this very moment, God has loved the but the news of the Gospel is the message of a miracle — of a world and us so much that he has come to dwell among us in light shining in the darkness. order to call us back to him and to bring us to life again. The For what we see with some difficulty and with wonder miracle of Christmas is when the story becomes our story — is that the light simply shines in the darkness — that the love when we learn to love more fully by letting the God of love of God is so big that it gives itself in what is smallest, that the come more fully into our life. power of God is so mighty that it enters a feeble and despised The light IS shining in the darkness, and the darkness human being. God's love and his might are in his power to has never mastered it. We will find our way to that light and give himself, to become small, in order to draw near to him help others'to do the same when Christmas ceases to be those who are poor and needy. something that only happened long ago and becomes the That light is there shining in the darkness to tell us that reality of our life in Christ. God's great redeeming activity God has come into this world of ours to save us. The will come to fulfillment when Christmas becomes the miracle darkness around us is the darkness of the far country into that has happened in us. which we have each wandered and become lost. This world of oe:tv;tvrmtv.gavt.,.iwgrvrld Witivi!tt mittiz?.# tqAtIPA•WRII:V4r4MIM4414tsgedv?fertV.4.i tgto:RA OtAttergrAitsgtzfIttsgtitzNeioYdszV4 ?.tiv?..ed =rid WA izrAs oge4vgiertqti sFistc?.4i4M4ild al'gt:!.1412%,4 4064164M44.111 . 4 LlitettifttivistikiiftlifilloNits3,111MitsrAi OM fai'.4 loNlveg agf$.0.1;issgtitgN 0:4 0?.450,?,<WA ‘64: 0?.?.0 1*40Ktert:IIAMOi MtsiliOtil o4143Mia ittt'Ai MivrOatIrAl e.kttON OtiMaNitgt dl OW01 00 irgr #6 «. Al 41(1.t4 tv,y4 cmcm DRAWN BY CLAUDIA JACKSON, GRAND BEND PUBLIC SCHOOL ours has provided a manger and a cross to be the home of the Son of God. Yet even now the peace of God is proclaimed to us in the midst of war and human suffering. Even now the light breaks in upon the darkness of our own fears and confusion with the news that it can never be completely dark 'again for there is a companion in the dark valley and a light which shows us the way to go. The miracle is that there is a light in the darkness in which we may stand, a place in the darkness where God will meet us. And that light is Jesus Christ. fo, One of my wife's students brought in some old newspapers, and I found them fascinating. FOR GOD AND HOME AND NATIVE LAND VOTE OUT THE SALOON AND THE LIQUOR STORE Thus cried the Globe of Toronto on October 18, 1919. It had a, circulation of 86,547. It had 24 pages. Count the liquor ad- vertisements in your today's big city newspaper. Things were not so much dif- ferent sixty-two years ago, aside from the booze question. The Irish had two front-page stories. There was "nearly a settlement on the Irish problem". "Hands were extended but they never gripped"and the Sinn Fein , political prisoners were released from Mountjoy Prison as the out-come of their hunger strike. Like, what's new? START WAR ON DRUG TRAFFIC read another headline. There was to be a $1,000 fine for improper use of narcotics. Apparently the opponents of prohibition were scattering a leaflet purporting to show that since Ontario went dry "the use of drugs has increased to alar- ming proportions." But the only drugs they were concerned with were those oldies, opium, cocaine and morphine. Apparently our granddads were not acquainted with pot, hash, horse and speed. Or perhaps they didn't use slang terms. Anyway, what's new? Another headline stated: LITTLE FIGHT LEFT IN REDS, The whole article revealed that the revolution in Russia was just as good as over, and the "reds" had had it. I wonder if Stalin or Kruschev read that, and what they thought. There was an election on. The Globe, as it still does, tried to tell its readers how to vote. On page 1, there is a box, with a facsimile of the ballot, and the paper urges every reader to vote No to every question on the referendum. About booze, that is. , Every , story about the election is slanted toward the Tories, against the Liberals, and against booze. So, what's new, except the booze adverts? In a desperate four-column twenty-inch advert, the Liberals try to separate the political issues and the booze issues, Not a hope. What's new? Like what's new, Pussycat The rest of the front page could have been printed yesterday. Trouble all over the world. Gold- dust galore from the Yukon. Lloyd George carried to his university chair by students, led by a ragtime band (except that today he'd have been humiliated The Exeter High School Drama Club presented a three act comedy entitled "Miss Hen- derson's Gentleman Friend" in the opera House on Wednesday evening to a well filled house. Those taking part were Miss Dorothy Balkwill, Miss Helen Wethey, Geor. C. Hind, W. Borden Cunningham, Wm. L. Lawson, Maurice E. Ford, Edgar Thompson, T. Harry Seldon, and Miss Bertha Russell. The new Methodist Church at Crediton was opened and dedicated for worship this week. The former church was destroyed by fire on January 1. Mr. Cecil Johnston, who is a student at Toronto Medical is now spending the holidays with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Johnson, Messrs. Jas Walker, of Dental College and Bruce, of Toronto University and Miss Verna Walker, of London Normal are spending the holidays at their home in Exeter North, A Christmas cantata, "Under the Starlight" was presented by Centralia choir under the direction of Rev. Weir at the evening service. There was skating at the arena Saturday last for the youngsters. It was the first and only skating so far this season. Exeter Girl Guides carolled a number of streets on Monday evening. The Legion is urging all families to have a silent guest at their Christmas tables donating the value of the meal to CARE. Mr. and Mrs. John Perkins celebrated their diamond wed- ding anniversary on Sunday, December 14. • 25 Years Ago 50 Years Ago and led by a rock band). Somebody's wife, with a certain lack of novelty, had presented him with his third set of twins. And similar garbage. — Please turn to page 6 Children of Grand Bend United Church were thrilled last week to see Saint Nicholas at their Sunday School concert in his formal garments. The type he wore when he was Bishop of Mura in Lycia in the third cen- tury. A.J. Sweitzer has won first prize in the home decoration contest sponsored by Exeter Council. Other winners are J.W. Weber, and Allen Fraser. Led by past president Andy Bierling, Exeter Legions in- stallation team outlined the duties and accepted the pledges of the branch's new president, Graham Mason and the auxiliary officers under President Marion Frayne. Stanley Sauder was licenced as minister of Thames Road Mennonite Mission during a special service at the church Sunday. 10 Years Ago Main St. United Church Sunday School children dramatized, the Christmas welfare work they are doing during their annual yuletide program Wednesday. A play written by Mrs. Don Wilson, one of the teachers, described what was being provided a Korean boy by the Sunday • School's campaign to adopt him through a relief agency, The orchestra, glee clubs, drama club and dancers from a number of grades will entertain during SHDHS "Hi-Time" show Thursday and Friday nights. Town council has agreed to invest up to $3,000 in the development of low-lying parkland in the north east corner of Riverview Park. James A. Rader, son of Mrs. Jesse Rader, Hay has been awarded the Robert Stewart bursary, valued at $250 for study at OAC, Guelph. 15 Years Ago .11 • 4 , . Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Editor — Bill Batten — Advertising Manager Assistant Editor — Ross Haugh Women's Editor — Gwyn Whilsmith Phone 235.1331 SERVING CANADA'S BEST FARMLAND C.W.N.A., 0.W.N.A., CLASS 'A' and ABC totefeamesabuorate Published Each Thursday Morning at Exeter, Ontario SeCond Class Mail Registration Number 0384 Paid in Advance Circulation, March 31,1972,5,037 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada 58.00 Per Year; USA $10.00 DRAWN BY GARNET WILDE, GRAND BEND PUBLIC SCHOOL 040,1244AgiziWaPoriaWistAilWamrie:..44gagistaii0Mciagprk0444.0k454kalt>lizVilziriitsViks•PiimNia.saz.WiaP.414ktVallatriioAkt4iimPA0•5;44•Pg::44W4i0-WialOI04:iii:40:0Piks•Oik APat4ig4kati;i44iiitIlks,•:4140: