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The Clinton News Record, 1938-12-22, Page 7111I.11tS., DEC. 22, 1938 THE CLINTON NEWS RECORD PAGE 7, VallaM WAC-WIVAK-WliEglaP.7'.4041-01-P-:,-4100W' ',era • --,...a "ON GOING ROME FOR CHRISTMAS" He little knew the sorrow that was in his vacant chair; He !lever guessed they'd miss him, or he'd surely have been there; He couldn't see his mother, or the lump that filled her throat, Or the tears that started falling as she read his hasty note; And he couldn't see his father, sitting sorrowful and dumb, Or he never would have written that he thought he couldn't come. He little knew the gladness that_his pre.sence would have made' And the joy it would have given, or he never .would have stayed. He didn't know how hungry had the little mother grown. Once again to see her baby and •to claim him for her own. He didn't guess the meaning of his visit Christmas Day. Or he never would have, written that he couldn't get away, He couldn't see the fading of the cheeks that once were pink, And the silver in the tresses; and he didn't stop to think How the years are passing swiftly, and next Christmas it might be There would be no home to visit and no mother dear to see. He didn't think about it — I'll not say he didn't care, He was heedless and forgetful or he'd surely have been there. Are you going home for Christmas? Have you wyitten you'll be there? Going home to kiss the mother and to show herthatyou care? Going home to greet the father in a way to make him glad? If you're not I hope there'll never come a time you'll wish you had. Just sit down and write a letter—it will make their heart strings hum With a tune of perfect gladness -- if you tell them that you'll eome. —E. M. Cook. .A CHRISTMAS PRAYER If somewhere there should be a lonely heart today, Oh let Thy Shining Star, dear Lord, with guiding ray, Shine once again and show that lonely one to ine, So that, with all my friends, I may , not fail to see .• The one -who has no friend, no home, _ no loved ones dear, And may I, Lord to Buell a one draw very near With warmth of heart and gifts of love and kindliness, . And in spme way, though it be small,' bring happiness' e For oh, its Christinas time again) dear Lord, and I, Myself, would mole- enhatinv be if Some one whose heart. .3.,a tor Oh Guiding Star, show Inc the lonely ones, I pray!—Cora Baker Hall. AT CHRISTMAS TIME Every Christmas time I vow That next year I will he Much earlier with my shopping And have our. Christmas tree Set up and shining brightly With lovely coloured lights For benefit of people ' Walking by our place at nights. For we get so much pleasure At Christmas thne each year, In seeing other people's trees And gazing at the Clmistmas cheer. But its just the same old story Each years that rolls around, The last minute in a perfect whirl Of.trimming I'll be found. I wonder what it would be like • To have my shopping done Real early, every pm:eel wrapped, No extra thing to buy, not one. Should I perform this miracle, I shouldn't wonder that , Excitement would be lacking And my Christmas • Eve be flat. --Elizabeth Buchanan. A MODERN CHRISTNIAS HYMN :Where there are three men come to. gether To give their gifts in any weather, Then is Christmas being done To Every Mother, every Son. Wherever we make shift to keep A woman warm, a child asleep, If but one beam stretch over them. There and then stands Bethlehem!, Here in the towers of our pride Where still the Babylon abide. If one heart open just so far, It may admit the magic star. For the same planet that once shook Silver over the shepherd's crook— On every birth, on every dream, I On every vigil it will gleam. legieiv...V4-4w-a-04-wzmezicammrokr44-exotwakaing The Love of Christ iltiErElateilloalmillola In. the rush and et:infusion of to- day, if we would' only take a few minutes to go aside, asking the Lord for His presence with us, what a blessed flow of thought would come to our minds as we visualized the first Christmas. Anxiety must have been uppermost in the minds of Joseph and, Mary as they came to the Inn and found. that there was no. room for them there. Maryls thhe was drawing near and there was appprently no place for her to go. Joseph and Mary from prophesy, both knew that the child would be spared, but it was necessary that a resting plaCe be found ,immediately. This was Mary's first child and the anxiety as to her welfare must have been great. Ail last necessity' compelled the couple to take refuge in what was known as a stable. There the Sav- iour of the world was born. His first bed, a manger, was made by carp.enter, and His.last resting place on Earth, a Cross, was also con- structed by a carpenter, strange it seemed that during His life of Man- uel labor His work should be that of the same occupation. • Looking beyond the stable we find a company of shepherds, watching over their flocks by night. They-were about their usual business, but 'Were ready when the time came to serve the Lord. We, if we are in the line of work God would heve us to be, can always serve Him. The shepherds were in the field. 1Vhen Christ came, they were to be found in a place where He would want them to me. Are we always where we would want to be if Cheist came? In the instance of Mary and joseph we found anxiety, and we are told that the shepherds were sore afraid. The angel, whom the Lord had sent Veassured them by telling them "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people." Many times we can eecall instances, when we were in great trial and Jesus' scud to us "fear not," The same will apply to our future. It is a wonderful thought that the angel did not say "which shall be to the shepherds", but the message was to all people. That in- cludes you and it includes me and that brings us in line to enjoy the salvation, -which came to the world with the birth of Christ. "But this I know, He lives today As surely as of 'yore, For in this heart of thine He reigns A. King for evermore." -leleeleCeallatlelelalatalgtatalCarereteataleta teteglelateleepeteielealialaMelalelei=greletaleta The Christmas Spirit 02tDaataltiV2riX Contributed by Mrs. A. R. Parsons, Seaforth X=DarirratVENNXI Dikt2aratlaNDWIZIMOZMN-DraM-210b11 over where the young child was, and opening their treasures they offered ' unto him gifts,— gold, frankincense and myrrh." What loelced Up treas- ures of the heart our Lord's birthday calls forth! . For one day at least, we believe that the only happiness lies in making others happy. ,Tesus is . . the gift of God's love to manldnd, • and when even one sinner will receive • . Him there is joy in heaven. It is good that for even one day in the fe year the spirit should be let loose. Ft It keeps our hearts from petrifying; - it gives us an inkling of the spirit that should pervade all our days. The gifts of the wise men have a richer meaning than a mere lavishing of love. They speak of the homage and worship and the sorrow of the world; laid at the feet of Jesus. Gold is the tribute of a king. The Christ child is humanity's rightful king. All things are to be laid at His feet. All power and science and wealth, all are His by loyal right. Frankincense is an offering to God. Jesus is God The fleecy snowflakes have left incarnate. Incense is the symbol of the sky to cover the dark brown prayer and vows and aspirations and earth. All are fast asleep. The rosy all the sweetness of man's worship. glow of the fireplace falls on the All life today weuld be sweeter were brick squares, but they find no stock -I there a richer giving of the franldn- ing hanging there. There may be, cense of worship. And there was the ,mimy sounds to penetrate the still-; myrrh, the lurial Spice. Even in the nese of the night, but there are nobrightness of Jesus' birth there lay merry bells put into action by Santa's the shadow of death. The dark shad - !prancing reindeers. There are no ow of Herod, with Ids cunning mind sugar plums and sweets for these five arid murderous heart, flits through the Christmas story. ChriStrnas is not a stock event With name and date and fixed intent It is the giving you and me !Our childhood inunortality. —Joseph Auslanderr . "HOLY NIGHT" O light the Gkejstanas caaidles And ring the chiming bells; Come, shout the joyous tidings A Yuletide message tells; Glad tidings of redemption From. sorrow, pain and death; We'll fling the good news boldly On every pelsing breath. O let the Candles glowing , Againet the passing night And let the bells' quick music Our earth and Heaven unite; 'trail with angels singing, White great stare wheel arid shine We kneel in adoratioe Before a Child divine. O light the Christmas candles And chime the pealing. bells, To spread the goodwill greeting Their every clear note tells; We'll sing aloud, `Hosenna." Again and 'Yet again, "Hos nna th Hi test a s e g For ever more. Amen. THE FIRST GREAT CHRISTMAS DAY All hail aespicious inoria, oh holy dawn, The first great Christmas Day. Shepherds abiding with their flocks they heard Voices atigelic utter forth the word Where Christ the infant lay. LO, we have seen His star, •the wise men fiem afar Their trophies being. Treasuree,i of gold, of frankincense and myrrh Was a man, every whit. per To Christ the King. A child is born, a Sbn is given, To guide our footsteps on the way to Heaven. Hallowed the hearth, the family circle where His shrine they own, His name le breathed in prayer, And as the festive season holds its sway Remind me of the first great Christ - Mae day. —W. J. Player. • • ---Ann NI. Robinson. THE CHRISTMAS CHILD A. little Babe at Christmas came From God, a gift to all, To save a world from sin and shame, And lift us when we fall. His name shall be the Prince of Peace. And to a world of war He came to make all wars to cease, I And be the giddies Stu. , To lead us to the feet of God, That we might worship there And walk with Ilim the path He trod— , With Him life's hardens share. With song of "Peace upon the earth, Good -will to all the world," Angels of God announced His birth And Love's great flag unfurled. May we this happy Christinas tune Go with the wise men now, To worship aid bear gifts sublime, As we before Him bow, —C.N.NL, Ripley, Ont, A crowd is not necessary for the enjoyment of Christ's Word, in fact We need no one with us but Jesue, in order to be happy in Him. What a wonderful thing it must have been to the shepherds to hear the band of angels singing! We can iinagine the awe with which they listened and also the joy with.whith the angels sang. We should be just as joyful in spreading the good tid- ings, as the angele were in heralding the birth of the Messiah, The ameiety Of the shepherds was lost, in the joy of the angel band. 'Jesus was born into a, world of sin, idolatery and superstition, in order that these through, His sacri- ficial death on the 'cross might be removed. Alli our =eddy can. be changed into joy if we justAake the song . of the angel band into our hearts and try to live as His birth gave us a right to live, striving to pass on that jey . to those who per- haps do not know it as we do.. "Joy to the world, the Lord is come," so it might be said joy in 0111, ONVI1 in- He. elept in a manger, reflect' their ghostlike images on the shining mirror of white landscape. Mingling. with the Angels' Song and . the homage of the shepherds and the Wise Mn is' the bitter cry that will not be comfinted,, "Rachael weeping for her children,"_and in this cry we have the -whole secret of our Lord's coming. The bitternees of the world's tragedy touched the heart of God. In 44' the Christmas stories we only have pi the lovely details of the story as •• Jeeus himself told it later, "God so loved the world that he gave his only Begotten Son, that whosoever believ- eth in Him might not perish but have everlasting life." If we would know what clIpAstmas really is, we must present the Gold, and fran.eincense and myrrh of our lives unto Him; n,ay more than that, fI we must make our very hearts, "His "PEG" cradle and His shrine." sleeping youngsters, for they have 'never knovm. Christmas. Dawn breaks upon the world, and in an hour or so the house is full of busy people. • They are contented and satisfied, but merry notes. With deft fingers and this clay is the same as any other. a heart ovedlowing with joy. and ' This is a home where the Christmas mieehief he brings his swift reindeers spirit has never been. They have never to a halt. At the twinkling of an eye , known a meiry Christmas. Why do he has sprung out and with a bound we celebrate Christmas, I, wonder? .he is gone down the chimney. Five Let us leave this sordid atmosphere little red stockings are hung by the and return to our Christmas tine and ,chimney. Five little anxious children •ts merry making festivitios. Once are dreaming of this visit. Five again the time draws near when youngsters will be awake at early dawn. .Carefully he selects the toys Christmae keeps festival for the birth of Christ and once again, over and from Inc bag and puts each in its over, there will be told the simple ipleancte ffoorr ere tthem.issi etiogibl se, isllotaditessa,PtPrainnet-, and beautiful and mystical stories of n the Angels' Song nd the Shepherds handkerchiefs, books, toys, candies, a m Jam% and oranges ,everything which a child de- lights in. No sooner has dawn herald- IVlary adoring a little babe lying in a, mahger. These stories hold a per -1 ed in the new day than this cottage peeual fascination 'for the humeri lie filled with merry laughs and 000 heart, for instinctively we feel, some- tentment. All clay long these child- ' how or other ,that we ourselves are ren frolic about the house which 1. Jesus. The love of God and the hope is a home where the spirit of Christ - of the world are in 'these stories. Imes is a living Wonder, where Christ - Out of the East, the dark myst6r- mas is celebrated. This is the world I with a Christmas—Eventide and an ions Rag, teeming homeland of mate • ehasive rosy glow that tratsforms this humble dwelling, the rude wagons and worthy pioneers int a charming lyric of exquisite harmonies and sig- nificance. As the dawn foreshadows men's imperative need to labour to assure his security in old age, the Through the frosty air the jingling bells on Santa's sleigh vibrate their intimate' concerned in the birth of echoes with their joyous shouts. This kind, they came, following t e Star. 'Tradition has woven many beautiful stories about thent, but we really know nothing more than is given in 'the scieptures. To us they represent the seekers, the npble part of human- ity that has alwa-ys •been willing to ' make the adventure of faith and foil- eveningssoft light symbohzes our low the gleamAnd they who seek hope of happy rest as honest labours . the best with the whole heart will I deserved reward. in th,eir time find God. And lo, the I Thus eventide falls upon the world star which they saw int the East, went on December 24th just the same as before them, till it came and stood other twilights fell upon preceding I days. Within a lovely cottage the ex - comes, but also to i;e the means of Pectant children have nestled down to taking someone with us. Let us dis- it. the udmroswasnyd sonfoornS a notkao' os vdirseiati.nWoifthsollugta tribute the love of God, which is the are seeking. the earth to cover it real Christmas gift, to others. with a white blanket, for to IBarth Gave Hint No Welcome M Christmas, and all must be in readi- Earth gave him no welcome, ness. The starlit .sky is translucent INo shelter, no horie. and beaming. The tall giant trees diviclual lives because we have ellow- ed Jesus to be ' born in oue own hearts. I Jenny Liecl once gave a concert for the poor and the story carries its otvn message. Following the' eider-, tainment she counted and sealed up the money prepiratory to distribut- ing it among the needy, A clergy- man who saw her began to compd. inent her, but the noted singer said, "This is the onily return. I can make unto the good Lord for the gift which He „hasbestowed upon me, I look upon my talent as •something for which I am accountable th God, . I can repay HMI wily by serving the poor and suffering. The full joy Of the corning of Christ is net yet. Won't we accept Him, today, .use the. talents and the powers He has given us and be ready not only to go with Him. when He The Inn held no room; No bed but a, manger, No pillow, but hay, No friends but the oxen Who watched where He lay. To seelc and to rescue The dying and. lost, He came to save sinners At infinite cost; Despised and forsaken, Rejected was He— Earth gave Him no welcome But clerk calvary. Earth gave Him no welcome, No home, but e'er long Sins' night shall be ended And morn hailed with song; Then Earth shall not know Him Rejected again— In power and in glory, He cometh to reign."