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The Seaforth News, 1928-12-20, Page 6Queer Christman Gifts "Didn't they use to tell us, Ann," said Mrs: Peters, "that in China peo- p1e' paint't'lieir coffins pink and blue and pea green and yellow, and keep 'em in the front parlor to took at till they're wanted? Seems to me I re- member something of the sort." "So do I," assented Aun Tenney. "They make one another presents of 'em, too. "Tisn't likely a person would forget such an enlivening little fact, once they knew it. That mis- sionary doctor told us. But why do you ask, Lydia?" "Because I've Just been out to the Twiggses'. It's so far that folks don'.t get round touch after snow flies, and Mrs. Twiggy said that there hadn't a soul been in since 'Christmas; my, they were glad to see me. They showed me their presents, and all talked at once, except I noticed that Gian'titer Twiggy seemed a mite out of it, He's pretty deaf now; so I yell- ed nt hint, 'Have a pleasant Christ - mac, gran'ther?' -1-Tey?' says gran'ther: 'Ch, yes, Yes! Fine Christmas; and the folks gave me the best present of all.' "'That's nice; says I; `aren't you going to show it to me, grau'ther?' "'Hey?' says he, 'Show it to you? Well, now, LyddY, sorry to disobleege a lady, but it ain't possible. Not to- day; mebbe not till spring. Ye see, Lyddy, it's up to the cemetery " Ann gasped. "Lydia! They couldn't have-" "It isn't Just for gran'ther, Ann; at least it has the saving grace of being a family monument, I understand." "But his name will go on it first. Awful! How could they?" "I'd have said awful, too, if I hadn't heard gran'ther chuckle. Seems they got it set up two or three weeks be- forehand and took him over in a sleigh for his ftrst view Christmas morning. Pie's as pleased as Punch!" "I wonder," mused Ann, "did they tab it with 'A Merry Christmas'?" Lydia laughed. "It doesn't sound exactly Christmasy, does it? Well, there are plenty of queer folks in the world, and I s'pose it's natural enough some of the queerness should show up Christmas time. The Twigges aren't the only ones. There was Henry Brimble giving Louisa arch support- -"- ers. Considering it was waiting on Seim that broke her arches, it does seem that she was entitled to 'em for plain everyday, without having to wait till Christmas. And Maria Teeby; you remember the year the Teebys gave her the opportunity of having her appendix out at the hospi- tal? And Myra Pressey who sent lit- tle Mymie to the dentist to have her front teeth straightened; and-" "Mean dodges, I call 'em all," inter- rupted Ann with Pirit. "Oh. well, I don't know's I'd say exactly that -"began Mrs. Peters. "Maybe not; maybe not," conceded Ann with a tolerant twinkle. "There are two sides to every question, of course. Well, Lydia, you may give me a coffin for my present next year, if you're positively pining to; all is, be sure it's a nice, bright red one with plenty of gold dragons and butterdes and things on it to look real gay and Christmasy_" A CHRISTMAS PRAYER Christmas; Old bells ring new, and one bright star Shines with a tender, lovely light - Far shepeerds dream on Bethlehem's bills, It is again the magic night, Same told "Anlll=n1) SAnta Papa Acether Viait to, the Children ;ey Ste, nee eieSt'es es `n' sees.. '' a� i+ ee ewes_ - .I za- e. - 1)'t 'i 'ate= �,.� y .., ��.: srr, / Christmas IF all the bells of Christmas Should ring in one wild chime They could not tell thy joy, 0 World, At this exultant time. And if the hosts of heaven- And eavenAnd all the sons of earth Cried jubilantly in one voice The news of Jesus'birth. Their peans could not even then Reveal the smallest part Of the swift joy that hidden lies In one thrice -humble heart. Strange that one simple story Should rush across the years, And blind us with its glory And hush our deepest fears! -Charles Hanson Towne. Christmas: O blessed God who gave Thyself, Let all hearts rise in gratitude- Grant each may feel that splendid love That glorifies the Christmas mood. -George Elliston. A woman would sooner wear a new hat that doesn't suit her than an old hat that does, Sunday School Less©n i December 23. Lesson XII - Pant's Sometimes the pastor must reprove Last Message -2 Tim. 4: 1.8, .18.18• those who do wrong, or he must re- II. TEE DIVINE PR001000R, 16-18, Golden Text -I have fought a good Ibuke or again he must encourage, but V. 16. This verse reveals the sever - ANALYSIS 1 have finished my course, ! also with nand and patience and with 1 . have kept the faith. -2. Tim. 4. 7• a careful use of knowledge. Patience ,1. of Paul's ordeal. Tho first answer ANALYSIS rs probably the first part of this pre - V. 2. The varied duties of the pas - Round the Christmas Tree Feast, of Lights There are many popular institatione which, if store necessity collipelled* we could do without, But Christmas is net anieflg theta! The festival has not always been observed on Docentber 25th.. Onceit Penned tlzet,Chri stmas would be ince Boater+ -tea movableinstitution, tor there aro refcrencee to, it having'lleon held in April, June,, and July, • Toward the end of the first eontnry, however, the early-' Christiithe began to set aside a dedniteday for the ob- '- servaime .of the birthday of Christ, but 'there was not complete itnanlmity ss to the date. The 1reportant.Chureh- ' ------"— es of l!;rypt, 'alertino, ,Terusalem, An- popular decorations. The faces may tlooh, ete„ chore JenuOry Gib, winces be made 00 dainty or grotesque as you, treditcon had handed down as being please, and leen frills .of crepe'F0Per Christ's birthday. Tint the Western, may be tied securely around the sticks or Carnneen,. Church dectared 1)e",en, for petticoats. Little drosses of or- bur 251-h to he theproper date, end gandie or crepe paper are placed over the Pope, In A-D.;lei, ordered,lh:zt these with the sleeves stuffed with the day should henceforth be observed cotton; or they may be dressed to re- aa' a soloiun fenet, 1 present little ,Katt Riding Flood anti I : Christmas in January. other characters. I It was really ".alemn;' Coo, for 11 " Tion .Chore, aro the stick -candy was .many centuries before Cbristntas Maidens with marshmali0 , Beetle that became a time of joyousness, Dee. pito tine Pope's order, it was not until may then be put on with. coloring will delight the children. -Features A.D. 424 that Christendom. -with the Pastes or melted chocolate. Gay exception of uio.Armenian Christiana, capes mar who Still observe Chri'tmas on Jean- ' trope Paper bonnets and give them a smart look. asy Gth-cares into line, and Decem bet- ;25th was adopted for Christmas, G)ngerCake Santa Claus. In regard to the cookies, those That date is not now claimed as being Which are star shaped or ring shaped the actual birthday of Christ. should be used. Ice the cookies with Tee latest researches of scholars orange icing; or sprinkle thorn over seem to indicate that He wag corn on with reel sugar. The rings may ee January lltli, and thus the Mestere Churches, lu their first choice of Janie decorated with gayly tinted frostings, and email candies and citron arranged am, nth, wore nearer the date than to represent holly wreaths. The old -the one which the more 'Powerful fashioned gingerbread dells must also Western Church pressed on them tor be provided with. currant or raisin acceptance. But as Christmas cora- eyes and month, roommates an historical fact more Have the tinsmith make you a San., than a (lata it does not really matter. to Claus cutter, and cut a number of December 25th has had many names 3o1Jy fat Santa Clauses out of the gin- and the ono which, hia sense, is the ger-cake dough. P0610 a large Santa least fitting, is iliac with which we.008 • most familiar -"Christmas," 10 short! Clans band sticker on waxed paper and press into dough for the face. fisc A mediaeval scribe in a hurry was re - white icing to represent the for cuffs, sponaiblo for the word "Christmas." coat and boot tops, sprinkled over The incorrect pronunciation came. with coconut. Little red candies may aims gr -ideally. Copying an old ec• be used for buttons and belt;" and clesiastical calendar., ho abbreviated melted chocolate for making boots. the entry on December 25th from Gilded English walnuts with one "Christe'S Masse" -the hitter word end pried open and a knotted thread meant 'Service' - to "CUrlstemas." slipped in securely are nice. Dolls "Micbaeitpas" arose in the same fns• made of raisins, prunes and marsh- hien-from "St: Michael's Masse," mallows will please the children. Use "pay of the Manger." Well -washed raisins for the legs and The oldest name for Christmas is arms, stringing them on toothpicks. "The Feast of Lights' -a reference Stick the sharp points into the prune either to the lights in the heavens body and attach a round marshmallow when Christ was horn of that He was for a head by means of a toothpicks. the Tight of the World. "Thes Festival Bits of candied cherry or clpves may of the Nativity" is the next oldest mark the features: name, and Is followed by "The Feast Just a word iu regard to lights for of the Incarnation." A quaint name, the tree. If one has electricity in the found in old carols, Is "Goddess home there is no 10100 satisfactory Daye„ "The Day of the Manager" is little fingers, using only the firm bee - By Maiy Mason Wright ri Nearly all the holiday festivities, nowadays, circle round the Christmas tree, especially if there are children in the family; and even in school, church or community affairs the tree usually is the center of attraction for pall I am an ardent advocate Tasks That Children Love. way o4 lighting up the tree than by another. "Yule" is a name borrowed Besides the chains, the pop corn has the tiny colored globes. If candles see from a pagan feast meld on December many other possibilities. For instance used one must be very careful, es- 22nd to celebrate the passing of the popcorn balls decorated held in place aboutinged . Plaeye it th ghtsre are malte all children veri good shortest day -December 21st. An old belts of red crepe pap Irish name was "The Glory Day'' -a by a Christmas sticker matte delight- ;light; the globe part may be covered reference, possibly to the song of the all, d to ful edible decorations.. Tlie numerous 1 with colored crepe paper and the body angels- "In exeels10 gloria." Another Perso Y and then tied fourteenth -century a col name: was her of letting the children help to make designs that nougat arealmostend-; securely to the body of the tree or on Goode Day." In Bavaria Christmas the decorations for the tree, since pop corn an woAlled "The aar Day." But osf me of ild most clusterpreus nthe lass, is to fol with attractive little inner branches. was asis&Ilea 'has Whiteensto the iBut of my childhood round the baskets Stars, hold small candies or nut ® �� Berry 1�3 le - place; and sthas those u to the fed1 time spent with my sisters and broth- me tie • all cbe'formedtn�bylusing And that although the Prayer Book. - s t" 7tar er ' ers in making the tree trimmings, and boa helping to trim it as well. It is always well to plan a scheme of decoration for the tree so that there may be no crude color combinations that -would detract from White, scarlet, gold and silver, are all! effective against the beep green of foundation, after giving two tits 25th, adds, "commonly called Christ- mas Day,'! ;crab waxed -Paper patterns as a- which can be easily removed. Mold the baskets in neat rows by means of a Little nougat, fastening the • •• its beauty. handle in Placa after the body of the the tree. ' Arrange a table around which the coral office are mentioned. First come children can work, and place on it preaching, to which Paul gave much crepe paper, cardboard, scissors, pic- weight. In 1 Corinthians he says that ture wire, tin foil, gilt paper, sewing the Lord has 'sent him to preach. "Be materials and paste. As we all know, instant in season, •out of season." This pop corn on thread makes nice Irefers to the whole work of the even- chains to 4strung estoon over the branches, gelist which must be exercised at all'and this is work little hands can do. (times, There is no particular season I Cranberries may also be strung by I. TUE LAST APPEAL, 1-8. II. THE DIVINE PROTECTOR, 16-18. INTRonVOTION-Several years have passed since Paul wrote the letter to 11 kinds of false doctrines d th' I v 11 he says that Luke 1 and pass the en Philemon which was studied las They were setting forth wrong views 0th him and one cannot on through the Point of and prudence are great pastoraltsent trial. It does not refer back o graces. the first imprisonment several years V. 3. The great danger to the cause earlier. Tri this last trial there was of Christ seemed to be the appearance ! no one to stand by his side. "All Wren of false teachers who were spreading forsook me." It is not easy to under - basket is finished, and comp them with a sprig of holly and a ,Children can form wonderful deeora- S Jaunty bow of scarlet ribbon. tive trimmings out of a few sheets of Raper and some ma cord tin foil gilt a1) d $ - board. The shapes • of five -pointed stars, crescents and other designs are cut out of the cardboard and then covered with the tin foil, or gilt paper is pasted on. Black or green thread may be fastened to one of the tips or nd the stars and crescen-- -_ from the branches. Delightful little ! bells may be formed by cutting card board into circles and then cutting them into halves, each half making a bell by forming them into cones and Pasting the edges together. They may be covered with rod crepe or sil- ver or gold paper, Place a knot in a bit of red yarn, string on a cranberry As far back as the fifth century .Christians invested holly branches with -a symbolism that helped to keep sacred memories alive. The crimson barrios symbolized the blood shed on Calvary by the Founder of the Chris- tian religion; the prickly leaves held remembrance of the Grown of Thorns, and the bitterness of- the holly bark was symbolic of the draught of which Christ partook while hanging on the Cross. - Once, in fact, there was a custom of making a decoction from the bark, and drinking it in the midst of the Christmas celebrations, so that -in ' the words of au old writer -"Ye shall not forget the Cross as ye rejoice in the Manger." To show how tradition grows, it was not long before the ample symbolism of the prickly leaves passed into a be- ' liefthatthe Crown of Thorns was it- , self formed of twisted holly branches. From that sprang another belief -that it was not until after Calvary that boll for God's work Every season is God's. ]y berries were red; The change tweak. abroad a ' stan ts. n for a a 01)1)00 " his first im ris- was w ' ul in Yarn u1) the cone; came, it was said;ebecause the green He had escaped from P of Christ, were advocating wrong calve of Luke' Proving unfaithf berries on the branches used for the onment and been Erse to carry forward courses of action, so that now the this sore necessity. Probably it moans and tie in a loop to suspend by. h' i fieri reaching PTOb. d herselfagainst' R who were The children will enjoy making lit -1 Crown of Thorns were covered with ably Spain, whence he urns eastvery many insidious attacks. Thei influential and had shown some iner- tie bas to s an cover some ofthe grounden o as tack i e in came can es d mall gifts on The oldest boHeP connected with ` ire Holiday Spirit. 711u58 who see the world through bine goggles fail to notice how, dee- pite wars and the rumors of wars, the disposition of mortals toward fellow mortals grows more amiable year by year as the Christmastide recurs, Con- sideration for the other fellow, for the person who is to enjoy the landscape or use the roadway after us, is wax- ing, not on the wane. A simple, tar miller example is seen in the Christ- mas shopping, with which many Per- sona have filled an anxious, exhaust- ing week, either as purveyors or as customers. There has been in evi- dence more than ever the disposition to do it eaely, not merely in order to avoid the rush, but to take into .con- siderationthe fact that hose who wait on the wants of the public are just as human as the public., de and the There have been crow dt5Cnt ifort. incident to blocked thor- oughfares, but the prevailing spirit of. the throng has been genial. People 'have bought right and left and thought in all directions as never be- fore. There has been a' personal sat- isfaction in trying to manifest thought fulness for others, not simply • as a seasonal occupation but as the token of a year-round affection, The red- letter day itself is simply the culmina- tion of a festival for which the can. dies of the heart are always burning. Even these overladen hours' may re- flect the ;gracious infiuences'that sur- rounded .the Nativity and inspired the pious•art of the old and devout paint - , ora when they limned the eternal child in the arms of the Madonna. Let the spirit of the child rule the pre- paration, as well as the enloymeut of !the, Yuletide, and the final observe^ !Bon wil be all that it should be. - The streets wil catch a blear' beyond the 1 glistening tree, the holly wreath, the rich' adornment and. soft radiance of the colored lights. For the illumine - tion of a teeming city thoroughfare as of a pastoral countryside is from a r star which the wise mon in all ages have discerned, to guide them out of darkness "till the day biwaks and the shadows flee." his missionary effort, turned to church had to guar erre =that none of those Romans, t I t d cornucopias to hold blood.. already tra people era spo3, f h g t h g , est in the gospel, forward to dl , nut meats an s versed. Bot Hoar the end of the reign ears, eager after novelties and reject-' make a strong plea on his behalf. 210 the tree. The basltets may be formed holly is that tt cuss the "burning of Nero, m A.D, 6$.he is again arresf. •ing the authrirtxed tesehers of the , had no influential advocate. ed and now ers h 'word. E cry succeeding generation 11) But m con ;one:: of picture wire and then covered with bush" referred to in the OId Testa V pe Paper on tin 1 there is no chance of aids tr t t to all this foil. ment. • a colored are release, since the proceedings against has had examples of such. "The Lard stood by me and strength- ;.-- - the Christians are much mere severe.' V a. This prevalence of evil teach-! ened me." God sent forth his spirit, Charming little bladed may. be It is the tradition that Paul was he- a farther argument to induce hart of Paul enabling him i mado o1) birch bark, laced together by 1, Misgivings are what a woman has headed outside the city of FEome and ing .n g Into the e 7 im�tls to exercise renewed zeal The en make a bold and able defence and red ribbons run through holes th that his body was buried in a place where now we find the church called Paul-without-the-walL There, three letters, which include two m Timothy and one to Titus, are named "pastoral" because they deal with the robiems of the pastor. Matters of discipline and government are discussed, and direc- tions are given for the choice ofbish- ops and deacons, while there are warnings against the different forms' of heresy which are beginning to appear. L TUE LAST APPEAL, 1-8. V. 1. Timothy is urged to devote himserel task lf With all and. different Y gumgy to rens tss�are given to stimulate him to further en- deavor, In this verse the fact of the final judgment is set forth as a power- ful appeal. The day is coming when all men must appear before the judg- Mont seat of Christ• It is the same argument which is found in the earlier letters of the apostle, and was ever resent to his mind. " fife is a great times call for .strong leaders. V. 6. A third appeal is made by Maui s reference to his imminent : �r]eath. Some discussion has arisen`. over the eauae which indur,ed the r apostle to speak in such unusual terms of himself. He feels that the end is to confession, so that the ;ientites who attended the trial, and, no doubt, rep- resented many of the leading families of the city, heard the message which Paul delivered. So great was the im- pression made that Paul had received a brief respite from the mouth of the near, and that lug cinanrmA of getting lion. This same strength wi punch- about her next door neighbor's char - `ed by an awl or a sharp Point of o acten. 4 scissors. Strips of the bark may be -- used for handles. Frosted or icicle { The worst of love in a cottage is baskets aro unusual, yet quite Pretty ; that the love doesn't last and the cote 1 ageenet the deep green of the tree. !tago does. :Form baskets of picture wire and'; wind around with narrow strips of favorable 84"411S4 gone. EIS trivcnto him when e cm II h h o es to the last! cloth frayed -at the wigs then dip them 1 • e. erg deathwarrant is about to he signed.wished ' and fatal trial of all. bier Goof is in a very strong solution of alum! Two re are suggested. fie may able bring all his children out of. water and hang up to drip and hard have wshed to enccu00ge Timothy;20001to Crown awaiting all those vbo would earthly tribulation. en. There is no end to possibilities and the assurance that there was a devote themselves fb such faithful service, But he may also have felt that with $iia own death there was necessity for the younger ones to take the place of those called away, Hove can the church continue unless each new generation brings its new work-' meVs.n? 7, 8. The figures are taken from the athletic life of, the time. The Greek games were very famous, only in this contest thecrown is not of P trust, attd we mead' acme day give m olive or laurel, but of righteousness our�,accewtt _ and orf 1.11e, tltllneei 1' 1', , Y„i 1' Of baskets and holders made out of or- dinary pasteboard boxes. Por any sort of a Christmas -tree party a good idea is to have most of the decorations of the edible sort; then the tree may be almost entirely stripped and the childrenmadehappy. Itofroshinents for the Darty may be served from the tree. Aside from the - pop corn, candy, coolatos and fruits 0011 be transformed into delightful de- corations. Della made of )o117 ate very