"THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS"

MANY OF US FEEL A KIND OF DEEP EMBARRASSMENT ABOUT CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR. HARDLY AREJ IN THE MOOD. RELATIVES FAR FROM HOME IN PLACES WE NEVER HEARD OF AND CANNOT SPELL, FIGHTING MEN AND NATIONS THEY DO NOT HATE - OR DO HATE. AND TO BE SINGING AND SPEAKING OF GOODWILL· SEEMS A TRAVESTY.

ALSO WE HAVE THE UNEASY FEELING THAT MORE AND MORE, YEAR BY YEAR WE ARE BEING SENTIMENT ALI ZED AND COMMERCIALIZED INTO MAKING CHRISTMAS NOTHING MORE THAN A TIME TO SPEND MONEY AND ENERGY. SAYS EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY, "FOR THIS YOUR MOTHER SWEATED IN THE COLD; FOR THIS YOU BLED UPON TREE; A YARD OF TINSEL BOUGHT AND SOLD. A PAPER WREATHE; A DAY AT HOME FOR ME • "

ALL SUMS UP TO THIS - WE ARE NOT IN THE MOOD FOR BETHLEHEM. LIFE FULL OF DISCORD. THESE DAYS OF STERN REALITY. BEDLAM RATHER THAN BETHLEHEM. BEDLAM THE SYNONYM FOR CONFUSION AND DISORDER. AN INTERESTING FACT JUST HERE: A NOTED HOSPITAL - ST. MARY OF BETHLEHEM WAS FOUNDED IN ENGLAND IN 1247. TWO CENTURIES LATER IT WAS TURNED INTO HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. BECAME NOTORIOUS THROUGHOUT WHOLE COUNTRY FOR ITS CONFUSION AND NOISE. AND ITS NOBLE NAME ALSO SUFFERED UNTIL BETHLEHEM WAS CHANGED IN­TO BEDLAM. WHAT A PARABLE THERE IS IN THIS FACT!

OUR NEED OF THE SPIRIT YET, HOW WE NEED THE MOOD OF CHR~STMAS AND SPIRIT u:t CHRISTMAS.

WE NEED TO SAVE OUR SOUL. IN DANGER OF GROWING TOO

SOPHISTICATED AND CRITICAL. SO THANK GOD FOR THE CHILDREN WHO WILL INSIST ON HOLDING FESTIVAL AS USUAL. OUR OWN CHILDREN, THE NEIGHBORS' CHILDREN, EVERYBODY'S CHILDREN. WANT TO TRIM TRESS; HANG UP STOC.KlNGS; SEND MESSAGES TO SANTA CLAUS; SING THE CAROLS. SO, PLEASE GOD, MAY WE FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE THAT SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS; MAY WE BECOME A PART OF THE HOLIDAY CROWD; MAY WE BE SWEPT ONCE MORE BY THAT UPSURGE OF GOODWILL WHICH MARKS THIS FESTIVAL. MAY THE CHRISTMAS MOOD, LIGHT AS MANTLE OF SNOW FALL ON EACH OF US. MAY I.T BE AS CLEAN AND AS TRANSFORMING AS A MANTLE OF SNOW.

YES, AS INDIVIDUALS WE NEED THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS; AND ALSO AS A NATION; AND AS HUMAN~TY.

-2-IF CHRISTENDOM HAD NO SUCH FESTIVAL AS CHRISTMAS , SOME BRAVE IMAGINATIVE SPIRIT WOULD CALL IT FORTH FOR OUR CONSOLATION IN DAYS LIKE THESE. TROUBLE IS CHRISTMAS AND ALL IT STANDS FOR HAS BECOME SO COM­MONPLACE FOR US - IT HAS LOST ITS DEEP MEANING. OR ELSE WE HAVE NEVER COMPREHENDED THAT DEEP MEANING. THOMAS HARDY'S CRITICISM - "'PEACE ON EARTH', WE SING IT, AND PAY A MILLION PRIESTS TO BRING IT. BUT AF!TER TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF MASS WE GOT AS FAR AS POISON GAS".

BUT WHAT A WONDERFUL THING IF WE COULD REALLY MAKE THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT OPERATIVE IN THE WORLD. WHY NOT REALLY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS! TO MAKE SONG OF ANGELS A GLORIOUS AND PRACTICAL REALITY.GLORIA IN EXCELS IS DEO, ET IN TERRA PAX HOMINIBUS BONAE VOLUNTATIS.

WOULD SIMPLY AND PROFOUNDLY CHANGE THE WORLD. WOULD HAVE TO SET UP COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES OF COURSE. SEND OUT INVITATIONS TO ALL PEOPLES TO JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION. TO INDIA - BRITISH WOULD HAVE TO SEND SPECIAL INVITATION TO GANDHI; AND AN INVITATION, THROUGH A QUAKER PERHAPS, WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE GERMAN CHRISTIANS. AND A CHINESE MEM­BER OF THE COMMISSION TO PROMOTE THE BIRTHDAY OF JESUS WOULD REMEMBER THE JAPANESE • AND WE HERE IN AMERICA WOULD REMEMBER THE NEGRO. WHAT A GREAT VENTURE THAT WOULD BE . WOULD BRING IN THE NEW DAY. IF ONLY MEN COULD CATCH THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS!

SOME HAVE CAUGHT THE AND HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY THE SPIRIT SPIRIT. THE SHEPHERDS IN

THE STILLNESS OF JUDEAN HILLS HEARD SONGS OF THE

ANGELS. HEARD THE ANGELS BECAUSE WERE MEN OF HOPE FOR ONLY MEN WHO HOPE FOR BETTER WORLD HEAR THAT SONG. VISIONS ONLY COME TO PREPARED PEOPLE; AND ANGELIC MUSIC IS NEVER HEARD BY INSENSITIVE EARS.

AND THE WORLD'S GREAT ARTISTS AND MUSICIANS HAVE FOLLowED THE SHEPHERDS AND HAVE BECOME l'RIS­ONERS OF THE SAME SPIRIT. HAVE VIED WITH EACH OTH­ER IN DOING HOMAGE TO THE CHRIST-CHILD. SAME TRUE OF THE POETS AND WRITERS - TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION BUT ALL BRINGING THEIR LINES AND PLACING THEM AT FEET OF THE CHILD. MILTON WITH HIS "ODE TO THE NATIVITY"; CHARLES WESLEY WITH HI.S "HARK! THE HER­ALD ANGELS SING"; PHILLIPS BROOKS WITH HIS "O LIT-

-3-TLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM"; UNKNOWN POET WHO GAVE US 110 COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL"· TO SAY NOTHING OF MOHR WHO GAVE US "SILENT NIGHT'', AND LUTHER WHO BROUGHT AS A GIFT TO THE CHILD HIS "AWAY IN A MANGER".

AND WHAT A WONDERFUL THING IT WOULD BE IF WE COULD CATCH THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS- AS CHARLES DICKENS C~UGHT IT. WORTH READING EVERY CHRISTMAS ALONG WITH THE CHRISTMAS STORY. MIGHT SEEM LITTLE OLD FASHIONED AND VICTORIAN AND LONG-WINDED. AND A LLTTLE SIMPLE • NOT A MODERN WRITER BUT MIGHT APPEAR FAR MORE CLEVER THAN DICKENS AND FAR MORE ANALYTICAL. YOU WILL DECLARE IT IS ALL SENTIMENTAL AND FAR-FETC'HED. YOU WILL SAY THERE NEVER WAS A MAN SO TIGHT-FISTED AS OLD SCROOGE. YOU WILL SAY THAT BOB CRATCHIT SUFFERED FROM INFERIORITY COM­PLEX - SHOULD HAVE STOOD UP TO SCROOGE; TOLD HIM WHERE· TO GO; HIT HIM WITH THE RULER AND THROWN THE COAL SCUTTLE AT HIM IN GOOD AMERICAN FASHION. AT SAME TIME I SUGGEST THE STORY IS WORTH READING -IT SHOWS HOW THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS TOOK THE RAW MATERIALS OF TRAGEDY, SORDIDNESS AND PAIN, AND TRANSMUTED THEM INTO GOODNESS, BEAUTY AND SERVICE.

AND WHEN EBENEZER SCROOGE CAUGHT THAT SAME SPIRIT, HE FORGOT TREADMILLS, ALMSHOUSES, PRISONS FOR THE POOR. CAME TO SEE THAT MANKIND, CHARITY AND BENEVOLENCE WERE HIS BUSINESS • IF MEN COULD CATCH THE SPIRIT AS CHARLES DICKENS CAUGHT IT THE EART WOULD BE FILLED WI.'iH BEAUTY AND PEACE •

THE SPIRIT AT WORK THESE ARE DARK DAYS; BUT THE SPIRIT I.S EVER AT WORK. FEW WEEKS AGO SAW 11 GRIPSHOLM 11 AT

ANCHOR FEW MILES UP HUDSON RIVER. RECALLED STORY TOLD IN CONNECTION WITH RETURNING MISSI-ONARIES TO BE EXCHANGED WITH JAPANESE. DIRTY AND FILTHY OLD BOAT. BUT ON DAY THEY WERE TO BE EXCHANGED WITH JAPANESE THEY SCRUBBED DECKS ETC •• WHEN ASKED THE REASON THEY SAID, 11 WE WANT IT TO BE CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL FOR OUR JAPANESE FRIENDS". SAYS "TIME" MAGAZINE, "WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THESE?". WELL, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE GET SPIRIT.

STORY OF MINER IN DR. CHARLES BROWN'S CONGRE GATION. ROUGH AND KEEPS HAT ON IN SERVICE. FAITH­FUL IN ATTENDANCE. ONE DAY LEAVES CHECK FOR TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. DR. BROWN HURRIES TO BANK TO IF WORTH ANYTHING. WAS GOOD. I.NSTRUCTIONS GIVEN.

TO BE DIVIDED BET~EEN PRESBYTERIAN AND METHODIST WOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETIES. LATER DIED LEAVING SUM OF THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO BE DISPOSED OF IN SAME WAY.

DR. BROWN INVESTIGATES. MEETS FRIEND OF MAN. ROUGH, BLASPHEMOUS, CRUEL. ESPECIALLY TO CHINESE OOOK IN MINING CAMP. TORMENTS AND ABUSES HIM. BUT NEVER COMPLAINS.. ALWAYS KIND AND SMILING. MINER FINDS HIM READING A BOOK ONE DAY. DIALOGUE ENSUED. "WHAT'S THAT?" "BIBLE" "WHERE'D YOU GET IT?" "BROUGHT IT WITH ME IN TRUNK FROM CHINA" "WHO GAVE IT YOU?" "MOTHER" "WHERE'D SHE GET IT?" "GIVEN TO HER BY MISSIONARY WOMAN." . THEN. MINER REMEMBER­ED HIS OWN MOTHER WHO FOR YEARS HAD BEEN INTEREST­ED lN MISSIONS. SEWING AND GIVING. COULDN'T RE­MEMBER WHETHER SHE HAD BEEN PRESBYTERIAN OR METH­ODIST. BUT THE POINT IS: HIS LIFE WAS CHANGED BY THAT OHINESE COOK, THAT CHINESE CHRISTIAN, WHO IN MIDST OF HATRED AND PERSECUTION HAD RETAINED THE CHRISTIAN, THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.

STORY OF HELEN KELLER'S VISIT TO ZOO IN NEW YORK CITY. A FRIEND OF KATHERINE CORNELL. "WHAT SHALL. WE DO TODAY?" "LET'S GO TO THE Z00 11

• MADE TELEPHONE CALL TO RAYMOND DITMARS THE CURATOR OF THE ZOO. HER DEMAND TO SEE LION. WANTS TO GET IN LION'S CAGE. AND DOES SO. FEELS MASSIVE LEGS AND HEAD. PLAYS WITH CLAWS AND TAWNY MANE. LION CEASES TO TREMBLE AND STANDS UNPERTURBED. SECRET 0!1 IT: WAS IN THE ATMOSPHERE SHE CREATED. THERE WAS NOTHING OF FEAR - JUST. OUTGOING FRAGRANCE AND GOODWILL AND LOVE. AND THE LION KNEW IT; JUST AS WE ARE TOLD A DOG KNOWS IT. INCREDIBLE! BUT THAT IS BUT A SYMBOL OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE SPI­RIT OF CHRIST IS REGNANT IN THE WORLD - "THE LION SHALL LIE DOWN WITH THE OX; AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM II •

WONDERFUL! BUT THAT WAS THE PROPHECY - "HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERilUL 11

• AND THE PROPHECY HAS BEEN FULFILLED DURING THE CENTURIES. AWKWARD SHEPHERDS STOOD IN AWE ABOUT THE MANGER SURE THEY WERE IN PRESENCE OF UNUSUAL BABE. ORIENTAL KINGS ADORED HIM. WHEN TWELVE YEARS OJil AGE HE STARTLED THE SAGES OF HIS DAY BY HIS UNCOMMON WISDOM.

LATER THE PEOPLE WERE AMAZED BY HIS WORDS AND OONDUC.T. HE WAS GOODNESS PERSONIFIED. HIS RADIANT LIFE TRANSFIGURED THE LIVES OFI OTHERS. THE HIGH­TYPE OF MANHOOD AND WOMANHOOD HAS BEEN MOLDED AC­CORDING TO HIS PATTERN. NO NAME HAS BROUGHT GREAT­ER COMFORT AND HOPE. OUR ONLY HOPE FOR TODAY!

r

THE CEREMONY OF LIGHTS

CAROL 106- "Silent Night! Holy Night!" ·····················-····················-··-·····Gruber

Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright; Round yon virgin mother and child, Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night! Wondrous Star, lend thy light; With the angels let us sing, Allelujah to our King, Christ the Saviour is born.

BENEDICTION- By the Minister

ORGAN POSTLUDE- "Christmas Allegro" ·························-··········· ········Guilmant

ORDER OF EVENING WORSHIP- SEVEN O'CLOCK

ORGAN PRELUDE- "Coventry Carol" ............................................ Arr. by Stainer

CALL TO WORSHIP- By the Minis ter

CAROL 100- "0 Little Town of Bethlehem" ··························-··········· ·········Redner * SOLO- "Before the Paling of the Stars" ·····································-·················Kramer

Elsie Sharrow

EVENING PRAYER- By the Minister

ORGAN OFFERTORY- "Behold a Branch Is Growing" ........ Rhenish Folk-Tune

PRESENTATION OF OFFERING

CAROL 97- "The First Noel" ·········································-··-·····Tradit ional Melody SCRIPTURE - Selected verses

BENEDICTION

"THE MANGER CHILD'" A Christma s Cantata

by William Baines

The Chorus Choir

ORGAN POSTLUDE- "Appalachian Carol" ··-·· ........................................ Horton * Interval for Ushering

The Christmas Offering taken in all the services today will be allocated to the work of the Williamsville Home for Children, the Methodist Hospital at Brooklyn, and to help defray the expenses of our Christmas celebration at Fremont.

)CW f'.l•oo·•U S A.Ho •I•Dl

ear not ~:%rbeho1J, 1 bri1191JOU ~~~J t1&119s ~r' r~tJo~~~

Jffr£mnut ~tr£d ~et~nbist Cll4urt~ <ilonerslli!U, ~· 11!·

FRED CLARKE, Minister DOROTHY E. MELLICK, Minister of Music

Cll4rimna:s ~un.h~, ~£temhtt Z4, 1944

ORDER OF MORNING WORSHIP - TEN THIRTY O'CLOCK

ORGAN PRELUDE - "Pastoral Symphony" ·············-···································Handel

CALL TO WORSHIP - By the Minister

HYMN 96 - "0, Come, All Ye Faithful" .............................. 18th Century Melody

INVOCATION - By the Minister

THE LORD'S PRAYER - To be said by all

* RESPONSIVE READING - 51 st Sunday - page 619

GLORIA PATRI

THE APOSTLES' CREED

* SACRAMENT OF INFANT BAPTISM

SCRIPTURE LESSON - Luke 2:1-20

ANTHEMS - "Hymn for the Nations" ........................................................ Beethoven

"Gloria in Excelsis Deo" ........................................ Old French Carol The Junior Choir

PASTORAL PRAYER

ORGAN OFFERTORY - "Song of Mary" ········---·-··········································Fischer

PRESENTATION OF OFFERING

ANTHEMS - "0 Come to My Heart, Lord Jesus" ..................................... Manney

"In Bethlehem's Lowly Manger" .......................................... Will iams The Junior High and Chorus Choirs

HYMN 110 - "Good Christia n Men Rejoice" ....................... .1 4th Ce ntury Melody

SERMON - "THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS"

HYMN 92 - "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" ......................................... _.Willis

BENEDICTION

ANTHEM - "Hallelu jah Chorus" ............................................... ....................... Ha ndel The Chorus Choir

ORGAN POSTLUDE - "I Heard the Bell s on Christmas Say" ............ Meredi th

* Interval for Ushering

The altar flowers are the gift of Mrs. Harry Bushouer and Mrs. A. H.

Merrill, in memory of their mother, Martha Hinn, and brother, William Hinn.

A CAROL AND CANDLELIGHT SERVICE - TWELVE NOON

For the Combined Church School

ORGAN PRELUDE- "Idyll" ................................................................................ Vierne

PROCESSIONAL OF CLASSES

CAROL 96 - "0 Come, All Y e Faithful" ............................. .18th Century Melody

CALL TO WORSHIP Leslie H. Nichols

INVOCATION - To be said by all

Our Father in heaven, whose mercy we praise in the yearly remembrance of the birth of Thy beloved Son, Jesus Christ our Lord; grant that a s we hail His birth, the light of His presence may be shed abroad in our hearts and in our homes. Help us to keep this festival in humility and gratitude, and may our thanksgiving be expressed in unselfish love and cheerful service. In the name of the Christ-child we pray. Amen.

THE PROMISE OF THE LIGHT

THE PROPHECY - Isaiah 9:2-7

Margaret Scofield

CAROL 89 - "Joy to the World the Lord is Come" ...................................... Handel

THE PREPARATION FOR THE LIGHT

THE ANNUNCIATION - Luke 1:26-33

Betty Ardizzone

CAROL 92 - "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" ·····-·································Willis

THE GIFT OF THE LIGHT

THE CHRISTMAS STORY - Luke 2:1-17

Milford Wilson

THE CHRISTMAS PRAYER - By the Minister

CAROL 86 - "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" .................................. Mendelssohn I

OUR RESPONSE

ORGAN OFFERTORY - "Ave Maria" ........................................... ................. Brahms

OUR CHRISTMAS OFFERING

ANTHEM - "0 Come to My Heart, Lord Jesus" ........................................ Manney

The Junior High Choir