Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1911. CHRISTMAS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8257, 23 December 1911, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1911. CHRISTMAS.

Once more "the time draws near the birth of Christ "—that is, the time set apart by the Church and by popular consent for celebrating the advent to this world of a great spiritual Teacher and 1 Saviour, who has been named/ Wonderful, Counsellor, th» Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. ; It matters not though the date should happen to coincide with a former Pagan = festival, or that we; have no certaia knowledge of the time of year, or even of the year itself, m which the greatest event m human history took place. The essential fact is that [ such an event actually occurred, that the world m a thousand ways • bears evidence of its reality, and that the most powerful and intel- ' lectual nations of the earth are j agreed upon celebrating the event as one most worthy to be remembered. Christmas observances may show traces of the heathen origin of the festival, and even r their Christian features may still be defaced by some elements of

superstition; but the grand central fact is that Hie rites of this season are meant to impress deep upon men's minds the importance of the mission of Jesus Christ, and to recall how much mankind owes to His teaching- and example. Christmas is, m (lie final analysis, the anniversary of the commencement of the Christian era, and as such it is deserving- of all due observance. To realise, at least once a year, all that Christian ethics and spiritual teaching have > meant to the world is the best way i m which to dispel those intellectual doubts that at times arise and make sceptics ' question whether Christ was ever anything else than a myth. Christian civilisation is the tremendous fact that must silence the doubters. If, after noting all that Christianity has done for" 1 man kind, any one is found to affirm that behind Christianity there never was a great Personality, such person must be impervious to reason. There is surely no need to " seek for a sign/ when the annual recurrence of Christmas brings proof of the hold that Christ and His teaching have upon men's minds and hearts. It is not,'of course, literally true, as Ihe poet says : That ever 'gainst that season comes, The bird of dawning singeth all night long; And then they say no spirit dares i stir abroad; The nights are wholesome; then no planet strikes, No fairy takes, no witch hath power to charm. But, nevertheless, "so hallowed and so gracious is the time that men and women by common consent feel their souls uplifted, and they experience those sentiments of "peace and goodwill" towards all mankind which, according to legendary lore, the, angels proclaimed at the time of the Wonderful Birth. This gracious influence of the season is better and more convincing than all the intellectual satisfaction that might be found m a inpre rational observance of a thoroughly authentic anniversary. After all, those truths are the mightiest that cannot be proved by"logic or demonstrated by mathematics.* . The being and attributes of Goid, or the ', immortality and final destiny of the human soul, -can.no more 1 be proved to the satisfaction of scientists than the birth, life .and death of Christ can be so presented, as to be accepted as facts by the so-called " higher critics 3'; but the testimony of the soul and the inner consciousness are of greater value- than external proofs. In like manner, the response 'of humanity to the gracious -influences of the Christmas season is the best evidence that deep clown m the hearts of men is a faith that cannot be shaken regarding the divine nature of Christ and of His mission to the world. Just m proportion as men continue to cherish .this faith will the divine m their own natures be stirred and developed, until their whole - lives shall be steeped m the spirit of the Christmas season, and all their thoughts shall be thoughts of peace and goodwill to men, This year, unfortunately, Christmas finds the world m anything but a peaceful state. China is m the throes of revolution ; Persia is threatened with strife; a Christian and a Mohammedan Power are at war m Tripoli; and there is unrest among the nations' of Europe. Labour troubles, social troubles, and political troubles are perturbing the minds of people m many lands. It should be the aim of us all to do our best', by thought, by. counsel, by . prayer, and by effort to allay the unrest and inaugurate the reign of peace. Let every one, m the circle of which he is the centre, radiate thoughts, words and deeds of goodwill, and the miracle will 1 be accomplished. In the spirit of the* season, we wish to all whom our words may reach— "A Merry Christmas/