THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21354, 22 December 1934, Page 16

THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS

MESSAGE OF GOOD

WILL

THOUGHTS ON THE GREAT FESTIVAL THE CHILDREN'S SEASON Reflections suggested by the approach of Christmas, both in its re--1 ;ious and its broadlv social aspect, e contained in messages prepared yesterday for "The Press" by the I.layor, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., and by leaders of Christian denominations in Christchurch. Christmas as a stason of cheerfulness and lurge-heartedness among people everywhere, Christinas as the anniversary of the first utterance of the Christian message of peace, and, perhaps most familiarly, Christmas ss the long-anticipated pleasure of children—all these have been touched upon. The relation of the true spirit of Christmas to social and political problems has not been overlooked.

The Mayor "The thought of Christmas is always associated in my mind with the happiness of little children," said Mr Sullivan. "I suppose we all naturally make mental pictures of our ideas, and to me the most appealing story in the life of Christ has ever been that wherein He gathered the little ones into His arms, fondly caressing them as He did so, and pronounced those sweet words, 'Suffer little children to come unto Me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.' "Adults are comforted by the knowledge that the words have a wider meaning than appears on the surface; that simplicity of heart as well as tenderness of years come within the scope of that loving benediction. But the appealing beauty of the picture is in no way reduced by the moral lesson conveyed, and the road of understanding is made easier for us all by the knowledge of His humanity revealed in His love for little children—a virtue which He shared with the whole human race.

"It is because of this feeling of mine that Christmas belongs in a special way to the children—and I suspect that it is the same with other people—that I always welcome the recurring festival with undimmed freshness of feeling and a revival of faith in the belief that in spite of all the pain of living, love is the guiding star of life and the universe. And could we all learn ini»t <hat one lesson thoroughly it would solve every individual and rocial problem. There, would be no more wars between the nations, no more hatred and social injustice, no poverty, and the Kingdom of Heaven would have come on earth. ' ; So once more I welcome the coming of Christmas, bringing with it happy memories, and my hope is that its sweet associations will advance the cause of international goodwill, thereby lessening the chances of war, re-establishing trade, and strengthening the determination to banish social injustice and po% r erty from the world. Especially do I wish these blessings for our own people; and to the citizens of Christchurch .with whom I have lived and worked so long, I express most sincere wishes for a happy Christmastide and a New Year of brighter days than those wo have known for some time past."

The Bishop of Cbristchurch ''The Christmas message must always be the same," wrote Bishop West-Watson, " 'on earth peace, good will towards men.' It is like a break in a stormy sky when the dark clouds are chasing one another 1 fo closely that all seems black and hopeless. Amid the dark clouds which obscure our earthly life, the clouds of social, industrial and international unrest, clouds of sorrow and injustice and suffering, Christmas comes like a sudden break, a sudden reminder of a peace which passes our understanding, of a love which is greater than all our knowledge, of tha infinite depths of God's goodwill, Christmas comes too as a break in all our selfish hopes and fears, our selfish plans and conflicts, to remind us of God's plan for men, and God's ideal of humanity. God would phow men once for all in Bethlehem Kis thought of what a human being could be and should be, and year by year the Christian Church strives to bring itself and others face to face with that great thought of the God who made men in His own image. "If we have really been able to •rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing,' our struggles have a new direction and a new meaning. There is less of 'every man for himself and God help the hindmost,' and more of 'every man for his neighbour, and God for us all.' We are not made just to look at stars, but to fight a good fight through storm and rain. Struggle we must; the whole point is who and what we ?;re struggling for, the long years through."

The Rev. J. Lawson Robinson From the Rev. J. Lawson Robinron, on behalf of the Christchurch Presbytery:— "The angels' message on the first Christmas night was one of glory to God, and following that, peace on enrth to men of goodwill. The second depends on the first. A great deal'of the fear that afflicts mankind to-day arises from men's failure to acknowledge God in all human affairs. The prophecy of peace on earth to men of goodwill is not a dre?m that will find realistion in some far-distant future. It is already a reality. It is true that among nations we still find deeprooted suspicions, and age-old enmities. We still find peoples arming themselves in the foolish belief that therein they will find security. But he is blind indeed who cannot see that a new spirit is entering into the hearts of men. Signs of an ever-increasing distrust in old policies are everywhere apparent, and lowS? almost seem that the simEtoaty and goodwill of which Christa .reminder are talking a on hearts of men. wni h K is distrustf fus°: picion, all rob men of their oeace but as we put them out of our