Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

ated."sacrifice."Commemoration of the Birth of ChristA paper adopted by Pittsburg Presbytery and its publication requestedThe 25th of December was made a National Holiday, nominally, to give opportunity for the Commemoration of the Birth of Christ. Some have objected toany commemoration of Christ's Birth other than inthe regular Sabbath service, on the ground that it isnot commanded, and is therefore forbidden. Othersfeel that the prohibition is of the manner of worshipand not of the time of it. Surely the remembrance ofChrist's Birth is proper at any time, if it is in theproper spirit of reverence. Christ's Birth, Life,Death and Resurrection are so closelythe study of one involves all the rest.Christ's Birthday Is Differentrelated thatWe have seen many celebrations of Washington'sBirthday. His Birth or Babyhood was not once mentioned. His birth is just an incident of life common toall men. We study his life with no more than apassing mention of his birth or death.Not so with Christ. Nothing in man's experienceor imagination approaches the importance of themanner and nature of Christ's Birth. The recordplaces as much emphasis on the manner and natureof Christ's Birth as on His Life, Death or Resurrection. If Christ, the Son of God, had not becomeMan by the unique nature and manner of His birth,the resurrection could have no power.The importance of Christ's Birth is shown inthat it is foretold in the Garden of Eden and its purpose portrayed in every blood sacrifice from that offered by Abel, until its fulfillment on the cross. Itwas foretold by the prophets in minute detail. It washeralded by an Angel, a Heavenly Choir, and a Star.Every one of these incidents presents a subject forand an object and incentive for worreverent study,ship.It became a custom in the very early ChristianChurches to commemorate annually the Birth ofChrist. Not knowing the date, different days wereobserved in various congregations,until about 352,Bishop Christostom succeeded in having theChurches in Antioch unite on the 25th of December. That date was accepted rapidly by the Churchesover the Christian world. It was called in the variouslanguages, "The Birthday."Origin of the Word "Christmas"The name "Christmas" did not appear for over amillennium after the Birth of Christ. About 1082, theRoman Church instituted "Christes Masse" anddirected it to be celebrated on the twenty-fifth ofDecember. During the Dark Ages the name was sofirmly fixed that now the common definition runs,"CHRISTMAS; the 25th of December, the day orseason in which the birth of Christ is commemorOur Covenanter Fathers did not hesitate to callthe mass blasphemy. And the Confession of Faith,(Chap. 29) says, ". . . the mass ... is most abominably injurious to Christ's one, onlyOfcourse, we do not celebrate "Christes Masse," "theMass of Christ." We excuse the use of the name,374if we think of it at all, as just a name fastened onDecember 25 by custom. When we speak of celebrating or commemorating Christmas, we do not think ofthe meaning of the word at all. So when we coupleChrist's holy Name with the name of blasphemy,its use is thoughtless, meaningless, empty that'sthe definition of "vain." What about the ThirdCommandment? That raises a difficult problem;with the name so deeply rooted in custom, how canwe avoid the sin for which we will not be held guiltless?Observing the NativitySometimes a Reverent, Worshipful Commemoration is held under the name Christmas. The namesuggests so many diversions surely if a true namewere used, such as "The Nativity," it would havea vastly better influence. Christmas, a name in itselfprofane, is associated with so many profane eventsthat we need to have a care about its use.Here are two ways of commemorating the Birthof Christ that we have observed recently. One wascalled "The Nativity," and was presented by a HighSchool. Two hundred students took part, one hundredin the Floor Chorus, and the others appeared onthe stage. The stage, the costumes, the lighting werebeautiful. The parts were carefully prepared andpresented. The "Story" was read from the KingJames version of the Bible, without the change of aword. The various scenes, dialogues, songs, tableausand choruses all fitted in with the authentic story.The City Superintendent of Schools, who was thesponsor for the entertainment, told us that it was anannual event growing in interest; that much pressure was offered to have the story changed according to "Modern" ideas of entertainment but theyproposed to hold it strictly to the inspired story. Hefelt that it is having a good influence on the students and on the community. The auditorium wasfull with a normal mixture of ages. One little fellowwent to sleep. Most of the children were wide awake,and keenly attentive. There was no applause. Thequiet thoughtful and pleased attitude of the peopleas they left the room was unusual in an audienceof that kind. Here was a proof that the Birth ofChrist is not a theme too commonplace and "drab" tointerest childrenand adults.The other program was in a church, and wasannounced as "Christmas Entertainment Appropriateprayer, praise, reading of the story from Old andNew Testaments, recitations, dialogues, singing ofthe beautiful Carols of the Nativity, and then, intothis suggestion of the scene in Bethlehem, with the"Holy Parents and Child," surrounded by worshiping Shepherds and Wise Men, there comes "theClimax"ofinterest, toward which the children havebeen looking for a month which they have beenthinking about during the earlier part of the eveningprogram the even that they will remember to theexclusion of all others as they go home at last,the time has come! He is arriving. Santa Claus!Who is he?THE COVENANTER WITNESS