world - without

e5
beauty.

what ‘mary of-us-feel,
that: “shall. never’ see, ‘a poem,
lovely “as a tree’.

this reason there is a

-hand‘of commercialism

t:-whose “birthday. we

learn: “by” association. -
somehow we can: get un-
derneath all the accretions of
man-made
customs : we: can learn some

Spiritual‘and moral darkness,
And: isn't.this the very purpose
for-which Jesus Christ came?
He Himself said, “Lam come, a
light-into’ the world”. The

Jesus was the fulfilment of the
prophecy made by Isaiah seven

them ‘hath’ the light. shined.”

tree surely remind us thai
Christmas is God giving - giving
Himself to us - the Gift of God.
Somewhere, on . the

trees, and: then: think’ how. for-.

tunate we:are heré:in the nor- |.
thwest: to: ‘have such’ van “abun- 7
dance of trees. Every season

Joyce Kilmer, ‘the *
American: soldier-poel, was

truck: with the loveliness ofa.
tree: haying’ as its bacground .-

the stark ugliness ofthe battle- -
field: Int his:immortal. poem . °
'Trees"', he said so eloquently: -:
uy think-

‘The: “Wwaditional Christmas: ~ her 0 }
ily.“ him in swaddiing clothes and.
-’- laid: him -in ‘a “manger.”
- learn by comparison.

tradition began is not known for’ -
question i «the mind of some’
Christia! ‘Should I. have a -

ns
tree-in-my: home. al. Christmas. .
or: Shouldn't 2”) Axid with the

profess’to” celebrate, perhaps .

- it te cheer the onlookers.
Tf -

‘traditions - and -

swat truths ‘from the |

as light.”: Light to dispel our,

writer of the gospel tells us that"

hundred © years . earlier, . “The
people that walked i in darkness -
hdve‘seen.a great.light; upon °

Then the gifls on or under the

tree,

probabiy al. ihe. ‘wp, there may
-be a star. That reminds us that. .
God is so,concerned.:that -those
who: seek - His ‘San ‘should find "
> Him, that He can if need be, call
on. Lhe forces of nature Lo guide
“them..” Then. maybe there is a.
wreath or gariand onthe trée

thal. reminds us that Jesus.
pas born. a King.“’And who can:
wrap the gifts to place under tie -
tree without remembering.
intensely human words of Luke '

as he describes the nativity that. -

‘ speaks so eloquently af Jesus’
- humanity. "She brought forth |
- her firstborn son and wrapped

We

~ We learn, loo, by “coiitrast.
_ The Christmas tree of the Bible
was nota’ beautiful “green ©

-- to our, hearts? © :
bore our sins in His body on the’

Christmas Tree”. Tr stands’ as
His answer to tragedy of man's

sin. It stands as the way of.

‘access to the‘tree of Life.
What.is the central message
that Christmas ought. to. bring

tree.”"’ Bethlehem then was:
’ prelude to Calvary,and Calvary |
was God's Gift of Love hanging

the on a tree forall the world -to°
‘receive. For you and me to.

. receive as our very own. Bul we
“need ta emphasize. that. God's

Christmas ireéis nota crucifix. -
It doesn’t have a lifeless Christ...

hanging on it. It is-an-“‘empty”

trea. And that spells “victory”
and ji joy and peace and elernal..

life for everyone who receives
the Gift.’ The Apostle Paul is is

‘careful to: tell us-“They t

conifer all aglow with lights and. Him,,down from‘ the tree.” ay

tinsel. On.the contrary, it was. :
‘ stark ‘and rugged and ugly. Its
only decoration was a mocking.
“sign al the top. .' Its. coarse
branches and stem were stained ~
with the blood of God's Son: It

didn’t: stand ’:in <a: Warm, . 7 a

tastefully furnished: living:
room, but.on a skull-shaped hill”
close to “Jerusalem’s garbage
dump. . No light streamed irom
n+
- slead it was ‘shrouded’ in an
untimely night. The “only _
coronation wreath ‘on it ““en-
circled the head of the Gift of
God who hunt on it. People, as'a
rule, do not-refuse to accept a
gift, ‘especially a Chrislmas gift.
But the scriptures tell us “He

_ came ‘to His own and His own -

received. Him not” and the

biting irony of. the ultimate...

refusal of the. Gift of God is

expressed by the apostle —

“Whom ye took and hanged ona
tree.” And while He poured ‘out
His life for His murderers, they
stood around mocking Him,
‘they gambled at the foot of the
. “tree” until their fiendish deed
was done, then went heme to
their cheery. firesides.
‘Five ames the New
Testament ‘says our Lord died
‘lon a tree.’ Isn't it significant -
the Bible begins and ends witha
reference to trees? The first act
of rebellion and sin against God.
was enacted about a tree. One

of the last promises in the Bible |”

has to do with a tree.” And‘ in
belween creation and .con-

|. holiday greetings .
:. from us to all of you.

*t Yellowhead

‘MERRY CHRISTMAS

~ Ganta's coming down the slopes with ~

_ Christmas! Jolly thanks loyal atronst

. direct q
Have a merry, cheery

_ summation stands ‘'God's

- great number of people, many

‘of them professing Christians,

never get-Jesus* out of the
manger.: -_Year. after year,
“Christmas ‘after .Christmas, to.
them - He: is still othe > helpless

h ey took him ‘down: from the tree”

_ By Rev. Richard Munroe

Babe in; the? ‘miinger,

- beautiful human, touching story-

years a
“of His lowly birth, or-lay.a’ ‘God forbid that I should gle
: defiling finger’..on the  holy-
“Jesus: Christ -

mystery of His’ Incarnation.

sacrifice, never finishing -His~-
work, always hanging «an - the -

cross -. woefully °defeated:.. “Rev. Richard Munro u
“Thank God: the symbol. of His . Pastor: of the Terrace e Alliance

viclory.is the’empty trée and
the empty grave:. ~
At which tree. will weworship -
at this Christmas season?: Will
we beso. taken ‘up with. the

“tappings of Christmas that.we >
‘will forget the. Christ . of -"

Christmas? - -

. Leme suggest that’ the ‘centre -

. of our worship and adoration be
the One who finished the work of - .

-and then left the”

“tree empty. Let us never forget -

redemption -

Bethlehemjbut let . our

meditation be on the Cross.af ~

99.

al ruggéed crass. Lat. us join ‘with £
Bethlehem: Never, never would the apostle at this season in that
we want to rob ourselves of the. great. word. -he wrote over

‘nineteen ago

save in the cross of our

_ Jesus Christ.” . For.the empty’
But let us not be content taleave cross. is the explanation | of the
“Christ in the manger. To some «lowly manger and the promised

-others, Jesus is the perpetual certainty of the :. ‘coming

‘Coronation.

Church?
4923 Agar Avemie |.

if

RRR ABBA

>

“A. HOLY DAY:
: ~ Gniistiiar - mean. ‘many
things, for it is 2 holy day as

all, it means joy and hope fo

and feasting, there ts the spir-
i that. may “work us a‘per-
petual “peace,
faith in the goodness” end
good will of . people every-

urhe: re.

‘well as a holiday, a day-of
| grace and gratitude. ‘Most. af)

the tworld. Beyond the: fun:

7a: spirit of |!

Ea

~ Som all of us
to all of you, our
best and merriest

delights. Sincere ~

4647 ‘Lakelse, Ave.

_ wishes. Here’s hoping
the holiday season

; holds for you many ‘Present

thanks for the opportunities you've
given us to be of service. Havea simply wonderful holiday.

‘Calvary and the Christ of the old’.

BEST WISHES FROM THE:
MANAGEMENT AND STAFF

AWeolworth | oe

TH

Svaenyerans

Lethe

Home Sales Lid. 93.5715

2

=,

EUAN ESTO TON Te