him.——Msthew 3:13.
Then cometb Jesus from Galilee to
Jordon unto John to be baptized of
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21,
.7”.’/ -‘«”” 4' "-
i .2 ,, irrfv,"?/ ’;
1!
as‘“
j -
as they announced
mean by their "in
“that. is there in
that'which happened in the Stable
at Bethlehem to constitute it the
supreme glory of the Highest.
What is wont to be considered the
glory of the monarch on his Throne .
It. is not his condesccnsion. his road-
lnul to he even as the huniblcst of
His subjects? 0, without. disputa-
‘gsvenly “'3".
a birth of Jesus.
on
excelsis gloria. .
tion. the royal legend is. Ich dlcn—'
nerve! “‘hat is it ~e admire above
things in the Wealthy. the great.
:0 elect of the world? \V’hat but
their humility—«he fact that the man
of means. the genius. the man of
00“ instead of holding himself su-
Wior to his brethcrcn of low degree.
puts himself on an equality with
them? There is but one mark of
mk. real rank. in this world. and
the other-humility; but One thing
that. Exalts and Ennobles—scrvicc.
The highest must stand the, lowest;
Heaven to be Heaven must condes-
and to Earth; God must become
man. or cease to be God. “'crc object
to the idea of God taking upon
Himself our flesh as an idea unnatur-
al and aluhorn-nt. But the author of
the Epistle to the Hebrews showed
1 far keeper sense of the fitness of
" things. to say no rum-g. where he
bluntly mid Of the Incarnation that
It became, it became (lod. Brown-
ing's I‘omlvilla cont-.mplating God's
highest gift to any woman. the hallo
she has brought into the world. says
it just as it ls—-—“l never realized
God's Birth before. How He grew
likest God in being born."
It. is the wondvrfullrst. thing that
“hes place on earth—the birth of
I child; and the coming of any in-
fant were reason vnough for the race
to keep holiday. Earth is vocal with
the praise of God for the gift of
Himself in the Babe of Bethluhcm'.’
Ought, it not also echo and re-ccho
with Allehuias day after day contin-
ually. for that day after day continu-
ally lie LN'ps adding to the blessed
Company of t'hrist's little brothers--
hrothers and sisters? Is not. the
House of t‘md. glorious on L'hristmas
‘my with spruce and fir and pine.
What. cvcry housc should be when-
tWer a a child is born to thusp who
dwell thvrcm’.’ The house might
well be built. like u. festival nrch.
Just for the ovcasslon. especially in
these days v hen there are such
i
L “'hat did the multitude of thebablcs as never were, I verily believe.
o
since the beginning of the creation.
For the coming of the child is the
coming of hope. It means that the
old race. so far from dying out. is
renewing itself. has another chance,
and can begin all over again. It puts
man’s utmost. dream within the abil-
ities of human effort one day to re-
alize. You remember. perhaps. what
a great. studcnt of human nature.
George Elliot. makes the young
Greets in Romola declarcz—“Th‘:
Golden Age can always come back
again so long as men are born as
habics. and don‘t come into the
world in cassock and furrcd mantle."
But. Babies become mcn. don cassack
and mantle. and Golden Age come
back again. how often. Alas! there
is none. if the host of us even
were all we. promised to become.
when “trailing clouds of glory" we
we came from God. thirty. forty.
fifty yours ago, what men. what wo-
men we should he! llut. notwith—
standing every birth is a. fresh start.
the race never gets but just. so far
toward the goal. Save in one. that
which we celebrate on Christ/mas
Day. The Child of Bethlehem. alone
of the children of men. fulfills every
hope lie 'cxcites and, His mission ac-
complished. departs this life the per-
fect Incarnation of the Divine Ideal
world to realize. A thousand. thou-
we all. everyone of us. come into the
sand failurvs. however. are as noth-
ing compared with one success. if it
he a. surcss: and the call to sing "In
Exalsis Gloria" this day is because
this day's Child shows what the race.
in spite. of its short comings. that
for multitude‘ cannot. Be numbered.
is cnpahlc of under God. “As many
as received Him. to them gnvc He
power to become the Sons of God.
liven to them that believe on His
Name: which were born. not of blood.
nor of the will of the flesh. nor of the
will of man. but of God." “'0 are
all kindred spirits. in the t-ndow»
mcnts of our nature. with Him who
was born as at this time long ago:
and wrapped up in cut-h frolicst'.
sinfullcst one of us. are powers by
which it is possible for him. as it
was for Jesus. to fulfill Himself as
the Son Of God, and for this. alvovu-
cvvrything else, do we Join in the
song of "(llory to God in the High-
est." because the Birth we celebrate
is God's own Pledge that. if we will.
In Excelsis Gloria
By REV. J. BENTON WERMER Rector
we shall all. one day. come into a
unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ.
mwiinrifii
‘ SOMETHING
FOR/GARDEN
'Gifis that. recall the joy
glory of summer in the gardtn will
garden
email
this short
list presents fascinating possubtlitics
to the person who delights in the
One of the
per-
haps .is whether is an old one or
0f
enjoyed by the
seeds. bulbs.
CS 1‘“
be greatly
lovers. l'lants.
raid unusual tools.
appropriate in giving.
chicf things to be considered,
whether it is in its infancy.
one thing. one may always r as-
cured. no garden is ever complete,
no gardner is ever satisfied; always
a shrub. a flower
there is a tree.
needed‘o complete the collection:
always there is a. new or novel tool
desired to make gardening a grater
The friend who supplies
the smallest of those needs is sure
delight.
of a. harvest of gratitude.
Announcing Delayed Gift.
A pleasant way to announce the
future arrival of something for the
garden is to send a small fore-run-
ner on ("hristmas morning. if you
wish to tell your friend that you have
paid for a rare evergreen that the
nurseryman will send at. the
time send u. note to that effect with
a box of tiny Christmas trees and
bright bcrrics with which to fill the
window box. '
Sut’h a. box will be both a. present
joy and a promise of a. permanent joy
to come. If. instead of an ever-
green a collection ‘of roam-usher. has
been ordered. a single rose any be
sent with the note of grcr-tin: that
announccs the fact.
Perhaps the recipirnt u.’ the
Christmas gift only rcnts her house.
yct finds the garden necessary to her
happiness. To such It one. sun) a.
commonly used annuals. Gland-
mother's garden knew some c-t these
and
right
as Painted Tongue, Mourning Bride.
Butterfly Flower, Seedsmen sell
them as filplglosis. 7
Scabiosa. To these add single an-
nual Chrysanthemums. sweet sultan,
hush morning glories. varieties of
the glorified Phlox Drummonji and
the splendid improved pctunlas.
liven if these are not entirely new
to her. the garden lady will be
pleased.
A Present of \‘incs
Perhaps the garden winch 'is to
have a Christmas present needs
some climbers. A pleasant gift.
would be a collection of scrds of
annual vines. such as the Li-illoon
vinc. the cypresses. ncluding the
new cardinal climber. and the
graceful Murandia. vine in its
many colors.
A garden new or old needs a col-
lection of such summer bulbs myths
Zephyr lillicsand Ilyacinthus candi-
cenes. and always there is room for
such old time sweet smelling "tings
as lavender. bergamont and the
"musk" of our grandmothers. which
the growers call mimulus mochatus.
Do‘ you prefer to send something
besides seeds or plants? Then why
not a collection of clear, slender
glass vases of different heights?
Or one or two of the books on ama-
teur gardening that are both prac-
tical and plcasing? (er if your
gardener friend is an expert. “by
not a specially bound copy of lia—
cons Essay or Gardens which has
charmed the heart of every :tarri-
ener since the time of the great
Elizabeth?
Another home made gift might. be
a dozen round steaks a. foot long.
and a dozen flat ones. four inches
long. all painted a pleasant gay
groom. The first would be used to
tie up budding plants. while the
others could have pasted on "them.
the names of seeds sown and would
be used as markers. '
A Still different type of gift might
consist of colored prints of Old gar-
dens designed for framing. or. what
would also please a zealous garden-
er. a scrap-book for garden snap-
shots and treasured newspaper clip.
pin/gs on such gardening information
as most appeals to be recipient‘s
heart.
Grace ' Church
The Rev. :1. Benton Werner, Rector
The Christmascommunions
\
.. at ._
MIDNIGHT.
—- and at '2"
0
Sand 10 in the morning
The Children’s Festival ‘
Thursday, St. John’s Day, 27 December
at 7:30 p. In. in the Parish House
~ liifirfifitfiefilflé’éfi
4'
' :4) ; .rj
Senizapth us.
The Christmas tide runs strong
and rises high. Its influence mounts
with each decade. and it. attracts. in
an ever widening circle, the favor
and following of new thousands. Nor
need 'we wonder that that gracious
tide carries blessing to families and
to n lions. It. had its rile in that
epoch which witnessed both the pm
ing' of an old order. and the birth
of a. new age. Its fountain head-swan
the ‘turning point of history. behind
which was a. dispensation that. carried
only the dim light of patriarch and
prophet. Following it was the pre«
dicted Messianic order. and the ris-
ing light that was to shine far hence
unto the Gentiles.
The Christmas season is. promin-
cntly. the "children's hour." In all
of poetry or pagentry mark the
day. it ever revolves around the
cradle and the tender babe. From
that center. high up on the uplands
of Gudea. have radiated those
streams of life and healing that have
blessed the world and made. the
hearts of men more tender. The love
which a. babe may awaken swept. not
only the hearts of the Bethlehem
sojourners. but it. has touched and
sanctified society and the abodes of
men. That love. and the matchless
associationsof the Bethlehem story.
have lifted the childhood and moth--
erhood of the world to a higher plain.
and their influence was never greater
than today. _ ' ‘
But—as the world‘s lot—through
even the Christian centuries. has been
a. blending of sorrow with -its joy.
even this was symbolized in the Beth-
lehem experience. The young He-
brew maiden who came to the stress
of motherhood at a crowded inn.
rather than at. her Galilean homo.
shared. with her new born child. the
restless pilgrimage of the races and
felt the chill of an inhospitable air.
The joy of an Eastern infancy was
offset by the hostile treachery of the
king. and while flight saved to Mary
her holy son. the scourage of Herod’s
hate fell heavily on other homes. and
Rachel again wept for her children.
There may be little danger that
we shall unduly magnify the joys
of Christmas. At the first. the angels
sang. the shepherds rejoiced and the
wise mcn- brought presents. And
whatever of sorrow the later years
niny bring to us. we do well to sur-
round the early years with our sym-
bols of gladnes. In spirit we may
join the Bethlehem visitsnts—carthly
"Tit" {0:3 \ 13;” .
0f the air have unsta;
h‘adr—Mavhnzt- {-
By F. L. PIPER, 1). 1)., luau...E
and heavenly—and leave our own'toward Christ and the church, hat-r, 'r“
presents at adoration and of love at
His feet. who in birth and life con-
secrated childhood and blessed the
families of earth- '
The Christ who came to the East-
ern manger is no longer the depend-
ent babe. Childhood was followed
by youth and by a robust, toiling
mnhood, and these were crowned
by a. gracious minktry of love. by
the chutening of suffering. and for
s. climax Ho “suffered death for every
man.” Up through the portal of
resurrection he emerged as the God-
man of the Christian centuries. He
commissioned his followers. and
gave them the heritage of his in-
struction and his unfolding purpose
concerning the world. He announced
turned away. They may
follow
market.
him in “'3." street.
and in the home.
the saddle.
greed.
a wave of crime.
stress and peril. a time when
for righteousness. In such a
tense of cvil. and those who
both his spiritual presence and his committed to individual, to civic and
personal return at the close of the national righteousness.
gospel age. He repeatedly referred to there are three classes. fn
a final Judgment. warned of punish-
ment for evil and held up to men
the urge of an infinite reward for
righteousness. His followers took up
the challenge of their stupendous
task. and the annals of the Christian
:hurch is the aftermath of their la-
ors.
either choose to seem
ness.
\i'ith all its good qualities
good e0 19, and thev p 'K
The Present Clullengc. . Norwarik Ineeds men whomwill
After the busy man of May
watches the last tapir die out from
the Christian tre‘efiees the last bun-
dle unwrapped and the children‘s
Joy complete. he will awaken to real-
the church.
ize that _another‘- Christmas ’ has check a'lawless element that.
pasted. Vi hat a strange day! Christ- threatening the best interests of
mas. :‘lnd nineteen hundred years nation. This call comr§ from
old. “hat does it. mean? church. and from every cause
The child of Bethlehem” the equity and righteousnc». and
Christ of the Christian cen rles. a. call that comes out of the gladnws
never loomed so large as he does of the Chrisitan season. \\ e lliziv 1..--
today. His influence has grow with permitted. to fill our cups; of 3);.- a:
Cub passing century and h is re— the Bethlehem spring. but let us notf
vered by millons. Even N poleon
said of him: “Jesus founded his
empire upon love. and to this very
day millions would die for him."
Jean Paul Richter speaks of him:
“\Vho. being the holiest among the
mighty. and the mightiest among the
holy. lifted with his pierced hands
empires off their hinges. and turned
the stream of centuries out of its
channel. and still governs the ages."
These but suggest that great body of
witnesses who confess the greatness
of the Christ.
One fruitsge of the Christmas sea-
son of 1923. should be a ringing
challenge to the manhood of our
time. A great mass of‘mcn out of
Christian homes. and with learnings
our Lord's stress and sat i~r..
and His church ha“: a yeti a
ling.
might rather than
oppresion. often fosters
flagrtnt evils. and hills-s
dens and areas of shame.
conditions the call is loud for
Who have pronounced
and a resolute chut‘s":.
If one turns to tin:
field the challenge is even
right.
the
gt
and national animositirs.
‘u
, tD—Ofl—ll-bdl’Ila—II—‘l-dflfi-lbfl—ar—
Advent Christian Church
- Van Zant and Harvey St.
EAST NORWALK
‘ F. L. PIPER, 1%. 1)., Pastor.
Deacons
mamas . . . . . .
neme.mswos'rn,....-...-
ceases VON Humour . . - . - - .. . .
m.smmrsnm’ox..-....-.-
SERVICES
0 ' .n,
I Morning Worship. 10:30 A. M. Sunday School 11:50 A. M.
Loyal Workers, 6:15 P. M.
Juniors, 3:00 P. M. .
~ ' Evening Service, 7 :30 P. M.
- {Weekly Prayer Meeting Thursday Evening.
.. ...--_- z... _.......d
- .....-_., . .
.ry 5? '7' -‘,»';',<-‘, IFV’F,:”-.(,.:r})f’rm%_ -
. . . . X i
‘iChristmas and‘iCh ristian Appeal
Christ to Bethlehem. but they do not
in the
needs the manhood of our time. The); -
are needed for a. campaign of stal-
wart righteousness. Evil is often ln’
The interests of society
are often sacrificed on the altar of
Laws are being broken with
impunity and courage and clogged by
It is an hour
should throw the weight 'of their iii-5
fiuence into the scale for Christ and
there should be but. two class“
those who openly stand for the
Unhappily
tion to the above there are those whn
neutral.
who allow inertia and indifference '
roh them of value for the church or'
for any aggrcfiivc cause of rightrous- '
out of assumed neutrality and -
counted for law and order. and fur
They are rim-lied in all
of our churches. and they are howled :
in civic and state affairs to hold
forget. that. we are called to share in ‘
thcm a power of cm! that is appal—
It is a power that git-x-z-s
It holds
lCFt‘lf
\Yitli these-i
convictions: "
interliztticnri
\Ve have emerged from the gm...
war of history. and ils aftrrmuth of
debt. ccconomic. uplieaxals and l‘lz-.l.!. ,
coristitu. _
a. situation that. is almost as danger;
'wwwau 1;
mi.w‘t/gzll'gtawrmlemma:imam;
I
{a
install
nine;
91
mick.
N“«A
1:?»
\g“
‘7.
1
g ‘4
to"
n'NA
s. w. VELSOR
I "an" ‘
Treasurer
. A
. Organist.
RIOHABD BLAND" - - - - Sunday School Superintendent.
59' arr-xv p awrmnmnmv
\
v
er, .
--'o a . ..
[in
a.
i
\
inmwswemomewmsmmsmm fulfil-
Norwalk Chronicler