Tárogató, 1949-1950 (12. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1949-12-01 / 6. szám
14 TÁROGATÓ tain, but they all lead to the top. Look! As we approach the pinnacle we draw closer together. We shall stand together at the end. GRACIOUSLY DOING GOOD It is imperative that Christian people do good, but it is well to remember always that a good deed depends for its value to a very large extent on how it is done. All too often, good people forget that those whom they wish to help are fellow creatures with sensitiveness not at all to be measured by their economic- standing. The poor man has his susceptibilities just as his rich neighbour. A sensitive man may be insulted by the efforts of another man to help him. There is a heathen way of helping men, and there is also a Christian way, and the Christian, if his Christianity is more than skin deep, will follow the better way. “Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you,” applies to every form of benevolence. The Christlike Christian will be a gracious Christian. Christ does not throw his salvation at men, but invites, and even emplores, men to accept his grace. When you can answer “yes” honestly to the question, “Are you an honest Christian?” you had better ask, “Am I a gracious Christian?” TODAY IS CHRISTMAS By George A. Little Look back! How many Christmas Days have you had? How many at home, in other countries? What did they mean to you, in your family, in your church? Look farther back, to Bethlehem far away in distance and in time. A world event happened there in the birth of a babe. Only a few people saw the significance—Mary, the shepherds, the wise men, and they could not realize it as we may looking back. It was a new coming of God into human history, the beginning of an era. Look ahead! What permanent hope for the world is there apart from the Prince of Peace? He refused to be a warrior. He trusted to truth as a standard, love as a motive and service as an ideal. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, restored balance to tortured minds, comforted the sorrowful and loved sinners away from their sin. If the Christian Church will truly follow the methods of Jesus and minister in his name and spirit, many of the hurts of our war-damaged world can be healed. Look Within! What share may I have in this Christmas and in the Christmases of future years? Jesus would have me believe that I as an individual have a place in God’s plan and purpose, that I have a personal part that is important. I, even I, may join “the glorious company of the apostles” and help to carry on the public ministry of Christ, teaching, loving, serving, sacrificing in fellowship with other Christians and on a world-wide scale. Have I the vision to see the meaning of the first Christmas and relate it to the possibilities of Christmas, 1949, and the Christmases yet to come? If so, I may hear again the song of the angelic choir and see a star of hope. THE CHRISTMAS CHILD By Gertrude B. Webster On Christmas Eve, the Heavenly Child Sought for an earthly bed, But great ones had no room nor place For him to lay his head. But there was found one sheltered spot Within a stable dim, A woman’s wistful dream came true, And in pain welcomed him Sweet pangs of holy Motherhood! Strange ecstasy of birth! The sweetest things we mortals know, Are children come to earth! O Mary, mother — hearted maid, Devout and undefiled, The wonder-gift of all the years Is still a little child! CHRISTMAS CARDS Christmas cards were invented in 1846, first became popular in the 1880’s, and
