Tárogató, 1950 (13. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)

1950-12-01 / 6. szám

TÁROGATÓ

15

It is useless to try to make up by our Christmas remembrances for the forgetfulness of a whole year.

There can be no real Christmas joy apart from sacrifice. Happiness is never to be purchased at a bargain.

FOR THE COMING YEAR

Standing at the portal Of the opening year,

Words of comfort meet us Hushing every fear,

Spoken through the silence By our Father’s voice,

Tender, strong, and faithful,

Making us rejoice.

T, the Lord, am with thee,

Be thou not afraid;

I will help and strengthen,

Be thou not dismayed:

Yea, I will uphold thee

With My own right hand;

Thou art called and chosen In My sight to stand.’

For the year before us,

O what rich supplies!

For the poor and .needy Living streams shall rise;

For the sad and sinful Shall His grace abound;

For the faint and feeble Perfect strength be found.

He will never fail us,

He will not forsake;

His eternal covenant He will never break.

Resting on His promise What have we to fear?

God is all-sufficient For the coming year.

—Frances Ridley Havergal, in The Hymnary.

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS WREATH

By Margaret G. Wilson

(A Story for Children)

It was breakfast time and Simon and Paul and little Esther were very hungry.

“We cannot eat, children, until your Father comes home”, said their Mother.

“I’m afraid the wolves have been after the sheep or perhaps one of the little lambs has fallen down the stony cliff and got hurt. Your Father is never late like this unless something has happened during the night to the floc^c.”

Simon, Paul and Esther knew it was no use to coax for breakfast so they went outside to wait and watch for their Father.

“Here he comes, Mother,” called Paul. “Here he comes and something has happened! He is almost running and Shep is running and jumping, too!”

Their Mother rushed outside, and as their Father came closer she could see he was all excited. He didn’n look worried as he did when he had had a trying night with the wolves or the lambs, but he was happy and joyous and full of excitement.

“Come in! Come in, all of you!” he exclaimed “A wonderful thing happened to us last night and I must tell you about it. Our breakfast can wait or perhaps you had better put the hot meal in the bowls for the children and yourself, Mother. You eat. I know you must be hungry because I am late, but I shall wait for my meal.”

Scarcely was the food in the bowls when he began.

“Last night was a clear, beautiful, starry night. I don’t believe the sky has ever looked so blue and been dotted with so many twinkling stars. The sheep were quiet and content as they nibbled on the flowers and grass that grew on the hillside, so Ezra, John and I sat down together to drink our goat’s milk and eat our lunch. I was just about to take a thorn out of the paw of a baby lamb when all of a sudden the whole countryside was lighted up. The lambs ran bleating to the old sheep and they all huddled together bleating and baaing. They were filled with fear. We became so blinded by the light that we threw ourselves on the ground and hid our faces in the grass, it was then that we heard voices singing, ‘Fear not, for unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.’ ”

“We stood up trembling with fear. The choir of angels disappeared and then it was that we saw a large, bright