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Editor Associate Editors rank ilson Irving P. Johnson F E. W George P. A twater Managing Editor John R. Oliver W illiam B. Spofford THE WITNESS Irw in St. J. T ucker A National Weekly of the Episcopal Church Vol. XVI No. 18 DECEMBER 24, 1931 Five Cents a Copy THE WITNESS is published weekly by the Episcopal Church Publishing Company, 6140 Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. The subscription price is $2.00' a year ; in bundles of ten or more for sale at the church, the paper selling at five cents, we bill quarterly at three cents a copy. Entered as Second Class Matter April 3, 1919, at the postoffice at Chicago, Illinois, under act of March 3, 1879. ©bp spirit nf (Clrristmas By BISHOP GEORGE CRAIG STEWART E S U S ! That was a name written at first below TN CONNAUGHT, Ireland, white candles will burn J. every other name, at the very end of the list of the -*• in every house before the family altar and the door Roman officer charged with the duty of the census of will be left open that Mary may know the door would the district about Bethlehem. All day long the tired not be closed, if she came again this Christmas with pilgrims have filed before the desk. A t last the weary­ the H oly Child. In Lyons, France, at the Foundling ing record is complete, and the officer sets himself to Hospital, the first infant on Christmas day will be ac­ cast up the column. A shadow falls across the page; corded a royal welcome, in His name. In Naples and he turns impatiently to the doorway, to see the figure Rome the pifferari will come down from the moun­ o f a stalwart man outlined against the setting sun. tains to play in front of all the carpenters’ shops in “ I could not come earlier,” says the man— “ the child honor of Jesus. In Armenia each household will was born last night.” gather round while candles are lighted and father tells “ You are at the inn?” the story; as the candles burn out and the story “ No, we arrived too late, the babe was born in a closes, the feast will begin, while salutations will go manger!” joyfully round, “The Gracious Birth of Christ, blessed “Your name?” by His birth!” “ Joseph!” And it is a Blessed Festival! Blessed in its sim­ “ O f what tribe?” plicity. That is the first note of Christmas. On this “Of Benjamin, of the house of David. We are the day we shall not argue about the existence of God. I descendants of kings!” The officer did not even, look know how tremendous is the mystery. The simplest up. The world was full of descendants of former words are the hardest to define. Let me hear you de­ kings. And now there was no king but Caesar, whose fine “I,” or “You,” or “He,” or “Live,” or “Love,” name was above every name. or “ Be,” or “ Is.” Each attempt will lead you into “Your wife’s name?” profundities of metaphysical subtility far beyond your “ Mary.” depth. I know how theologians attempting to define “ And the child’s name is to be ?” God seem to cloud the vision at times. Big words are “JESUS!” The voice of the man fondles the syl­ impressive, but they usually conceal rather than re­ lables. “ It means the Savior of His people!” veal. I heard o f a certain speaker to children who “ Jesus, son of Joseph, of the tribe of Benjamin,” addressed them thus: “ It may be, children, that some wrote the officer, and closed the book. It was the last of you do not know what an epitome is : well, chil­ name on the list. dren, an epitome is a compendium, and compendium is And so it goes,— some write His name after their synonymous with synopsis.” I heard a professor once ambitions and pleasures and selfishness, but “ God hath in class, give his definition o f chalk: “ Chalk is a com­ highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is bination of carminated shells of a class of infusoria above every name, that at the name of Jesus every called phormanifera.” So if some theologian told you knee shall bow” in Heaven, and every knee of princi­ that the incarnation involves the homoousion and not palities and powers, and thrones and dominions, and the homoiousion relation between the first and second angels and arch-angels, and seraphim and cherubim, Persons o f the blessed Trinity, and that it means that and martyrs and saints; and every soul in Paradise; the divine and human natures of our Lord were united and the very demons in hell; and over all the earth at in hypostatic union, you might justly claim that all this Christmas weak knees bow and tongues confess anew is a metaphysical hair-splitting beyond the reach of on the Feast of the Nativity, that Jesus Christ is Lord, the average man or woman. Let me see then, if I can to the glory of God the Father. The whole world is simplify the statement. Every thoughtful person when in love with Him. As a baby creeps across the floor he says, “God,” is conscious of a touch of reverence to bend and kiss a bar of sunlight falling into the room, upon his mind. Is there a God? I cannot know so the whole world loves the sunshine of the love of God as personal, except as He is incarnate. Study­ God in the face, and life,Copyright and 2020. words Archives o fof Jesusthe Episcopal Christ. Church / DFMS.ing Angelo’sPermission required frescoes for reuse on and publication.the ceiling of the Sistine Page Four THE WITNESS December 24, 1931 Chapel in Rome, the visitor strains to see, but fin­ flows out of it to water the thirsty city of New York. ally gives up in despair; then a guide lends him Every day of the year that little lake gives hundreds of a mirror, and looking down into it, he finds all the thousands of gallons of water to the great city. It is marvelous design and color wonderfully reflected. For give, give, give. Over in Palestine there is another ages men strained their eyes to catch a glimpse of God, lake. Plenty of streams flow into it but none flows out. but the light was a half-light; they caught but unsatis­ It takes everything and gives nothing. Do you know factory glimpses. Then God sent His Son, the ex­ the name of it ? The Dead Sea! press image of His person, and brightness of His There is a story o f a man coming home one Christ­ Glory, and we beheld in Him the unspeakable glory of mas eve from work.