The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-19
A Sermon
In Little
BY DR.. Minot J. Savage.


~ THOUGH Christmas is the Oldest
a and most widespread of all the .hol-
= idays, it was not one of the original
festivals of the church. Indeed, it was
two or three hundred years before the
date of the celebration was generally
agreed on throughout Christendom.
The birth of Jesus was not celebrated
at all for a long time, and when it be-
gan to be different days were advocat-
ed IN different parts of the church.
Strange as this may appear at first
sight, 1T is easily accounted for when
we remember our ignorance on the
subject. 1t is now generally believed
that Jesus was born about the year
B. c., but no one has the least idea as
to the month or the day.
How did it happen, then, that the
25th of December was finally agreed
on? The answer to this gives us a
glimpse of the common policy and
practice of the church. When she has
found some custom or tradition firmly
| fixed in the affections of the people, in
stead of trying to uproot it, she has
| chosen the easier way of baptizing and
adopting it.
From time 1mmemorial there had
been great popular celebration in
Rome at about this time of the year. 1t
| was characterized by many of the fea-
lures which now mark the Christmas
time. There were general rejoicing,
mutual congratulation and sometimes
| the exchange of gifts.
| The occasion of this was the sun.
posed birth of the sun god at this per-
! iod of the year. That is, at the time Of
the winter solstice, they celebrated the
fact that the sun had reached the
farthest point in his journey south and
in figure was now reborn Hence
forth he was to grow in power and
glory, travelling northward again.
bringing with him increasing light and
warmth, the promise of spring and tina
! glory of the summer.
AS Jesus had come to be regarded an
the Son Of righteousness, bringing to
men spiritual light and life and prom
Use, the analogy is easily seen, and the
transferring of the festival from the
Pagan to the Christian holiday was NOT
difficult. In its external features il ia
still almost completely Pagan. The
feasting, the Yule-log, the mistIetos.
the decoration of homes and houses Of
worship-all these are older than
Christianity 1t Will thus be easily seen
why Christmas has so long been q
universal festival among nearly all the
| Northern nations. 1t will be under
stood why all Puritan attempts to
crush 1t out have been failures. 1t is
too deeply rooted in the heart and hope
of the races to be displaced.
! Christianity has changed it only by
giving it a deeper meaning and adding
to it more spiritual significance. Ira
dlt1on tells us how at the time of the
| birth OF Jesus there was heard from
the heavens an angel song, Peace on
Earth and Good Will to Men"
Are we nearer the era of peace on
! earth? Are there more signs of good
VIII among men? Looking at it in one
way 1t would seem rather as though the
| sword which Jesus said he came to
prlng instead OF peace was in the as
cendant. Never have been more cruel
prosecutions; never have been more bit
ter wars than those which have charac-
terized Christian history But they
who read the promise of the future in
letters of darkness or of blood most
certainly misread the hope of the race
| Ii the great Christian nations are
armed to the teeth and if, as though in
irony, they invoke the help of the
Prince of Peace in their bloodiest wars
stlll 1t is true that peace and good will
nave prevailed and give promise Of
prevailing to such an extent as to fill
our hearts with hope and joy.
However appearances may some
times look the other way, the domi-
nant force of the modern world is the
moral ideal. 1t is mightiest of the
powers to-day not only in the individ-.
ual conscience, but even among the
most domineering nations. No coun-
try at the present time presumes to 60
to war without claiming. at any rate
that its action is in the interest of ius-
tce or a wider peace. Suen
Is it out of place at the close to sug-
gest the question: If loving and giy-
ing and helping are so sweet during
the last few days in December. might
II not be well to try the experiment as
TO whether they would not be equally
sweet during the rest Of the year3