The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-12-15
IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?
By Rev. w. B. Auu.
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The letter Of the little 9-year-old
girl to Mr.. Dana, editor Of the Sun,
asking this question, "Please tell me
the truth. Is there a Santa Calus?'
has cone the round Of the press sever
al wears. and with it the distinguished
editors reply, which is as follows:
eyes, Virginia, there is Santa Claus.
He exists as certainly as generosity
and love and devotion exist, and you
know that they abound and give to
YOUR life its highest beauty and JOY
Alas, how dreary would be the world
# there we're no Santa Claus! 1t
would be as dreary as if there were no
Vireinias. There would be no child
like faith, then, no poetry, no romance,
to make tolerable this existence
If this were a real little girl asking
a great man a real question, it was
done in all earnestness. "Please tell
me the truth. Is there Santa Claus?',
In her ehildlike way she puts him on
his oath. and he affrms to her earn
est, trusting heart that there Is
real Santa Claus. Did he deceive
that child? Does he wish to convey
to the child mind that there is a real
invisible being who is in reality the
source Of all good cheer that comes at
Christmas time9 If he does who is
that being, and by what authority
does he possess the devotio: of a
child's heart? Does he wish to take
US back to Greek and Roman mytho-
logy? Does his theory teach trusting
childhood the childhood Of Christian
people, who is the author and source
of all earthly goodness? These are
not idle questions.
Deceptions are dangerous things.
When truth is more wonderful and
mysterious than fiction, why use fic-
ton instead Of fact? "The night
shall be filled with music" if we
could have ears to hear it. and the
gentlest zephyrs are laden with ange-
lie voices to ears touched by the Di-
vine finger. An omnipresent God is
more wonderful than a fantastic un-
real Santa Claus. Why not lead the
child to profound truth, through an
entrancing mystery, built on fact,
rather than to seek to do this through
goblin stories, which smack Of heath
en- mythology7 Is there anything
more wonderful in all creation than
the story of the Christ-child whose
birth we celebrate9
Is there anything more beautiful
than the thought that this Christ
Child comes into the child life at
Christmas time with material joys?
Who is more worthy Of the ehild's
love and worship? To whom do you
think it is due? What answer can the
children Of God give to this?
The story is no less wonderful that
the Christ comes with His good
gifts, than it is that Santa Claus
brings them. The greatest distinction
is one is a fact and the other false
hood.
Some children are taught to speak
first "gibberish jargon'' and the
task is left to the teacher to root out
a false language and instil true one.
They educate through falsehood into
fact, supposing a child cannot receive
the truth.
Virginia shall have her question an
swered. She has been on the 'anX-
ious BENCH long while. There Is
no Santa Claus, Virginia. but there is
2 Christ-Child to whom you can speak
in whispers up in the twinkling stars,
and He will hear all Your wishes. He
it is who gives ''every good and per
feet sift77 of whom the angels sang
on the first Christmas night. and who
brings all the blessedness on Christ
mas dav. He is a real, live, loving
King. who has beautiful home tor
Won in the skies, Virginia.
China Grove, n. c., Dec, 1908.