The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-20
IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.
What Church Folk Are Thiak-
ing Abont and DoinQ
THE LIFE THAT MADE CHRISTMAS

THE LIFE THAT MADE CHRISTMAS
11,e' International Sunday Shool Les
SON for December Is. is a Review OF
the IAfc Of Christ. Luke $500.
tby William Il. hllls.
For q year the Sunday Schools OF
the whole world have been studying /
the Life Of Christ. Now CA Christmas
day it is concluded by a backward
look over those thirty-three wonderful
years and by a fresh contemplation
OF the lite that gives to mankind its
Christmas. For Christmas is the
Chrlst-Gay IN the Christ spirit; it is an
emblem and an expression Of love, an
embodiment OF the teachings OF the
Master.
/ am writing these lines in the land
which. since the feet OF Jesus trod it,
is known universally as the Holy
Land. The snaallness and natural In
significance Of the territory has been
freshly impressed upon me. BY itself
it is one OF the least considerable Of
the provinces Of the Turkish empire.
The extreme limits OF the j~ourneyings
OF Jesus can be travelled by horse In
five or six days. Any visitor may read
the land, which is as an pspired book.
in two or three weeks. The country
is great chiefly because OF Him: it's
soil and scenery and secular history
are more than matched in many other
o1 A1iC Ill bCCduSC - NSuS
lived here, however, every foot Of the
territory has been glorified; ever as
His presence transforms q
place life into one OF beauty and
power.
A Village as a World Capital.
There is stimulus for the imagina-
ton in the thought that, as Christmas
comes around once more, a m on
place Syrian village becomes the capt.
tai Of human hearts over all the world.
London and Paris and Petersburg and
Berlin must give way to Bethlehem.
All their brilliance pales in the light
that shines over a rude oriental khan;
and their riches are forgotten IN the
spiritual wealth Of hope and peace
and 10Y hat clusters about the man
ger which the baby Guest shares With
the gentle cattle. All the ponap and
trappings n ceremony Of worldly
state are absent FROM this supreme
event, as If to make 1t near and intelii-
gible to all sorts and classes Of people
everywhere. A Babes rude couch be-
comes the common meeting place OF
all mankind.
Yesterday / saw by q Judean road
side a carpenter. with his saw fasten-
ed to his donkey. and his young wife
and infant son resting from the noon
tide heat. They represented the prlm-
tive simplicity which is a message OF
the holy family to this weary Worlo
oyerladen with much goods. 1t Is no'
Things ina make HE. Inc diCteiii
human relations Of the home, the en-
durance of the daily lot, and sensitive
ness to the spiritual realm, are more
important than all the material pos
sessions or state. II there be any who
despise the poor man for his poverty
let them make pilgrimage in spirl'
this day to Bethlehem and Nazareth
and learn the Christian lesson tina
Gods greatness was made plalf
through the loWly.
A Syrian Boys Request.
The little boys OF Nazareth Dla,
marbles and leapfrog in the marrow
streets, and as ] watched them, real
izing how much fewer are the game
Of the children in this land and nov
much less blithesome their CHILDHOOD
t1an is the case in Christian America
I realized what a bequest that dreamy
eyed Syrian Boy Of two thousand year
ago has left to the worlds children
Because Of Him. childhood is toda
given a place SUCH as II never pe1or
possessed. The Bethlehem manger ex
ats all infancy and the Nazareth Bo
has brought liberty and happiness an
enlightenment to millions Of othe
lads -,
bear lars OF water on their heads froT
the one village spring Of Nazareth, a
they cid n Mary's day; but in the wild
world what a change has taken piac
in the lot of womankind! The heaV
physical DuroeHS nave OeeA ! W.
womanhood in Christian lands, an
Mary's Son has been the emancapaV
OF womankind in a which I'll
freed themselves scarcely recognize.
These thoughts OF the dinerenc
which that earthly life which was Dc
gun on Christmas has made TO Tn
world throng upon every traveller !
the Holy Land. In a Nazareth carpei
ter shop where the workTen seateo =
the ground hewed out wooden piougi
and yokes. even as his Predecessor Oh
two thousand years ago. and talkln
with him concerning the econom
conditions which have sent seVerai
his relatives to America, ] sudden
realized hat this western world. dl
,ra-o5 ord cat+lnd by men led by tf