The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-12-24
Appeals to Communicates
to Refrain From Social Ac-
tiyities During Morning
FIRST DUTIES ARE
TOWARD THE CHURCH
Is Firm Believer in Making Young
People Happy, But Says seek
Gods Glory First on
Christmas Day"

in his diocese to refrain from social gath
erings Christmas morning.
The appeal was issued from Montgom-
cry and was inspired by the issuing of
invitations by one of Montgomerys most
prominent clubs to a social gathering to
be held at II o'clock Christmas morning.
II am a firm believer in making our
young people happy" says the bishop,
"and I would rather see the occasions and
innocent methods for their enjoyment
added to rather than diminished. But, my
brethren, Christmas morning is not the
time when social life should be permit
ted to encroach upon the serious obllga-
tions and privileges that have bound us
to the Christ and His church.
AS your bishop. I appeal to you to
decline all social invitations that tempt
you to be absent from the house of prayer
on Christmas morning"
Interest in Birmingham
The bishops appeal will prove of special
interest in Birmingham, as 1t is UNDER
stood a number of social affairs have
been planned in this city for Christmas
morning The letter which was given out
by the Rev. w. N. Claybrook. rector of
st. Mary s-on-the- highlands, is as fol-
lows:
Montgomery, December 49, 1918.
Dear Brethren in Christi have re-
quested the three rectors of the church
in this city to read in the hearing of
their congregations on Sunday morning
the following appeal from your bishop.
If 1t were possible for me to reach you
by spoken word, | would cancel my ap-
pointments in order to be with you.
THE matter TO which | am now asking
you to give your earnest thought is of
vital importance at the present moment,
not only to us who are members of Christ
and the children of God, but also, through
our example, to the best interests of the
community in which we live Your bishop
appeals to you, believing that his appeal
will not be uttered in vain.
II have been informed that some of
the young people of our city have project
ed a social gathering to be held at one
of the social clubs of the city, the same
to convene at II o'clock Christmas morn
ing, and | have been further informed
that arrangements are being made for
ordinary social entertainments to be in
dulged in at that hour on Christmas day.
II shall not be interpreted as being
opposed to the social gatherings of our
young people, or to the innocent enter
their pastin1e and pleasure. l am a firm
believer in making our young people
happy, and ] would rather set the oc-
casions and innocent methods for their
enjoyment added to rather than dimin-
ished.
Christmas Morning Not the Time
"But, my Christian brethren, Christmas
morning is not the time when social life
should be permitted to encroach upon the
serious obligations and privileges that
have bound us to the Christ and His
church. Christmas Day is one of the
great days OF the church. pointing to and
finding it's completion in Easter and the
ascension. Christmas Day belongs to the
church and to the children of the church,
not to society and societys devotees.
mot only is Christmas Day one that
holds the most sacred associations for
the Christian, but the eleventh hour is
the time which the church has appointed
for the gathering of her children in COM
Father, and to His blessed Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ 1t is almost unthinkab BILE
that the social life should have grown
Bold enough to appropriate this day and
hour; and it is also a frightful commen-
tary upon us, as Christian people, that
the world should have presumed to issue
its invitations to a Christian community
TO SDenu Il 0IIlStlDd5 HlDiIllliS dl IL SbNldi
gathering, and the hour of prayer on
Christmas Day in social enter tainments.
Done in ThOughtlessness
1--WE are persuaded that this has been
dcne in thoughtlessness, and with no in
tention to reflect upon the Christian mind
ano heart. We do not know who is re-
sronsible for the fact. Our appeal is
made to the Christians of this city, and
specially to the communicates of the
church. My dear brethren, in the name OF
all that Is sacred and holy, let us not
spend Christmas morning as a gala morn
ing Let us not imagine that we can
know the real joys of the season II we
fail to live its deep meaning. Christmas
Day is our Gods day, and we cannot
onter upon the good will to men until
we have rendered glory to God In the
highest
"As your bishop, L appeal to you,
my brothers in Christ. young and old
to seek Gods glory first on Christmas
day. ,che world and the social life
have right to n part or the day, but
the first duty is owed to the church as
the highest privileges must be won
through the services of the church.
"As your bishop~I appeal to you to
decline all social invitations that tempt
you to be absent from the house of
prayer on Christmas morning. Let US
gather first In the churcn Tor our
prayers and praises, and render first
our thanksgiving to Christ, the savior
of the world and when our first duties
have been rendered where our first
duties are owing, then let US with glad
hearts carry our joys into the world.
Our gifts to loved ones will have a
deeper meaning If otherwise they can
have any meaning, when We have
brought ourselves to realize what
Christmas stands for and the momen-
tous fact commemorated by the day.
Christmas gift is the worlds echo of
the angels announcement. Glory to
God in the highest. and on earth peace,
good will to mem Unto us child Is
given, unto us a son is born. God
SO loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son.
MY dear brethren, let us on Christ
mas day gather in our Fathers house
of prayer and begin the day In ac-
acknowledgement of what He has done
for us, and then let us take our Joys
into the hearts and lives of those who
may not know our God, but who will
learn to know Him through the lie
and example OF HIS children.
MAY the good God bless you, my
brethren, and may Christmas joys fill
your hearts and homes when the glad
day comes. Affectionately.
sc. NJ. BEcKWITH,
Bishop of Alabama"