The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-12-25
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

t E
 Christmas is here, and thank oos h,
 Christmas bells are peace bells, and ws
 bow our heads in hushed silence to catct
 the note of the heavenly chorus floating
 down the centuries. Glory to God ir
 the highest. and on earth peace and goot
 will to all men,
 t'Let us now go even unto Bethlehem
 and see this thing which has come tc pass, said the shepherds watching their flocks by night on the hills when the
 vision of the angelic host faded and the last echo of the peace song died on
 the listening air filled with the presence of God
 s The shepherds of old who set out for the little village of David leaving their sheep behind them was the forerunner of mighty pilgrimage which for nearly 2ooo years has never ceased to flow to- ward the Holy Land to worship at the shrine where child named Jesus was born of a woman called Mary.
 According to press reports which have recently come from Palestine, very ex- tensiye preparations are now under way in the little town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. to make the celebration of this Christmas season the most wonderful in the entire history of the famous place. Pil- grims from all over the Holy Land have fIocked to the sacred town to take part I in the festivities which will be both reIig- ious and secular in nature, and which will last for some days.
 We read in the blessed book, "A little child shall lead them" Is it not eternal ly true? Children today are leading us in our pilgrimage of thought to the sa- cred place where a halo was wreathed about the head of motherhood as the wise men of the east came to honor the infant Saviour eradled in his mothers arms. There is the magic of childhood in the Christmas air and no one can breathe it without catching the spirit of childhood.
 The door of Bethlehem opens only to the elect who meet the requirement. of the invisible words above the lintel, "Ex- cept ye become as little children So let us forget our age and join the mighty pilgrimage of happy hea<ted little ones and go even with them in thought unto Bethlehem The only thing that can really spoil Christmas for any of us, no matter what his age. his condition and surroundings, his poverty or his ioneli- ness. is to lose the spirit of a lttfe child.
 ss
 You can't travel the road to Bethlehem alone, but you can join the happy throng of laughing, expectant children, You can't get admittance to Bethlehem with out gifts of love. Christmas gift, is rooted deep in adoration, for the wise men first knelt in homage to the child and worshipped before they presented the gifts they had brought.
 On this day. of all days, as runs . call of God in the winsome and compsll- ing voice of the Child of Bethlehem. The tumult of the battle is hushed at last, and men can hear again with thankful hearts the Christmas message: Peace, good will. From the past with its sad story of sin and shamesour thoughts turn to the future with it's new hope for men and for nations, and we thank God and take courage.
 May God's world be better and love Her because of you, and through all the sunshine and shadow of the untried days may the angel of His presence lead you. is my wish for all who read this column.