The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-26

ment was on Christmas morning, and yet the birthday of the Child was oele- brated yesterday, in the good year of our Lord. 1920.
 His humility brought the worship of
 the ages and the gifts of the world to
 His feet. You know old Herod didn't get any gifts on Christmas morning, Archaelaus didn't get any the scribes didn't get any Gifts were bestowed upon the humble. Jesus said He wanted us to be like Him, to have the same mind in us that He had
 And that's the reasonf explained the Santa Claus man, That Ilike to go around Christmas eve with some of our good people to take gifts up the dark stairs that lead to an attic, or to some out-of-the way home in an alley. We've been doing this for 30 years Now the sons and daughters of some of the men and women who used to go with me bring gifts to be distributed And, by the way, We don't go in buggy any longer. We used to do tha. but old Santa Claus is finding Bir mingham growing so big he uses an automobile.
 I've just pile that old car full and go to all the homes we think are for gotten with our gifts and our Christ mas songs. And l just tell you the old crippled man in the attic, and the sick mother ip the alley know that the Lord sent them these songs of joy and gifts of love because they know the devil never would think about it.. that he never thought about sending
 them any good gift in all their lives" THE SANTA CLAUS MAN
 But I'm going to ask the Santa Claus man to pause with his story just
 moment while I tell one I know about him. On Christmas morning be-
 fore the peep O day it is his delight , to slip out of warm house into thas same little parsons car' and take
 ckings--grotesque looking stock
 ings, bufging with yellow oranges and bright red apples doll or train, to
 some of the homes he knows the Christmas spirit forgot. At door he knocks, and announces; santa Claus l has come to somebody here." and then
 the good saint hurries away as fast as
 q hustling little Ford can carry him,
 leaving some child note that runs
 like this:
 God sent Santa Claus to you little
 boy. He sent Jesus to you, too, on Christmas Day. santa Claus wants you to love God, and be little Chris
 tian, and give your life to Jesus" | This is just one instance of the l Christmas mans happiness in serving l little children. Every Saturday after
 noon when he isn't called to funeral ! service he will be found at the Third
 Presbyterian church with his children. his Busy Bees" teaching them Bible stories, and telling them the story of Jesus love for them. The Saturday before Christmas the Busy Bees found wonderful Christmas tree, on which they tied their gifts for the Mercy Home children Tn turn, the
 .....
 membranes of the Santa Claus mans thoughtful care.
 T like for people to give me dolls to give away" the Christmas man said. some little girl who has never moth . cred one. I remember one little girls joy over the first doll she ever had that somebody was good enough lo send through me. That little girl Is a graduate of high school now. and 1 thinking about making other children happy. and every time l see her she talks about that first Christmas doll. Tn just such happy thought fulness
 the Christmas man takes the Christina s spirit through every day in the year. And as busy as he is with a programme that takes him everyday (sometine three times day, in every week to talk to men at the shops and factories, he never forgets to leave time to cul- ltiyate little children, and to have time
 to visit the sick in the hospitals and homes of the city The Christmas mans ministry is for work days. not simply for messages from the pulpit on Sundays.
 The other day when I met him he had just come from the shops and vas on his way to order half ton of coal SD that somebody's Christmas fire would be burning.
 : "A friend Just handed me 35 for th:s coal he said. When find out abou. anybody in need the Lord always sends someLody with giving heart around