South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-26
DIR. MONGER GIVES
IMPRESSIVE TALK
AT XMAS SERVICE
Pastor of Local First Methodist
Church Reviews History
of Christ's Birth.

/ Using as his theme the passage. !
FOR unto you is born this day in the
city Of David, a Savior which is
Christ the Lord" from Luke 2:11.
Rev. A. +. Monger, pastor Of the
First Methodist church. delivered an
/ impressive sermon 10 his cOngrega- |
ton at the special Christmas ser
vices yesterday morning. A portion
OF DR.. Monger's talk follows:
For unto you is horn this day in
the City of David a Savior which is
Christ the Lord.
This text is a message borne not
Of earth but from heaven. 1t has
made the difference of a Christless
and a Christ seeking world. II is the
difference Of heaven and hell. Of day
and night, OF love and hatred, OF
selfishness and service. of JOY and
fear. The usefulness of earth that
yearns upward towards the eternal
at last finds its answer in the Babe
OF Bethlehem. That night marked
/, the dying Of an old and the dawning
OF a new day The morning sun of
b that Christmas morning shot across
the sky the purple rays OF healing in
/ in his touch and blended those di-
verse colors into the daylight of the
world so that men could walk in
peace. happiness. and safety. But
for Herod and all who would not
walk in that light, il was the sunset
, of a declining day that ended in dis
, aster. The unseen world presses
here 10 make itself known TO earth.
EaFrfo- 10 horn ~
Y6arninE mankind was now 10 have
a deliverer. The two groups guided
10 the manger OF Bethlehem repre-
, sent two great needs OF mankind.
: The first group Is the Magi. These
men came out of the trackless orient
y and returned 10 il again. They left
no pathway and blazed no trail by
, which we could follow them and see
what effect their visit to the manger
had upon their people and their
country. Thep represent no country
and no race. However they do rep
resent the universal and deepest
! needs Of the individual This Savior
satisfies those needs and they give
their gifts and worship Him.
The second group is the shep-
herds who heard this announcement.
Unto you a Savior is born" The
- race and the nation have been look
| ing for the Messiah He comes with
a program for Israel The govern
mont shall be upon his shoulder; and
his name shall be called Wonderful.
Counselor the Mighty God, the ever
lasting Father, the Prince of Peace"
Never Given q Chance.
What Christ is to the individual
he must become to the race and the
nation and the world 1t was this
ract that Israel failed to see The
nations of tn earth have never -
en- that program chance. If Christ
mas means anything TO as. it mUsc
mean that we have arrived at the
place where as races. nations. and
groups, we must accept that program
and give our best thought and effort
Tor its realization. Christmas means
very much Q ore than relieving dis
ltress and need for a few days. great
as that is. IL means q striking at
and destroying those causes of need
and distress. This significance must
not be lost i'm our ministry of relief.
Christmas creates "a great spirit
of idealism. hope. expectation and
program for realization Christmas
offers to us the supreme adventure.
We enter upon il for a few days or
weeks J must become the permanent
spirit and work for every day OF the
year The unseen world presses to-
day as never before to make itself
known 10 earth. We have signs of
the world catching the meaning and
the reality of Christmas no less won
derful and definite than those OBJ
served by the wise men and the sep
herds ever liz the history OF the
iW,rld has man been so responsive ia
human need. in our own city. organ
izaUons and individuals have been
seeking TO find needy to help. We are
pouring out OF our wealth for Near
East Central Europe. Russia. and
- wherever childhood lis suffering. It is
ministry Of healing the broker
hearted
] "A few months ago - nations OF
the world surrounded the council ia
= BILE OF nations. i'm Geneve. Swi,z. plan
= ming for the common good of The
world. Now in Washington. the fiy,
great military powers OF the WORLD
! are studying how to learn war nc
% more. great conference Will sure
- r. come within the Mex year on how
~ 20 save the nations OF the world from
N bankruptcy.
Some men filled with the Christ
mas spirit are studying how TO solve
our great social and industrial anC
racial problems without the bitter
v ness. the hatred. and warfare o
: o~ovny Tho ftrras+ of tho World y-fI
IL never be lesse1cd until the Christ
r. mas spirit holds sway in the relation
~ ships Of men. You cannot starve i
y. out of men. If you could. Russi'
10 would still be under the Car. Yol
cannot still il by force. If you could
~ slavery would still be the governing
n law OF labor. There VIII be no an
H. swer 20 the unrest Of men until NOR
ne OF the Christmas spirit rules in tn
a relationships of men. Let no on
o. think that we are ye- in the milieni
NJ UNI. The forces OF reaction die hard
70 Herod is only typical Of that grea
Is number that repeC heavens pro
re- gram.
60 First I'm Individual.
IA The real Christmas must first b
born in the individual This gift o
God resenerates our natures. Hatred
die. Bitterness is dawned in the wave
OF good Will Christmas brings mo
ratorium and we forget our selfish
n ness. Extend this spirit eleven north
~ instead OF one and il rules through
~, out the year.
u Though Christ a thousand tlne
We in Rethleem be born. If he is nc