The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-24
SHALL OBSE ERVANCE BE PERT FUNCT ORY OR FROM HEART?
Dr.. Hendrix Says Too Many See in Unparalleled 0CCa-
 sion Only Exchange of
 Gifts and Week of Rest
By DIR. ". R. HENDRIX Pastor of Highlands Methodist
 Church

As we come to stand again on the day season. we must each one decide for himself whether this shall be a perfunctory performance of the usual conventions, or an occasion of fresh and fuller joys" arising from 8 deep CT penetration and clearer concep- ton of the meaning and significance of the historical event commemora- ted at this season. Nothing in modern history Is half so astonishing as the increasing scale on which the world celebrates the birth of Jesus, who came as a babe to a Bethleham man ger nineteen hundred years ago. There is too much truth in the old adage that familiarity breeds con tempt" On this unparalleled occa- sion in human events too many see of gifts, week of rest and some nothing more than the exchange extraordinary provision of food and drink. Every Christmas cnforces the truth of the poet.
 That earth is crammed with heaven,
 And every common brush afire
 with God,
 But only he who sees, puts off his
 shoes and worships.9
 The highest Christmas joys come only to those "who see," and seeing put off their shoes and worship.
 The River 0f Christmas Joys
 In an hour of exalted spir- itual illumination Ezekiel saw the coming of Christ and the effects of his coming upon mankind, and likened the event to a river whose waters issued from the threshold of the temple. and flowed out through all lands. And everything shall live. rrb ink nnn1ath t Whpn the prophet had been led forth q thousand cubits into this river. he found the waters up to his ankles. They went forth another thousand cubits, and the water was now to his knees. They went on yet an- other thousand cubits and now the water was up to his loins. Not yet content they went still another thou sand cubits; and lo. the water was now "a river to swim in, and no man could pass over it." Shall We mere ly stand by the river of Christmas joys. catching only gleams of reflect ed light. and hearing only echoes of that "song like the sound of many waters" or shall we go forth Into its waters with measuring line, to find it a great river to swim in? Our answer to this question will deter mine the measure and content of this seasons happiness.
 Measuring Life-Gfving River
 Even little attention will show us that Christianity immensely ln- oreases the number, and improves the quality of the material comforts contributing to a happy and success full human life. A comparative study of living conditions in Christian and ncn-Christian lands will give us cause for astonishment that we have had such a dwarfed conception of the economic value of our religion. From defenseless infancy to helpless old age, human life in our land has incomparably better food, clothing, and every physical need so much better supplied than in those lands still waiting for His coming. This first step into the stream brings it's waters ''up to the ankles"
 At the time of the coming of Jesus, the world was full of class distinc- tions, buttressed by unrelenting class prejudice and the most cruel hatred. Class hatred like an octopus had a strangle-hold upon every nation, and every institution of society, including the home and the church, was in a large measure dominated by this monster. The spirit and watchword of Jesus was Call no man on the earth your master; for one Is your Father in Heaven, and all ye are brethren" Nineteen centuries of Christian history have witnessed the constant increase of human brother hood, and the abatement of those artificial class distinctions that Sc long filled the world with mans inhumanity to man" This second