Evening star., 1939-09-30

bring contentment; there was more
happiness In the simple home In
Bethlehem to which the baby Jesus
had been taken than there was In
Herod's palace.
Cunning and crafty, the old fox
had simulated an interest in the
Magi's quest, pretending that he,
too, wanted to honor the newborn
King. But the Wise Men were
warned in a dream, and left for the
East without revisiting Jerusalem.
Like all great scholars, they were on
the side of the angels. His agents
quickly brought Herod the news of
the Bethlehem visit, and, in venge-
full rage, to assure the death of this
possible interloper, he ordered all
boys Of Bethlehem under years of
age to be slain.
History and art have magnified
that tragedy as "The Slaughter of
the Innocents"; but really there
were only dozen or SO children
killed, since Bethlehem was but
village. More monstrous have been
the slaughters of the innocent in
Spain and in China and Ethiopia.
Barcelona's massacre from the air,
In which civilized" Italy, Spain and
Germany participated, puts Herod
into the class of petty criminal,
small-time murderer. And now the
new world war is out to set a fresh
record for slaughter.
The Universal Child.
In the Babe Jesus we see every
other child; in every other child we
see Jesus He Is the Universal
Child. He was not a Nordic (Hitler
hates Him, even as did Herod
but an olive-skinned, black-haired
Syrian. The Orient claims Him; yet
He belongs to all the world; and
the artists are not really amiss who
picture Him as a golden-haired,
fair-skinned blond. He must al
ways be portrayed in terms of our
own experience and understanding.
The gifts of the Magi made it
possible for Carpenter Joseph to
heed the angelic warning and flee
to Egypt with his family. The fire.
quent intervention of angels In the
Nativity story reminds us that still
these guardians safeguard little
children.
Little is found in literature about
the desert journey down through
hot and f1inty Sinai to Egypt. I
have made it, and I know the Or
deal it must have been for the
three. After that burning waste,
the lush green of the Nile Valley
must have been welcome sight to
Joseph and Mary.
To this day Egypt is a land of
refuge for exiles. 1t is noteworthy
that, although the Old Testament is
full of maledictions upon Egypt,
Jesus never spoke a harsh word
about the land that had sheltered
Him in infancy.
The Blessing of Death.
Herod died, execrated by every
body; Jesus lived. to bless the
world beyond imaginations widest
dreams. Every mature person, as
he watches the passing OF malign
personalities from the scene. has
considered the beneficence of death.
The grave is as essential to progress
as the cradle. What a world this
would be if the grim reaper did
not ply his scythe!
Herod had dared to defy God and
the eternal principles of righteous
ness. Myriads of tyrants have tried
to do the same. with equal futility.
Some centuries ago Japan expelled
the Christian missionaries and tried
to extirpate the Christian religion.
Signs were put up in public places
threatening death to the Christians
God Himself should he enter Japan.
Today in that unhappy pagan land,
there are myriads of Christians, all
! opposing in their hearts the bloody
war progam, and praying for the
day when they may be in unity
with their fellow disciples in China.
In the universal and deserved repro
baton of Japan, we should have a
thought for the Christians, who are
in faith abiding their time. and the
triumph of Christian peace.
For the Child is conquering
Every day sees an increase in the
number of those who accept Jesus
as Lord of their lives. And in their
increase lies society's one sure hope.
The Sunday School lesson for
October l Is "The Infancy af