Bradley beam., 1943-12-11
A Utraplatn ? Uhnn9hta

us the most friendly ana W1nSomo story of Christmastime. And what a beautiful picture it is. Doctor Luke, with a broad physicians sympathy for everyone, make us see the greatness of the event for the worlds humble people. The Christmas event is not primarily for the earth's chosen few but for the toiling, working folk every where, whose lives are without great advantage. Jesus is Gods friendly gift to his multitudes of stout-hearted women and men.
 Many things in the gospel of St. Luke impress us with a bright warm friendliness. First of all is that Jesus was sent into a quiet home in an obscure village to be born. Mary did her own housework, the cooking, baking, spinning, sew ing and sweeping. Joseph was a carpenter, one of earth's myriad toiIers. They were too poor to offer more than a maximum gift at the altar when Jesus was presented, which was "a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons" Yet the first Christmas was celebrated in this family pattern, and God chose these unspoiled people to bring the young child to maturity.
 Note further that Gods friend iness appears in the type of au- dience selected to hear Heavens own announcement and the great angelic choir was sung to she pherds, clumsily dressed, untutored, outdoor men, unpublished in speech. But all heaven could sing before them and know that their message and music would not be wasted, nor fall on dull ears. In Gods eyes,
 "No flower is born to blush unseen, And waste it's fragrance on the
 desert air."
 And it was the shepherds, too, who first came to Bethlehem, all startled and wondering, and found the child. What a thought it is, that by Gods own provision, the first visitors ever to see the Prince of Peace were these rough, unconsidered shepherds, weather-beaten in ex- terior but keen of soul. And so hon. estly sensitive were they at the wonders they saw that they left happy and praising God.
 Another item in the Christmas story is that when Mary and Jos eph presented the Child at the Temple, two old people, devout and faithful, were made happy. Symeon and Anna, both Tn their eighties, saw the child Jesus, and after that great blessing, they felt they could die happy. Thus eight days after Christmas morning we snatch a glimpse of God, unexpected but everlastingly beautiful, having a throbbing, tender interest in the hopes and dreams of these forgot ten old folks.
 How happy we are for this grac- ious picture of God. The ordinary, regular people are most precious to Him. He visited them first in their homes. He loves the fellowship of strong, clean women and men, out door workers and all, and to them first he entrusts the happiest secrets of the human heart. His friendli- ness extends to the wornout fringe of life where people are taken for granted, and he brings them bless ings to pass, wanting to answer their cherished hopes and yearn- ings, and to present them with un- expected joy.
 A further thought clamors for view at this Christmas season. It is that God made human bodies so clean that he could enter life through normal human channels, and not cease to be God. He was "born of Mary," and ever since, the coming of children into the world has taken on dignity that extends up to Gods own throne; and angels listening, kneel in each part of the