The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-12-18
THE FACTS
N OUR NEWS

c - AuO Vu0 VI ssVs soOo'
which We are thinking at this
moment 10 Christmas and The gifts
We shall make 70 cur men and wo-
men In the armed service. We will
rive them things that they will en-
Joy and bring comfert 70 their
weary hours - they attempt 10 win
. war Tor democracy. Our express
sion about Christmas In this regard
b inevitable and certainly laudsbls.
There Is another factor In this
same regard that should engage our
attention at this time with equal
importance to that of making gifts
and bringing warm memories TO
the men In the armed services. This
fact Is that the birth of Christ set
going q thought in the world that
must not be lost. That thought Is a
simple universal thought - II is
that men should study war no more
and learn the ways Of peace.
We are witnessing thousands Of
our young men come back home
from the battle fronts Of the world
wrecked - emotionally. mentally
and physically. This has always
been the fruit Of war wherever war
has been waged. Christ, the Master
Teacher. saw oil OF this when Il was
announced that his mission was %
bring peace and good will among al
men. He knew that any other course
would lead rs 10 years Of WEAKNESS
and confusion-not only % Q nation
but ~ individuals In nation. One
could not visit . soldiers hospital
where the wounded are being treat
ed without sensing the gravity Of
this message. Therefore. t con.
fronts every Christian and every
man who believes In the brother
hood Of men 70 re-think the pro-
cesses by which men seek TO secure
the abundant life. Men will seek the
abundant life even II the seeking
destroys Ike itself. Jesus knew this
but He knew also that there was q
way for man to seek the abundant
life without destroying himself and
his neighbor.
This simple way has been dis.
carded by individuals and nations
Of the world. The fruits of the land
in terms Of raw materials, farm pro-
duce and knowledge have been
boarded by a few nations to the ex-
tent that some nations have a diff
cult time trying to live. This state
of affairs makes for war. No one,
however. Is 50 naive as TO believe
that the problem Is as simple rs ]
have stated above. OF course not.
1t all has to do with psychology,
mores, and customs-but funda.
mentally these have their roots in
mans struggle for the abundant
Life. Mans Ignorance leads him into
many devastating by-paths. but
nevertheless hs struggles for the
abundant life. Sometimes he learns
~ hate men because Of theiS color
n me struggle Cor abundant life
Sometimes hs learns 70 hate men
because Of their nationality and
race. and often he learns to Just
hate because Of his Illustration In
trying to obtain III abundant life
The symbol Of peace ut Christmas
time Il . little babe In . mangeI
who grew 20 . man. and this man
embodied In his own thinking, feel.
Ing, and actions the brotherhood oi
all men. The one thing that w
can do ut this time for our boys and
girls In the armed service Is 70 kee1
saying to them that you are being
taught 10 kill and you are killing
but You were not born TO hate and
to kill. Kill, you must, because th,
rulers Of the world down through
the years have been 20 selfish and
SO unmindful of their responsibility
TO man IN his struggle for thu
abundant life that they now make
II necessary for you TO kill and bt
killed. This II not the way yov
would have IL ut all Therefore
while you are 1t this bloody. evi
business Of war, do not let any.
body teach you to hate mankind
because You are the brother Of III
man.
This Is the more difficult gift Il
make to the boys in the armed serv.
ice, and yet ! am sure that II we
could make this gift to them in the
real spirit OF Christ whose birth W.
celebrate at Christmas time, oul
gift would be rewarded with
respondent efforts when the war i.
over to see to II that men study wal
no more. We cannot permit thu
idea Of peace and universal peace
to die in our hearts. II can die II
our hearts il we overlook the rea
meaning of Christmas and cover w
our Illustration about the real mean
ing Of Christmas by surfeiting gift
in terms of the material on oul
children and loved ones. To max,
lavish gifts in the midst Of such ,
crisis can be an escape from the re
sponsibilities Of peace.
Christ bids US all % mako on
gifts because Il Is our custom. bu
to make more than our materia
gifts to our children, that they ma!
seek the ways Of peace when thl
bloody. wasteful and ungodly busi
ness Of war gives US respite 70 pur
sue the ways of sane men.
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