PRAYER
Oh Lord, our Heavenly Father, we pray for Thy rich blessing upon this gathering of mothers, and upon the mothers of this community. Grant to each one of our children those blessings of body, mind, and soul which Thou seest they most need. Grant to each father and mother the wisdom, love, and courage, and, above all, the personal acquaintance with Thee that shall enable them to train their children for useful, happy, Christian manhood and womanhood, and to love and serve Thee for time and for eternity.
We beseech Thee, in the name of the Holy Child of Bethlehem, to remember our homes and the homes of the whole earth with Thy Fatherly blessing. Guard little children throughout the world from sin and sorrow and suffering, from cruel neglect and oppression, from growing up in vice and ignorance. Stir the hearts of Thy servants at this glad time of the Children’s Festival, to take the knowledge of the blessed Christ-Child to the remotest corners of the earth, that all children may learn to know Him, and may grow up into His likeness.
We ask it in the name of Thy Holy Child Jesus. Amen.
“Holy night! peaceful night!
Through the darkness beams a light
Yonder, where they sweet vigils keep
O’er the Babe, who, in silent sleep,
Rests in heavenly peace.
“Silent night! holiest night!
Darkness flies and all is light!
Shepherds hear the angels sing—
‘Hallelujah! hail the King!
Jesus Christ is here!’
“Silent night! holiest night!
Wondrous Star! oh, lend thy light!
With the angels let us sing,
Hallelujah to our King!
Jesus Christ is here!”
What a significant fact it is that, of all religions, Christianity is the only one which lays emphasis on the childhood of its Founder! Mohammedan tradition weaves the most marvelous and fantastic tales about the infancy and childhood of the man who founded it, though none of these are mentioned in the Koran. But how different are these extravagant and often disgusting stories, from the wonderful Gospel story of the Christ-Child.
No other child ever born into this world has had such honor done to the event of his birth, or has been able to inspire in millions of hearts through generation after generation the joy of remembering others, the delight of expressing love by gifts, the glory of “goodwill among men,” that mark the Christmas time.
Few of those who live in a Christian land can realize the effect of the mere observance of the Christmas festival on those who never heard of Christ. Christmas Day, although of course not celebrated by non-Christians, is nevertheless called in India “the great day of the year,” by thousands of Hindus and Mohammedans. Dr. Badley of Lucknow, in commenting on the fact, says:—
“The heathen people of course do not celebrate Christmas; they know that Christians do, however, and this simple fact, so constantly observed, causes them to think about the power of Christianity. Many are led to ask, ‘Who was Christ? What did He do? Why do the Christians observe His birthday?’ These inquiries call forth various answers, discussion follows, and thus the whole nation with its many millions of people, is thinking and talking about the world’s Saviour.”
Would that every mother in America might have a vision today of a Christless home in a Christless land, and then of that home transformed, and taking its share in the festival of the Christ-Child! When once the spirit of the blessed Christ has touched a heart or a home or a community, there is a transformation. Is there any other anniversary that inspires the blessed joy of giving that belongs to the Christmas season? The Missionary Link gives a sample of what Christmas has come to mean to some Japanese children in Kyoto, and the consequences of their celebration:—
“Last Christmas the children used the money they had collected in Sunday-School to buy charcoal for the poor. As they did not know to whom they should give it, they asked the policeman to give it to the poorest people he knew. They did not hear any more about it for some time, when one Sunday an old woman came to Sunday-School, and asked if this was the place where poor people were helped. She then thanked the children for the charcoal, telling them it had kept her warm most of the winter. She told them she lived in a tiny room with another old woman, and, although she worked very hard sewing, she could only earn about three cents a day. She had no money to buy charcoal to keep her warm, and about Christmas time thought she would throw herself into the river, as she was of no use to any one. Just at that time the children sent her the charcoal, so she felt that some one really cared for her. She helped in the heathen temple for a little while, but said the people were so unkind to her she could not stay. Now she is studying about Jesus, and goes every week to the Sunday-School.”
If such effects follow when little heathen children are taught the story of Christmas and its significance, why, oh why, should not we mothers send the beautiful message to every little child in the world?
I see them come crowding, crowding,
Children of want and pain,
Dark sorrow their eyes enshrouding,
Where joy’s touch should have lain.
They stand in silence beseeching,
Gaunt faces lifted up,
And wan little hands outreaching
For Love’s forbidden cup.
Their hearts are restless with yearning,
The hearts of my own are stilled,
Their lips are parched and burning,
The cups of my own are filled!
I cry in love unsatisfied
For these without the fold,
My mother’s arms are open wide
These weary ones to hold.
What though my arms are open wide,
Only mine own lie near,
Without still stand those long denied,
Compassed in want and fear.
Bowed with the crown of Motherhood,
I seek that Shepherd of old;
“How can mine own receive the good
With some left out of the fold?”
(Isabel Kimball Whiting in The Survey. By permission.)
Is it enough for us to plan that our own children and those near and dear to us shall be made happy by our Christmas tokens of love and remembrance? Truly it is such a busy, rushing time that even our regular church work must often be set aside that the Christmas obligations may be met. But a true mother heart is big enough to take in more, and ever more, and the blessing of growth is bestowed on each heart that opens to admit new objects of love.
“Recently,” says the Outlook, “a tender, gentle, refined woman who has identified herself with those movements which seek to improve the conditions of child life, said, ‘I have had a new thought come to me that has made me accept the loss of my little girl with patience, almost with resignation. God never meant that a woman should be the mother to just one little girl. He meant that every woman should be mother to every child in the world.’”
“How I wish I could give a Christmas present to Jesus!” said a loving little girl, her eyes dancing with Christmas joy as she surveyed the small gifts, so long planned and carefully prepared for her dear ones. For her the very essence of Christmas was its expression in visible tokens to those whom she loved. If we mothers long to “give a Christmas present to Jesus,” what could be more acceptable to Him, than the dedication of an hour of this busy, happy Christmas season to loving prayer and thought for the mothers and children in our own community and throughout the wide world? Thus shall we be drawn near to the heart of the great Father, and, if during this hour some angel messenger whispers to our hearts of a special task which He is willing to entrust to us, may we be ready to answer with Mary of old,—“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word!”
What blessings shall we ask for the mothers of the world? What do we need for ourselves? Unselfish love, infinite patience, wisdom and insight, tact and sympathy, health to bear the daily strain, quiet nerves, a sense of humor that smooths rough places, a sweet, strong cheerfulness, a likeness to Christ that shall be reflected in the lives of all the members of the household. “According to the riches of His grace,” He is waiting to bestow His blessings on the mother hearts waiting here, before Him, and through their intercession, on the mother hearts of the world.
What blessings shall we ask for the children of the world? The same that we ask for our own as we kneel at their bedside, and our eyes are dim with tears of yearning love, while we pray that our darlings may be kept from harm and accident, from all soul stains, that they may “grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” Is there any blessing you ask for your boy and girl that is not needed by the other children of the world?
“Prayer is cheap,” some say, “it costs nothing to say a prayer for missions.” Real prayer is not cheap,—it costs the deepest, strongest thought one can expend; it costs time; it costs the willingness to help to answer one’s own prayers in terms of interest and gifts and service. In Christ’s name, then, let us pray, and let us not rest nor be satisfied until every mother in the world, clasping her child to her bosom, is truly a holy mother, and every little child is a holy child.