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.”