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About The united American : a magazine of good citizenchip. (Portland, Or.) 1923-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1924)
DECEMBER, 1924 THE UNITED AMERICAN sang the angels, not to Jerusalem or Palestine alone, but to the whole earth. And good will to men — not to a type or a special brand or. color, but to men any where, north, south, east or west. So let all men know there is a welcome for every one at the Cross. For the great Christ said: “Him that cometh I will in no wise cast out.” Page Thirteen seeking upbuilding at another’s cost; none threaten ing ill to any but all yielding allegiance to world-wide fraternity. Who would not desire to help bring in a universal Christmas? Christ lived and died that this hope might be realized in all its meaning and fullness. Let us help Him attain the glorious expectancy. A UNIVERSAL CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS GREETING By REV. W. E. BRINKMAN Minister, St. James English Lutheran Church I.—A Universal Christmas Would Mean Universal Enlightenment By CHAPLAIN JOHN W. BEARD Minister of The Mount Tabor Presbyterian Church 55th & Belmont Streets “The Stone Church With The Warm Heart” U7 HERE CHRIST is commemorated sincerely, there ’’ can be no superstition or fetishism; no terror of unseen powers suspected of malice toward men; no furtive slavishness of soul under the great vault of heaven, but rather a triumphant confidence in the friendship of God once and for all certified in the in carnation of His Son. It would bestow a fearless as surance that the infinite heart of the universe is a Father’s heart, ever warm to welcome the humblest of his children to his cherishing fellowship. .II.—A Universal Christmas Would Mean Universal Honor Where the Christ-child is commemorated in holy reverence, there can be no villainy of injustice done in the daring of ruthless power; no over-reaching of the weak and defenseless for the sake of unearned gains; no blind, crazed worship of possessions that are of this earth, wholly earthy; no deflection from the truth; no shirking of human duty; no sodden in difference to humanity’s needs. But far rather let us put conscience and. fairness into the spirit between man and man. Let the use of power be held sacred in defense of those who in their own behalf are most powerless. Let honesty, fidelity and uprightness be established and enthroned in all the universe. III.—A Universal Christmas Would Mean Universal Love Where the Christ is commemorated from the heart, there can be no despising of others; nor any envy or bitterness of passions; no over-lording tyrannies; no crowding down of the weak and unsuc cessful by the successful; no contempts and antipa thies toward men of varied races and social classes; no turning away from another’s woe. But only com passion and helpfulness and friendliness everywhere; families bound together in affection; nations bound together by the common ties of brotherhood and friendship; the strong and the able working to make easier the way of struggling, timid men and women of every nation and station, acknowledging the im mutable kinship which inheres in the fact of a com- i mon humanity by the mastering consciousness of unity in one Lord and Elder Brother. IV.—Where the Christ-Child Is Commemorated Without Hypocrisy There can survive no lust of slaughter for power’s sake; no joy in perpetuating the fiendish act of i shedding human blood; no pride in multiplying en gines of war’s destruction. But in all the world would be found a glad contentment of each nation in the bor ders of its own commonwealth, none infringing or Q HRISTMAS GREETINGS to all mankind every where. We care not from what land you have come. We care not from what race you have sprung. We care not what creed you have confessed; we care only that a real Christmas Joy may be yours this blessed Chrismas time! This is the time to forget every harsh thought. The time to forget every bitter feeling that we may have had for other men. This is the time to forget all race hatred. Yes, even to forget every failure, every broken hope, every defeat we may have known! This is the time to remember high aspiration. The time to remember every childish hope we have ever had. The time to remember every good word we have ever heard. And the time to call back into our thinking every good deed we have ever planned to do. This is the time to bring the Spirit of Jesus Into the Whole of our lives. In him was the highest the world shall ever know. Jesus was a Negro. Jesus was a Jew. Jesus was a German. Jesus was a Frenchman. Jesus was an American. Jesus was the world’s full man. Every race shall be the World Man, the Super Man when it shall most nearly fill itself with his Spirit. Yes my Brothers there is the Christmas cheer in the windows, on the streets, in the Churches, and may it be in your hearts! There is a Christmas joy over all. It is over the valleys, over the mountains and over the plains; may it be in your souls! There is the Christ’s love hovering, as the Angel song of long age, over the Earth, the Sea, the Sky. May it find its home in your life today. RECOGNIZING THE INEVITABLE LAW OF LIFE Daniel H. Bonus p ARENTS AND CHILDREN will have a happier 1 and more helpful attitude towards one another if they will realize that each individual has an in alienable right to his own life. They must be tolerant of each other. Further, the parents must endure the pain of seeing their children grow up and leave them. That is the sacrifice imposed upon parenthood. Their reward is gained through the satisfaction of seeing their children contribute to society, both by work and the raising of new families. The gratitude and affection for the parents create a bond of interest that will contribute to the happi ness of the family, provided these are not used as means of interfering with the progress of the new generation.
