How Child's Coming
Changed the World
By IHUMAN B. DOUGLASS
HOW can the birth of a child nearly 2,000 years ago
have meaning for the world today? Why, with the
coming of Christmas, do people join with shepherds and
wise men of old in journeying to the manger in Bethle
hem to look upon the face of a child?
First, because the object of<
the pilgrimage is a child—a
child who has become for the
imaginations and hearts ot men
a symbol of every child In the
coming of every child into the
world are epitomized the mys
tery the wonder and the
promise ol our human exist
ence.
The Rev Dr Douglass
is executive vice president
of the Board of Home Mis
sions of the Congrega
tional Christian Churches,
and one ot the leading
Protestant spokesmen on
the place of religion in
American culture
There is the mystery ol the
perpetuation ana renewal jt
life—the incredible process by
' which the nurnan organism is
cormea Though the biologist
can watch this process under
ms microscope ana can even
sta.t i» in motion artificially,
the delicate out powerful forces
whirn initiate it ana Keep it
some remain invisible The
external ohenomena ot life- can
be -pen but the primarv real
ity Htp itself the dvnamic
behind all the chemical changes
»
and thi arrangement of cells—
is stili unanalyzed and myste
rious Every child coming into
the world is a vessel and a
manifestation ot this eternal
mystery
There is the miracle of in
dividuality. which makes ev
ery person from the day of his
birth different in a thousand
ways from every other.
T'HERE is the wonder of the
* "htld’s role as link between
the past and the future The
continuity of society, of cul
ture. of civilization is depend
ent on the communication of
the achievements ot man's
maid and spirit from individ
ual tc individual and from
generation to generation. And
the indispensable element in
this process ot communication
is always the child—able to
learn acquire inherit appre
ciate and pass on the treasures
ot the oast
There is the promise and ex
citement ot unfolding poten
tiality Every beacon-bearer of
out race, everv leader, every
genius, every saint began life
as a helpless intant Looking at
a baby who can tell what gifts
i and powers are there to be un
ioiaea ana reieasear now
much of the hope for man
kind's future lies in the unpre
dictable capacities resident in
some child who may be born
todayl
There is the assurance of the
durability of life. How reassur
ing is this endless procession
of the generations! is it not
wonderful that people con
tinue to have children, in time
of famine and war and revolu
tion—even under the present
shadow of nuclear holocaust?
It is a sign of the marvelous
resilience and toughness of
life, and in this there is hope.
But Christmas is not only
the festival of the birth of a
child; it is the festival ol the
Chnsl Child
the aged Simeon first
■united upon the infant
Christ, he prophesied that
through this Child “the secrets
ot many hearts will be re
vealed.” At every Christmas
tide He comes as the revealer
ot the secrets ot human hearts.
In addition to the theological
significance ol Christ, there is
a human significance that is
universal The place which He
holds in the loyalties and af
fections ol men in every land
and time reveals “the secrets
of many nearts ” The fact that
it is the Christ Child—not an
infant Caesar or Napoleon or
Khrushchev — who occupies
this exalted position in the
adoration of men tells us some
thing about the human heart.
The men of power and vio
lence may for a time gain the
center ol the stage of history,
but they do not gain our affec
tion. The men of shrewdness
and cleverness may win our
grudging admiration, but they
do not win our love We give
our love to those who have a
capacity for human warmth
and tenderness, for under
standing and forgiveness.
That this is so tells us some
thing wonderful about our hu-<
man nature. So long as the
remembrance of the coming of
the Christ Child sets the world
aglow—so long as the sight of
the helplessness of a child pulls
at our heart-strings and stirs
us to give protection and nur
ture—so long as warmth and
tenderness awaken a response
from our spirits which pomp
and power cannot command—
so long as self-forgetfulness
and self-sacrifice evoke oux
highest gratitude and love—
there is hope for mankind and
for humanity’s future.
Small wonder that One who
proclaimed and exemplified this
truth, and had this power to
elicit the loyalty and love oi
men, should be recognized as
God coming to our world id
human form.
FAKE POINSETT1AS
Have you ever noticed how
dried milk weed pods open out
into the natural shape of poin
settia blossoms? Try decorat
ing some of these with red
poster paint over shellac. With
evergreen sprays, place th n
in an attractive container a d
you have a pretty Christmas
bouquet
Carol Singing
Tonight At 7
The Kodiak Christian Center
will begin special observance of
Christmas with the young people
of the church joining in singing
Christmas carols tonight beginn
ing at 7.
A special Sunday school session
is announced for Christmas Day
on Sunday at 10 a m., according
to the pastor, Rev. Vince Porte.
This will be followed by the regu
The Community Baptist Church
Rev. Lewis White
“The Big White Church on the Hill”
Sunday School—9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship—11:00 a.m.
Youth Fellowship Groups—6:30 p.m.
Evening Worship—7:30 p.m.
Mid Week Service—7:30 p m. Wednesday
“HOLDING FORTH TOE WORD OF LIFE”
"PRANCING”*\
YOUR WAY!..
fust to say
have a very, very
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Norman Sufliff & Son
t n- er
. r *0r^P jounced
^ *** srn, __
r.30- _.——- j \
__—7Tof<*0<1 \
\ ctrt?£*»«-,“,u,t \
\ Fred w* 1Q a.*iA
\ JaV sctvoot •. u a t* \
VT^lt ‘ i#> *®A
V nine serViee "" 1-30 *®A
te^setvicejr;tA
\ Von® S'’"' ^sion 'ld \
\ - —■*
--rn^rscve"®®\
..A
v j, ser** • • ■ ■ a® '*cd\
\SOOfAonS «ceV’”e ' ‘ 8.00 P®\
lTcstitnon> »
\ Aing®*>m.
lading iiVo« l
\ W'*le4“ - A
\K°?codchu4rcl' \
\ pa5»r'*”' ««-3W1 1
\ V phone 88 poper-l
\ . ««»*• !£ sA® ** \
\ ,sr ?s4
r s0? \
\pvange"st’CMoMDf'‘1 . i 30P ® \
\"0Vleel®e,-OI1£SO^ ia0P®\
\prav-et * B£r1D*v tqop®A
Cub Pack 213
Christmas Party
Gifts will be exchanged by
members with Santa Clause on
hand when Cub Pack 213 hold
their Christmas party tonight (Fri
day), at the downtown school build
ing, The party will begin at 7:30.
Achievement awards will also
be given, anti JVn n will put on
the program,
CtVK
Alaska':' magazine ft
thia Ohvistmas! ft
First subscription $5; eae. ft
additional gift only $4 ■
Alaska Sportsman |
Box 1271 JuBcap ■
KODIAK DIRECTORY
BARTENDERS LOCAL 875 A.F.L.
Meets on 2nd Sunday of every
month, 12 noon at Fishermen’s
Hall.
--- - -.
KODIAK
EMBLEM
CLUB
No. 187
Meets 1st & 3rd
Thursday at
8 p.m. at the
Elks Club.
KODIAK LODGE NO. 1772 BPOE
Meets every Friday
evening
at 8:30 p.m.
Visiting Memheis Welcome
ALASKA COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM
Hours of Business
Monday thru Friday, 9 am to 6 pm
Saturday, 9 am to 12 noon
Sundays and Holidays, Closed
Emergency wires may be filed
during the closed office hours at
the message center.
KODIAK ISLAND JAYCEES
□Meet the 1st. and 3rd.
Wednesday of each
month.
7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
In the Montmartre
“
KODIAK
LODGE
F. & A. M.
No. 295
Meetings — Stated 3rd Monday,
8 p.m. at Kodiak Masonic Temp!®
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL
WOMEN’S CLUB
Business Meeting—1st Monday at
7:30 p.m.
Dinner Meeting—3rd Monday at
7:00 p.m. at Island Fountain.
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
Regular meetings 1st and 3rd
Tuesdays, 8 p.m.,
at the VFW Hall.
JACK ALLMAN POST NO. 17
AMERICAN LEGION
meets the 1st Thursday of every
month at 7:30 p.m. at the
American Legion Dug-Out
above city hail.
KODIAK ISLAND
TOASTMASTERS CLUB NO. 1968
Dinner meetings every Tues.
from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In the Montmartre Basement.
Visitors are cordially invited