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been a blessing in disguise. Re =X3 3 y [Port "PERRY STAR PORT PERRY, ONTARIO, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20th, 1934 SE EO ES ES Giving and Receiving hristmas Gifts LMOST ALL OF US will give and receive Christmas presents this year. that are of less money value than those we gave and received last year; but the kindly feeling that prompts the gifts is the same. Indeed the good will that e Expresses itself in gifts to-day may be a more sincere token of friendship than richer gifts sent in days of prosperity. If money scarcity can make us more appreciative of real friendship, and less insistent that the test of friendship shall be the mopey value of the gift, then the "depression" will have TX EOS 1 RE EXER = i i= X XIX XE XE Saco | =H RESIS HEXEN = XE aa =X3 SUE SE The kindly spirit is much more valuable than the gift. --1 Cor. 13: Nothing will better prove our possession 'of the Christmas spirit than our enjoyment of gifts of small money value, but which represent real friendship. Many a small present has cost more in sacrifice than the richer gift of previous years, and should be valued accordingly. Another and more difficult test of our possession of the Christmas spirit is our willing- ness to face the fact that our finances are low, and to send gifts according to our means rather than according to our desires. | Never has there been greater need of friends. ease the burden of our sorrows. We need them to share our joys, and to ] We need them to give us courage, and to make life worth living. Christmas gives the opportunity to cement our friendships, and no gift that fails in this purpose. be it ever so rich, has caught the true Christmas spirit-- "Though I speak with the tougues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Sits Writes if] -- Some years ago we spent Christmas Day on a ship in the Red Sea on our way back to England. - The day before had been in- tolerably hot, but Christmas Day itself was comparatively cool, and we were all able to throw ourselves into the observance of the Festival. In the 2nd class there were represent- atives of nine different nationalities from the East and the West. As I look back anew the thing that strikes me most was the friendship and goodwill that existed between us all. We represented amongst ourselves some of the great religions of the world, too. But we all entered into the 'observance of the day. The Spirit of Christmas, that is of the Christ Child," was with us, and we were happy friends together. What a picture of what the world would be if only the same spirit were given free play in our hearts all the days! May we all lay to heart the words of the Angels' song,-- "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men." T. A. NIND, EERIE SAMUEL FARMER, Editor, and Publisher any Ghrigtmas The Christmas Season returns, ad we trust, with its fine spirit of kindly thoughts for all. May we, each one, catch its true meaning, and be enabled to in- terpret it to our fellows,--both to our own true satisfaction, and to the praise of Him, whose lowly birth brought God near to men. On behalf of the members of St. John's Church let me convey to all its friends, happiest Christmas greetings, and best wishes for a bright New Year. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the high- est, and on earth peace, good will toward men," Luke 2:13-14. D. A. FERGUSON. We Wish Everybody ~ The Byirit of Cirtatmas As we read afresh the story of the Wise Men and Shepherds who sought and found and wor- shipped the Babe of Bethlehem, we ought to re- member that they were pastelned of discernment and devotion which should never be absent from those who would celebrate Christmas aright. "It is a curious turn of the wheel", says Rev. Dr. 'Richard Roberts, "that has changed our holy days-into holidays. But it is a sign of the tragic triumph of secularism in the very citadel of life." Christmas is perverted because we have social- ized and commercialized it overmuch. If we would heed those early celebrants of the Birth of our Lord and enter the true spirit of Christ- mas we would make the Yuletide a time of spirit- ual alertness and appreciation. And we would render homage to our Saviour and lay gifts anew at His feet and worship him with the adoration of grateful hearts. : i And amid all the rumblings and threatenings of our day, we would listen as to a new voice, to , his authentic word of peace and good-will and love as the solvent from life's ills. That this spirit may be caught amid all the joy of this festive season is my wish to all. W. J. H. SMYTH, Tm : i i i i i i i i i Sk wl Gi 5 cents single copy Watch your label; it tells when your subscription expires. $1.60 per year in advance 3 4 Merry Christmas Btn - EAA nt Wh ~ EEE ES er pT pe RN ie aL gi ee BH "~~ Ea he -- a a Yo PEAT Sg No i SE RP AN a Ws ALT J aap I LS SACI AT Ty wa a RIS SL hay