/JUSTICE / EQUAtlfftt|l|l|| ALLTHE NEWS~WHILE IT ISNEWS]fjj MMHEWTOTHEImX EQUAL OPPORTUN.TY “""l^OGRAMTST --- PHONE HA.0800 "Largest Accredited Negro Newspaper West of Chicago and North of KC~ ★ ^ ^ ★ Entered as 2nd class matter at Post-oftice, Omaha, Nebr., Under Act of o * j _77 \ ftAA _1 7*u V«-« VTrt March 8, 1874. Publishing Offices at 2420 Grant Street! Omaha, Nebr. Saturday, December 23,1944 Our 17th Year—No^ 1 f “TO OUR MEN and WOMEN, WHO ARE f NOW SERVING | THEIR COUNTRY” ★ *★*★¥* This Christmas Season, we direct A Special Greet ings to our men and women, who are now serving in the Armed Forces of the United Nations. To each and everyone of you, our Christmas Wish is Strength and Success in your undertakings—and a Safe return to your home. The deeds you have done and will do. The great personal sacrifice you have made and will make. The service you are rendering to our Country, to our people anato all humanity. .Will make it so that at some future, happier Christmastime, all people of the world can again s PEACE ON EARTH, GOOD WILL TOWAR MEN. —FE EDITOR. &1 rChristmas, Then and Now!” "A CHRISTMAS MEDITATION”.. 8 (By Rev. E. F. Ridley) “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with ex ceeding great joy.”. The Wise Men rejoiced because they knew THE GOVERNMENT (the. ideal one) would be upon ^ f the shoulders of the k Child whose birth this star announced. And that • ‘ “His name shall be call ed Wonderful, Counsel lor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the tj Prince of Peace”. “Of L tlie increase of his gov 7 eminent and peace there i shall be no end.” They f knew that though there was nt> war in the earth, A * neither was there any ■ ■ peace on earth. But, un- [i der Him, peace and joy k would come. ® At that moment, the Jewish nation had no peace. Rev. E. F. Ridley [because its people seethed with anger and resent ment at having to pay tribute to Caesar. They de pised Rome’s ax-collectors and cafed under the iron hand of the mistress of the world, as, in their expect ancy, they awaited the Messiah. Thieves and robbers roved the land, even near Jer usalem. Few men cared at all for their neighbors. Priests and Levites passed' by on the other side of I suffering. Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. Often some Lazarus lay at the gate of a Dives and i begged for crumbs. Men were hard-hearted, self L righteous, egotistic, robbers of the poor, devourers 7 of widow’s houses. They ate not with publicans and sinners, prayed apart from them, and put heavy burdens upon others which they themselves lifted not even with the little finger. They cleaned the cup outside, but within ’’were full of extortion | and excess”. The Roman Governeent was slipping—cracking up under the blood-thirsty emperors, whose greed and lust for power led them from intrigue to intrigue and from murder to murder. The arena and circus were made red with the blood of innocents and cap tives—to entertain a hardened populace. Kings had the power of life and death; human slavery was everywhere honorable. Deaht still had its sting and the grave its victory. But now! A new era had arrived. The Wise ? Men knew this “King of the Jews”—“born in the ' City of David” was the Resurrection and the Life and whosoever believed in Him, though he were dead yet shall he live. They knew He would “carry the young lambs in His bosom and gently lead those with young”. ) Christmas to them meant the coming of One who would heal the sick, shame sinners for desiring to stone another sinner, take the sting from death and the victory from the grave. I Almost two thousand years later, we still rejoice, for, in that hour, to earth had come the Lord from . Heaven, while His angels sang “Peace on earth, * good will toward men”. The Redeemer of the world had come. He still lives. The Spirit of Christmas’ (By Rev. J. E. Blackmore) (Refd this ffhristmag Message on Page Two) rcHXPrg-' nil tfjc angeljsaitrunto tfjem, Jfear not: for beijoT&rJmmg pou goob tibings of great jop, tofjtcf) stall tie to all people. ^ Jfor unto pou is torn tfjis tap in tfje dtp of ©abit a H>abiour, tofjich is Christ the lorb. Snt this shall te a sign unto pou; |9e shall filth the hate torappet in stoattling clothes, Iping in a manger. 9nt suttenlp there toas toith the angel a multi* tube of the heabenlp host praising (Sot, anb saping, (Slorp to (Sot in the highest, ant on earth peace,j goob toill totoarb men. ^ Itifee 2 t0:14 (By Rev. F. C. Williams) ^ There is no story in all the world more beautit'idJ than the Christmas Story. There is the wistfulne^l of long wandering about these three strangers, star-v guided across the desert. We think as we read of! the Moslem pilgrims, who to this day may been seetS shrouded, figures upon camel back in that same dem, ert, guiding themselves toward Mecca by the selecflB ed star. And these are but stray instances of maii’jE long search for the highest he can conceive. But those ancien twanderers were generous, andJ travelled that they might give. Those men “sa\«2 and fell down, and gave.” They did not give witjQ out seeing, as so much modem charity gives. iB put down one’s name in a list of subscribers whin ■» i -a I one hardly knows what is the object of the char ity, is a fashionable way of saving the trouble of ig investigation and o f c sympathy, but it is not 5 worth the name of bene | volence. Nor did they 'give without falling t1 down. Many are willing \ to be generous who are I yet too proud to bow down their spirit in wor i ship. It is so much eas \ ier to give than to fall down in reverence and humility. Christmas is not only Rev. F. C. Williams a time of open hearted- ^ ness between man and man. It brings with it als^v* the desire to give to Christ, a desire which sometimes comes to us all. And if we may so far follow tra dition, it is worth while to remember that these men, J opening their treasure, brought gifts each from his^ own land. They brought what they had, So for us all, we ought to give that what we have to oun friends along with the tokens of friendship whiclflh many of us are giving this Christmas season. The first Christmas was ushered in with a worn3! rous outburst of song. “And suddenly there was! with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host * we fail to hear such sweet music as the shepherd did, but instead, we hear the cry of hate, the struggl es of men as they grapple for the throat of their brc tlier. We hear the drone of the plane as it makes i^ way across the heavens to rain down death on lielj>^ less humanity without any thought of good will? Centuries have passed since the angel song sounded] on the hills of Judea. Not yet has it been realized.) At times, as we look out over the strife and sin earh, we almost despair. But God is still supremA His truth is marching on. Religious Significance of Christmas’" (by Rev. C. C. Reynolds) (Rend this Christmas Message on Page Two) |