Faith in Christmas
James Dodson
[from THE REFORMATION ADVOCATE, March, 1876.]
"We believe in Christmas," says the Congregationalist of 23d December last—"in the truths it commemorates, in the glad festivities it occasions," &c. And a contributor to its pages delights to notice that "the Christmas holidays are more generally observed than formerly;" while he seems to lament that "in America we sing no songs of welcome Christmas, and the little ones sing no Christmas carols," as in European countries. If in the most learned and refined society in the world, Paul’s "spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry," would he remain unmoved, if now on earth, while "beholding the devotions" of professing Christians—yes, zealous Protestants—in all American cities during the Christmas holidays? We believe that apostle, like Lot, would "vex his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;" their more refined, but not less real adultery, equally offensive to a holy and jealous God. Rev. 19:2.
"Believe in Christmas!" and why not, on the same "infallible" evidence, believe in Martin-mass, Candle-mass, Michael-mass? &c. Look into your almanac, heretic, and see how far you still come short in observing "sacred festivals enjoined by the authority of the holy Roman Catholic Church!" Your observance of "Pasch and Yule"[1] will not acquit you at the confessional. O, for the spirit and power of John Knox, to rebuke many of those who would stand upon his shoulders on Centennial and Tri-centenary occasions! [Absit blasphemia, iterumque absit.]
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Luke 2:8. Now, such is the simple narrative of the time and place of our Lord’s birth; and they must be pitiably ignorant, or unpardonably wicked parents, guardians, teachers, or ministers, who would attempt to deceive credulous children; by inducing them to believe that shepherds were in the field by night in the latitude of Judea, or that their flock would find pasture on the twenty-fifth day of December,—even supposing the Popish festival to be lawful. The "faith" of the Congregationalist is worse than fancy.
FOOTNOTE:
[1] Easter and Christmas—the passover and birth of Christ. [back]