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S a n t a a a u 6 FEATURED AN N U A LLY OVER SPECIAL SEASONAL BROADCASTS OF TH E BIBLE IN S TITU TE HOUR, TH IS FAVORITE GEM IS BE ING REPRINTED SO T H A T A LL M AY SHARE IN THE CHALLENGE WH ICH IS PRESENTED
Dear St., Nicholas: This is one letter written to you this year that will not be filled with re quests for presents. It isn’t that I don’t believe in you, for I do. At least I believe that you once lived on this earth. If you should really make an appearance on the earth, as people say you do each Christmas Eve, I’m sure you would dislike what you would see. From what I’ve read about you, you were probably a true Chris tian. They say you were bishop of Myra during the time of Emperor Diocletian; that you were persecuted, imprisoned for years, tortured and finally martyred for your faith in Christ. This strikes a warm spot in my heart, for I too love the same Lord for whom you died. You would be interested to learn that in the ninth century you were sainted by an ecclesiastical hierarchy and that hundreds of churches have been dedicated to your name. You have been named as the special pro tector of children, scholars, mer chants and sailors; and travelers in voke your help against robbers before they begin their journeys. Several Russian czars were named after you. In fact, you have been the patron saint for the whole of Russia for many centuries until lately, when they have had no use for saint or Saviour. 1 Many queer customs have arisen over your memory. They say you were greatly loved dining your life time because of your habit of giving unexpected gifts to your friends and needy parishioners. And now, on the eve of St. Nicholas, the children of the Netherlands fill their wooden shoes with hay and place them for your white horse to eat as you leap from house-top to house-top leaving candles and toys. Here in America, and I warn you that you may not like this, we have made your name into a contraction of the Dutch San Nicholas. We call you Santa Claus. To us you have be come a legendary figure, quite indis pensable to our celebration of Christ mas which is a day intended rather
to commemorate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christmas today is celebrated by saint and sinner alike. In fact, the sinners have almost taken it over entirely. The thing that I am sure would be most displeasing to your gentle soul would be the prominence they have given your name over that of your dear Saviour. They fete you in songs; they represent you in plays and tableaux; they impersonate you in schools, churches and parties. And all is done in a caricature of a fat, jolly little old elf who makes an annual pilgrimage from his toy fac tory at the North Pole to squeeze himself down millions of chimneys the world over, distributing his gifts to all “ good” little children. It would be hard for you to imagine to what gigantic proportions this has been carried. I’m quite sure that many more children in the world know the Santa Claus story than know the true Christmas story. Many people are concerned about the profaning influence of commer cialization and wish to “put Christ back into Christmas.” They teach their children the true meaning of the day and try not to become en meshed in unnecessary trappings that tend to distort basic Christian truths. Millions of kiddies the world over have written letters to you this month listing the desires of their little hearts. Personally, Santa Claus, I ask no favor. I believe you are “ absent from the body and present with the Lord.” And remember that Jesus Him self said, “ Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name saying, ‘I am Christ;’ and the time draweth near: go ye not there fore after them.” Yes, Santa, Jesus Christ the Son of God, is the one who gives every good and perfect gift, and gives us the best present of all, the pardon from sin and the assurance of everlasting life. Our expectation is from Him. Well, Santa Claus, I’ll look for ward to a visit with you when I get to heaven. Until then, I remain Your brother in Christ.
A n ancient legend tells of a christen ing for a baby, bom to royalty in a small country of Europe. On the day of the affair, many guests were invited to the large home to celebrate the occasion. Dressed in their finery, the people were met at the door by the servants who took their wraps. After all had arrived, someone asked appropriately, “Where’s the baby?” The nurse was sent to fetch him, but soon she came running down stairs with the an nouncement that he couldn’t be found. A thorough search was started, all to no avail. Finally, one of the guests recalled that she had seen the baby playing on a bed upstairs where the coats had been placed. Upon checking, removing the gar ments from the bed, the parents were horrified and grief-stricken to see the life less form of their small son. He had been smothered to death. What irony! The one who was to be feted lost his life because someone was careless. In the commemoration, the real purpose of the gathering had been for gotten, and the one who was to be hon ored, killed. Isn’t this true of Christmas, too? People seem to have forgotten that we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child to this earth. But in the very occasion of this joyous season, his life is forgotten and set aside. Satan tries to smother out the real truths of the nativity. Men do not wish to be reminded that “He came to seek and to save that which was lost.” What does Christmas mean to you? What place have you given to our Lord Jesus Christ? “ That in all things HE might have the preeminence.”
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DECEMBER, 1958
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