"PILGRIMS OF THE BETHLEHEM ROAD"

CHRISTMASTIDE HERE ONCE MORE. AND AGAIN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WILL BE SINGING OF A SILENT

, AND HOLY NIGHT OF LONG AGO. AND ONC.E MORE, WE AND MANY OTHERS WILL LISTEN TO THE STORY OF A YOUNG MOTHER WHO LAID HER FIRSTBORN IN A MANGER. CHRISTMAS CARDS AND CHURCH SERVICES WILL TAKE US BACK TO THAT LITTLE TOWN IN A FAR AWAY LAND - A LITTLE TOWN NAMED BETHLEHEM.

FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS BY THE ANGEL, THE SHEPHERDS SAID ONE TO ANOTHER "LET US NOW GO EVEN UNTO BE'l1HLEHEM AND SEE THIS THING WHICH IS COME TO PASS". AND FOR ALMOST TWENTY CENTURIES, IN IMAGINATION, WHICH IS PERHAPS THE BEST WAY, CHRISTIANS THE WORLD OVER, HAVE STOOD, OR KNELT IN THE WONDER AND ALL THE BEAUTY, THAT SIMPLE BEAUTY, OF THAT SCENE.

THE FIRST PILGRIMS THE SHEPHERDS WERE THE FIRST TO TRAVEL THE ROAD TO BETH-LEHE~f. LITTLE DID THEY DREAM

AS THEY LEFT HOMES FOR NIGHT'S WORK, THAT SOON THEY WOULD BE HURRYING OVER THE HILLS TO WORSHIP A BABE IN A MANGER. 'YET SO IT WAS.

STILLNESS OF STARLIGHT LAY OVER JUDEAN HILLS THAT FIRST CHRISTMAS NIGHT. SHEPHERDS WERE NOT THERE FOR BEAUTY OF STARLIT NIGHT. NIGHT CHILLY; THESE MEN AWAY FROM WARMTH OF HOMES BECAUSE THEY HAD TO EARN A LIVING. NOT RICH - FEW SHEEP. ALL THEY POSSESSED. BEASTS OF PREY HAD TO BE DRIVEN AWAY; AND SINGLE SILLY SHEEP WANDERING OFF INTO WILDERNESS HAD TO BE SOUGH']] FOR AND BROUGHT BACK.

BUT UNDERNEATH ALL THEIR LABORS WAS AN UNDER TONE OF HOPE. WHATEVER THE LOSSES AND DISASTERS OF THE YEAR, THESE MEN LOOKED FORWARD WITH HOPE TO THE NEW YEAR WITH ITS FRESH PASTURES AND ITS NEWBORN LAMaS • THEY HAD ALSO FELT THE IMP ACT OF A GREATER HOPE - THE HOPE OF A BETTER WORLD - A WORLD OF GOODWILL AND PEACE. A WORLD IN WHICH THERE WOULD BE NO CONQUEROR AND CONQUERED - BUT A WORLD OF MEN AND WOMEN LIVING AS CHILDREN OF GOD.

AND BECAUSE THEY WERE MEN OF HOPE, THESE SHEPHERDS HEARD THE SONG OF THE ANGELS - ONLY MEN

2 WHO HOPED FOR A BETTER WORLD COULD HEAR SUCH A SONG. VISIONS ONLY COME TO PREPARED PEOPLE; AND ANGELIC. MUSIC IS NEVER HEARD BY INSENSITIVE EARS. AROUND THEM WAS A STILLNESS IN WHIC.H GOD COULD BE HEARD; AND WITHIN THEM WAS A SIMPLICITY TO WHICH GOD COULD SPEAK • THUS, THESE SHEPHERDS, SAW THE ANGEL, HEARD THE MESSAGE OF GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY, AND RECEIVED THE PROMISE OF PEACE.

WAS ALL SO HEAVENLY, BEAUTIFUL, INCOMPREHEN-SIBLE. THEN CAME SILENCE AND DARKNESS. THEY HAD BEEN STARTLED AND SURPRISED; WAS IT ALL A DREAM? WAS A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR THEM. BUT THERE WAS NO HESITATION. THEY HAVE A CONVICTION GOD HAS BEEN SPEAKING TO THEM. NEITHER ARGUE NOR DEBATE. THEY SAY TO EACH OTHER, "LET US NOW 00 TO BETHLEHEM AND SEE. THIS THING WICH THE LORD HATH MADE KNOWN UNTO US". AND SO, TO BETHLEHEM THEY HASTENED AND FOUND IT EVEN AS THE ANGELS HAD SAID - FOUND MARY AND JOSEPH; AND THE CHRIST CHILD. THE FIRST PIL-GRIMS OF THE BETHLEHEM ROAD.

A LONG CAVALCADE SHEPHERDS WERE THE FIRST PIL-GRIMS OF THAT ROAD. AND THEY BLAZED A TRAIL; SO THAT DOWN

THROUGH THE YEARS SINCE THEN, PEOPLE HAVE SAID THOSE SAME WORDS, "LET US NOW GO EVEN UNTO BETH-LEHEM". THIS IS A ROAD DOWN WHICH THE FEET OF MANY PILGRIMS HAVE GONE!. COUNTLESS THOUSANDS HAVE MADE THEIR PILGRIMAGE DOWN THIS ROAD WHICH ENDS BESIDE A MANGER AND A BABE. WHAT A CAVALCADE!

I THINK OF THE PAINTERS WHO HAW MADE THEIR PILGRIMAGE AND HAVE FOLLOWED THE SHEPHERDS • HERE IS BOTTICELLI, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH HIS GORGEOUS PI.C-TURE OF A WINDSWEPT STABLE; OXEN STANDING B~ AND ANGEL CHERUBS DANCING FOR JOY. YES, THE GREAT ARTISTS OF THE WORLD HAW VIED WITH EACH OTHER IN SPEEDING TO BETHLEHEM TO DO HOMAGE TO THE CHILD.

AND ALONG WITH ARTISTS HAVE GONE THE WORLD'S GREAT MUSICIANS. THIS IS TRULY A WELL-TRAVELLED ROAD. MANY OTHERS BESIDES BACH AND HANDEL, HAVE FOUND BETHLEHEM AND THE BABE; AND IN ADORATION HAVE SUNG THEIR SONG OF ADORATION TO THE CHILD.

AND WHAT OF THE POETS? TOO NUMEROUS TO MEN-TION - BRINGING THEIR LINES AND PLACING THEM AT THE FEET OF THE BABE. MILTON WITH HIS "ODE TO

3 THE NATIVITY"; CHARLES WESLEY WITH HIS "HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING"; PHILLIPS BROOKS WITH HI.S 110 LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM"; THE UNKNOWN POET WHO GAVE US 11 0 COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL"; JOSEPH MOHR WHO GAVE US THE IMMORTAL "SILENT NIGHT, HOLY. NIGHT"; AND MARTIN LUTHER WHO BROUGHT AS A GIFT TO THE CHRIST CHILD HIS POEM "AWAY IN A MAN.GER NO CRIR FOR A BED; THE LITTLE LORD JESUS LAY DOWN HIS S HEAD" • ALL SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF BETHLEHEM.

NQR CAN WE FORGET THE WRITERS WHO HAVE MADE THEIR PILGRIMAGE TO BETHLEHEM. SO WE THINK AGAIN OF LEW WALLACE WHO GAVE US 11 BEN HUR"; AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO VAN DYKE WHO WROTE THAT CLASSIC "THE OTHER WISE MAN"; AND HOW 14ANY OF YOU WOULD BE DIS-APPOINTED IF I FORGOT TO MENTION CHARLES DICKENS AND HIS "CHRI.STMAS CAROL". THESE ARE BUT A SMALL PART OF THE LONG CAVALCADE OF PI.LGRIMS WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE CALL OF THE SHEPHERDS TO GO TO BETH-LEHEM. IT IS GOOD TO CALI. TO REMEMBRANCE THESE PAlNTERS, WSI.CIANS, POETS AND WRITERS, AS WELL AS THOUSANDS OF ANQNYMOUS PILGRI.MS WHO HAVE TRODDEN· THIS ROAD, FOUND THE MANGER AND THE BABE •

AND OF COURSE, THIS IS THE ROAD THAT HAS EVER KNOWN THE PATTERING FEBT OF LITTLE CHILDREN. THE CHILDREN EASILY FIND THEIR WAY DOWN THIS ROAD AND HAVE NO DIFFICULTY lN FINDING BETHLEHEM. THEY ARE NOT INHIBITED BY LACK OF IMAGINATION NOR DETOURED BY A CRITICAL SPIRIT. THEY WEND THEIR WAY JOYOUS-LY. SO THEY COME - PEOPLE OF ALL CLASSES; SIMPLE HERDERS OF SHEEP; MEN WHO WERE WISE; ARTISTS AND POETS; MUSICIANS AND CHILDREN; YOUNG A~ OLD; ALL LED BY A STAR AND GUIDED BY A SONG - ALL PILGRIMS OF THE BETHLEHEM ROAD.

CAN WE FIND OUR WAY? "VERY BEAUTIFUL AND EVEN ROMANTIC. BUT SO REMOTE AND SO FAR AWAY. BETHLE-

HEM LI.ES ACROSS THE SEAS AND THE CENTURIES; AND THE MANGER, LONG SINCE HAS CRUMBLED INTO NOTHING-NESS". IT'S HARD TO FIND OUR WAY TO BETHLEHEM IN DAYS LIKE THESE • BETHLEHEM SEEMS SHADOWY AND A LITTLE UNREAL AS COMPARED TO SUCH PLACES AS ITALY, AND CERTAIN ISLANDS OF THE SEAS. IT IS HARD FOR BETHLEHEM TO FIND A PLACE IN GEOGRAPHY OF MODERN DAYS. WE ARE LOOKI.NG ']0 WASHINGTON, LONDOK, MOS-

COW. THE PLACES THAT ARE REAL TO THIS WORLD OF OURS ARE PAINTED WITH BLOOD UPON THE MAPS OF THE WORLD.

CHRISTMAS COMES TO REMIND US THAT HOPE FOR OUR WORLD AND FOR ALL MANKIND IS TO BE FOUND IN, A PLACE CALLED BETHLEHEM - IN A STABLE, IN A MAN-GER, IN A CHILD. YEa, I KNOW, EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE AGAINST THAT BABE TODAY; BUT DESPITE EVERY-THING, OUR ONLY HOPE IS IN THE CHILD OF BETHLEHEM. "UNTO ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH A LITTLE CHILD BROUGHT LIGHT; AND NEVER IN THE DARKEST PLACE CAN IT BE UTTER NIGHT 11 •

THESE ARE DARK DAYS. BUT LIGH~ IS STILL STREAMING FROM THAT STABLE AT BETHLEHEM. AND THE BABE WILL CONQUER IN THE END, FOR LOVE CANNOT BE DEFEATED. CAN BE THWARTED, BUT NOT FOR EVER. AND WE MAY STILL PLACE OUR FAITH IN THE CHILD. SAYS JOSEPH FORT NEWTON, "WHAT UNACCOUNTABLE BLESSINGS CAME INTO WORLD WITH ONE LITTLE CHalLD; BEING BORN OF POOR PARENTS IN OBSCURE NOOK OF THE WORLD LONG AGO; AND WHO, WITHOUT SWORD OR PEN, DIVIDED THE STORY OF MAN INTO BEFORE AND AFTER (B.C. AND A. D. THAT IS). WHAT INFLOENCE LAY SLEEPING IN THA~ MANGER, TO BE LIBERATED AT LENGTH, CHANGING THE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL CLIMATE OF THE EARTH. THERE SHONE A LIGHT THAT CAN NEVER FAIL, REVEALING THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND THE MEANING OF LIFE, AND SOFTEN-ING THE. HEART OF THE WORLD".

CAN'T FORGET THAT STORY THAT GOES BACK TO LAST WAR - 1917 ON CHRISTMAS DAY. MEN IN TRENCHES 0 F FRANCE POURED INTO NO MAN 1 S LAND TO EXCHANGE GREETINGS AND GIFTS. THEY SANG TOGETHER THE OLD CAROLS. FOR A FEW MOMENTS, WAR, HATE, BLOOD, WERE FORGOTTEN IN PEACE AND GOODWILL. FOR A BRIEF HOUR MEN .FOUND A COMRADESHIP IN A NO MAN'S LAND OF WAR AND FEAR. IN THAT INCIDENT IS A PROPHECY. AND OUR HOPE. THE BABE WILL WIN.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH AND PRAYER, FOR YOU AND MY SELF, IS THAT WE SHALL FIND OUR WAY TO BETHLEHEM'; THAT WE SHALL MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE; AND FIND OUR-SELVES WITH SIMPLE SHEPHERDS, WISE MEN, CHILDREN, AND ALL THE PILGRIMS 0 F THIS BETHLEHEM ROAD. GOD GRANT WE SHALL SEE THE BABE AND FIND OUR HOPE AND FAITH RENEWED IN HIS ULTIMATE TRIUMPH AND IN. THE COMING OF HIS KINGDOM OF PEAC.E AMONG MEN.

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THE PEOPLE WHICH SAT IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT; AND TO THEM WHICH SAT IN ~ REGION AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM HATH A GREAT LIGHT SHINED.

THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY. SALVATION WHOM SHALL I. FEAR? THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH 0 F MY LIFE, OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAUlD?

THAT WAS ~HE TRUE LIGHT THAT LIGHTETH EJVER MAN COMING INTO THE WORLD.

AND JESUS SAID, LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY SHALL SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.

AS SHADOWS OF DARKNESS ARE ABOUT US, OUR FATHER, WE PRAY FOR LI.GHT. WE HAVE SEEN '!'HE FLICKERING CANDLES OF THOSE WHO HAVE DREAMED OF THE SAVI.OUR 'S BIRTH. HELP US TO FIND THE GREAT ~ M'IO~.}JHIOH SHALL LIGHT THE AY TO A NEW WOlD OF GOOD-WILL AND PEACE • HELP ua TO CARRY THE LIGHT WHEREVER WE GO. AMEN

f

CAROLS-

'1oseph Came Seeking a Resting Place" "Away In a Manger" . . . . .

- The Fremont Choir

CAROLS-"The Angels' Song" "Shepherd, Where Are You Going" "Baby Jesus"

The Kindergarten Department

CAROL 8&-"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing"

RESPONSE

CAROLS-

Willoughby Ross

"We Three Kings of Orient Are" Hopkins jJ., The Crusader Choir

tl11 "The Little Jesus Came to To~" Wheaton "Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella" (Old French)

The Carol Choir

QAJ ~RESENTATION OF' CHRISTMAS OFFERING OFFERTORY CAROL-"0 Holy Night" -;---...,...,__ • .f) . . Adam

The Chapel Choir -..._, n,a..t& ~~t-(1 CAROL 10&-"Silent Night! Holy Night!"

~2ENEDICTION

Silent night! Holy night! All is calm, all is bright; Round yon virgin mother and child, Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night! Wondrous Star, lend thy light; With the angels let us sing, Allelujah to our King, Christ the Saviour is born.

Gruber

ORGAN POSTLUDE-"F'rom Heaven Above to Earth I Came" Bach

The altar flowers today are the gift of Mrs. Harry Bushouer and Mrs. A. H. Merrill, in memory of their mother, Martha Hinn, and brother, William Hinn.

The Christmas Offering taken in all the services this day will be allocated to the work of the Williamsville Home for Children, the Methodist Hospital at Brooklyn, and to help with the expense of our Christmas cele-bration at Fremont

The sanctuary has been decorated by the Adult Department of the Church School. ~ @ / ,

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OFFERTORY CAROLS-"What Child Is This"· (Old English Melody) "The Carol of the Russian Children"

"The Little Jesu of Braga" (Portuguese Canzone) The Fremont Choir

PRESENTATION OF OFFERING OFFERTORY PRAYER-By the Minister SACRAMENT OF INFANT BAPTISM

-- #.

Gaul arr. by Gaul

BAPTISMAL ANTHEM-:'The Virgin's Slumber Song" Reger The Carol Choir

HYMN 108-"Hearken, All! What Holy Singing" (Old French Carol) THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE-By the Minister

HALLELUJAH CHORUS-from "The Messiah" Handel The Fremont Choir

BENEDICTION ORGAN POSTLUDE-"In Dulci Jubllo" *Interval for Ushering

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Bach

r CAROL VESPER SERVICE-FIVE-THIRTY O'CLOCK

RGAN PRELUDES-VI . . , "Carol Rhapsody" • . • . • • . • Purvis VM--" "In Dulci Jubilo" Bach

"In Dulci Jubilo" • . . . . Dupres ~ PROLOGUE --./iJ _

()II r:;.HE UGHT SHINETH IN DARKNESS" a e-~ar I c..;:..c.h....e/.fe.e:t.D rOo./ {T ' P~OCESSIONAL OF CHOIRS

();..,.; @_AROL 92-"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear"

PROMISE • Willis

~~~u..,L..,~ THE PROPHECIES-Isaiah 9:2, 6; Micah 4:2, 3; Isaiah 11:1, 6, 9 fii:_..., II,.~ k.,_b,_~

The Primary Department .... k ~ CHORALE-"0 Rejoice,Ye Christians, Loudly"

The Fremont Choir Bach

PREPARATION !:J . THE ANNUNCIATION-Luke 1:26-33 j}-p.A-~ V~t-r CAROL-"! Wonder as I Wander"

Appalctchian Melody, arr. by Niles and !forton , , THE MAGNIFICAT-Luke 1:46-55 /h.a-f~t.r t!:frr.sb/l..l

FULFILLMENT "AND IT CAME TO PASS"

The Junior Department

...

JJf rcmnnt ~trcd cffillctqnbist Qiqurrq {b)Jon.ersfti!U, ~- i·

Qiqristmas ~unb~, ~cumber 23rb, 1945

FRED CLARKE, Minister MARJORIE J. GENSEMER GRACE L. GIFFORD

Church Secretary Minister of Music LEWIS CUNNING, Sexton

ORDER OF MORNING WORSHIP-TEN-THIRTY O'CLOCK

ORGAN PRELUDE-"Divinum Mysterium"

CHORAL CALL TO WORSHIP-"Break Forth, 0 B~auteous Light"

HYMN 95--"0 Come, All Ye Faithful" (18th Century Melody)

RESPONSALS-

Purvis

Bach

Minister: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace;

People: That bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth.

Minister: Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jeru-salem; for the Lord hath comforted His people, He hath re-deemed Jerusalem.

People: For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with pec:rce; the mountains and hills shall break forth before you mto singing; and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

THE DOXOLOGY-To be sung by all • RESPONSIVE READING-51st Sunday. Page 619

GLORIA PATRI-To be sung by all

THE APOSTLES' CREED • SCRIPTURE LESSON-Luke 2:1-20

ANTHEMS-"Gesu Bambino" • 0 0 •

The Chapel Choir "The Echo Carol" . . . . . . .

The Chapel and Fremont Choirs

PASTORAL PRAYER-By the Minister

THE LORD'S PRAYER-To be said by all

Yon

Whitehead

OFFERTORY CAROLS-

"What Child Is This"

CAROLS-

"Joseph Came Seeking a Resting Place" "Away In a Manger"

The Fremont Choir

CAROLS-"The Angels' Song" "Shepherd, Where Are You Going" "Baby Jesus"

The Kindergarten Department

CAROL 8~"Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" RESPONSE

CAROLS-"We Three Kings of Orient Are"

The Crusader Choir "The Uttle Jesus Came to Town" "Bring a Torch, Jeannette Isabella" (Old French)

The Carol Choir

PRESENTATION OF' CHRISTMAS OFFERING

OFFERTORY CAROL--"0 Holy Night" The Chapel Choir

CAROL lO~"Silent Night! Holy Night!"

BENEDICTION

Silent night! Holy night! All Is calm, all is bright; Round yon virgin mother and child, Holy Infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night! Holy night! Wondrous Star, lend thy light; With the angels let us sing, Allelujah to our King, Christ the Saviour is born.

Willoughby Ross

Mendelssohn

Hopkins

Wheaton

Adam

Gruber

ORGAN POSTLUDE-"F'rom Heaven Above to Earth I Came" Bach

The altar flowers today are the gift of Mrs. Harry Bushouer and Mrs. A. H. Merrill, in memory of their mother, Martha Hinn, and brother, William Hinn.

The Christmas Offering taken in all the services this day will be allocated to the work of the Williamsville Home for Children, the Methodist Hospital at Brooklyn, and to help with the expense of our Christmas cele-bration at Fremont.

The sanctuary has been decorated by the Adult Department of the Church School.