The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1908, Page 91

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The Lutheran -Pioneer.

91

Christmas in Norway.

The great festival of the year in Norway, as
among all Germanic nations, is Christmas.

The preparations in the way of provisioning the
house, would, to American eyes, look perfectly
enormous. Baking and brewing and butchering
keep the whole household busy during the last three
weeks preceding the festival. And the fact that the
process is repeated year after year probably proves
that it is necessary. Every man, woman, or child
who comes within stone’s throw of the house during
the holidays (which last until a week after New
Year) must be invited in and urged to eat and
drink. ‘Even the birds are to have their share of
the Christmas joy.. As soon as the church-bells
have “rung in the feast,” at five o’clock in the after-
noon of Christmas Eve, the father of the house
takes his richest sheaf of oats or barley and at-
taches it to the end of a pole, which is nailed to the
gable of the barns or the storehouses. The mother
and the children stand by, enjoying the sight of the
happy birds fluttering around the sheaf, while the
father will perhaps quote the passage about God’s
care even for the sparrow, wherefore it is right that
the sparrow, too, should rejoice on the day when
Christ was born.

The German custom of having poor children
wander about on Christmas Eve, carrying a large
lighted star of canvas, representing the star of
Bethlehem, prevails also in Norway. No one can
hear their shrill, tiny voices in the snow under his
window, singing the dear familiar carols, and refuse
them their well-earned penny. — Scribner.

Aunt Mary’s Christmas Thanks.

Aunt Mary was a poor old widow living at one
of the outstations of the mission. Ever since her
husband’s death she was rather melancholy and was

seldom seen in company. But she went to church”

regularly and especially loved to come to the Christ-
mas services.

One Christmas day the sermon had moved the
hearers to think earnestly on the question: “What
shall we do in thankfulness to the Lord?” While
the missionary and the elders of the church were
in the schoolroom, Aunt Mary came in. “Dear
sir,” she said to the missionary, “I cannot do much,
but here are my thanks;” and as she slipped a
little package into the missionary’s hand, she added:
“Wor the mission.? ‘Then turning to the others

present, she said in vigorous tones: “While we were
yet heathen we had many heathen festivals with
every abomination. Every one had to give some-
thing. We gave several measures of rice, some gave
as much as five or ten measures, or chickens, fish,
or even a hog. No one went free. Now we are
delivered from the darkness; the Gospel shines
forth among us; there is no longer any compul-
sion. And what are we doing now?’ Now we con-
tribute a cent, perhaps even a half-penny. Shame
on us! Is that thankfulness?” “So saying, she
pressed the hand of the missionary and left for
her home.

Those in the schoolroom were rather stunned;
but they soon recovered. They had to admit the
truth of what they had heard, and all of them
gladly added their gifts for the mission to the
“Christmas thanks” of old Aunt Mary.

A Birthday Present.

On the Sunday before Christmas a Christian
chief on the island of Sumatra asked the missionary
for permission to say a few words to the congre-
gation after the close of the service. Permission
being given, he spoke about as follows: “Near at
hand is the Christmas festival, which will again _
lead us to Bethlehem, where Jesus, the Savior of
the world, was born. With us it is customary that
at the birth of a child relatives and friends come
and bring a present. If it is a child of high and
noble descent, then the presents must be great and
valuable. Now, we earthly-minded people never
thought of bringing a present for the Child Jesus,
who was'born for us. I therefore move that on the
first Christmas Day each one of us bring a gift,
and as the Child Jesus is of high and noble descent,
the Son of God, the King of all kings, therefore our
gifts must be noble gifts. The best gift is indeed
our own heart; but we can also contribute some-
thing for the spreading of the kingdom of this
great King.”

The people heartily assented, and on Christmas
morning there stood a table before the altar, upon
which they laid money and also rice, so that a
large sum was collected for missions as a birthday
present to the Savior born at Bethlehem.

TszE incarnation of God’s Son teaches man the
greatness of his misery by showing how great a
remedy was needful. — Pascal. ;