Christmas and the New Birth
By Editor
The observance of the twenty-fifth day of December as a festival is of heathen origin, and was introduced into the church as a part of the experience of the apostasy. Nevertheless we need to emphasize the truth, although not upon any particular date, that “unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” The miraculous birth of Jesus is being denied by those who think “the inward light” a safer guide than the Word of God, and then, logically enough, they deny the experience of the new birth, and refer all operations of the Spirit to the principle of evolution. We do not accept the pagan legacy of a Christmas festival, but we do believe that “the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,” and we do believe that “except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” From a note written to us by one of the readers of the REVIEW we take the following extract:— When I read the words on the first page, “An Appeal to Seventh-day Adventists,” and considered what we are advised to pray for, as found in the sixth and seventh lines from the top and the sixth and seventh lines from the bottom of the appeal, “to wait earnestly upon the Lord for a quickening of our faith and zeal in this message,” “and to seek for a real revival of primitive religion among this people,” I said in my heart, “I am so glad I can agree with my brethren in what to pray for.” And when I read the article on the last page from the pen of dear Brother A. G. Daniells, exhorting us, “Brethren, the thing to do now is to pray,” I felt that made the agreement complete, and I and my house can enter upon this week of prayer with intelligence, and heart, for we can agree with God’s people in what to pray for. We venture to hope that this letter represents the feelings of many of our brethren and sisters, and that all through the field the prayer is being offered, “It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law.”