Christmas is said to be a religious festival celebrated on 25th December, in memory of the birth of Jesus Christ. The word “Christmas” of course is not to be found in the New Testament or any reference to such a religious observance. The word was no doubt “coined” by Romish ecclesiastics long ago. The dictionary tells us that it was an annual festival, originally a mass in memory of the birth of Christ. Obviously the word is made up of two words, viz., Christ and Mass.
The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper is called in the Roman Catholic Church “the Mass.” In the Creed of Pope Pius IV, it is said: “I profess likewise, that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead, and that in the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially the body and blood together with the soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ—that there is made a conversion of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and of the whole substance of the wine into the blood: which conversion the Roman Catholic Church calls Transubstantiation; I do also confess, that, under either kind alone Christ is received whole and entire and a true Sacrament.”
This doctrine of the Mass, reveals great darkness, deceit, superstition and blasphemy. Because Christ, “once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” (Heb. Chap. 9, v. 26). He is as to His person now glorified at the right hand of God. It is madness and folly to even imagine that unholy men can be instrumental in doing what the doctrine of the Mass claims, that a little wafer and some wine are turned into the body, blood and divinity of Christ, and all who believe that Christ can thus be offered afresh upon thousands of Romish altars at one and the same time, throughout the World, have been sent in judgment by God this “strong delusion that they should believe a lie.” (2nd Thess. chap. 2, v. 11). And so the word “Christmas,” made so familiar today, and by many dissociated from anything of a superstitious nature, yet on examination savours of the creed of Rome.
This festival was first celebrated in the ancient Church, by the Eastern Church on January 6th, and by the Western Church on December 25th. The gospels give no date of Christ’s birth. The 6th of January apparently was settled upon from the fact that the first Adam was created on the 6th day, and the conclusion that Christ the second Adam ought to be born on the sixth day. The Roman date of December 25th has no solid foundation and is quite arbitrary, as the actual date of the Saviour’s birth is really unknown.
During the dark middle ages, it is recorded that “the celebration assumed in accordance with the taste of the time, quite a theatrical aspect. The manger was shown, with the Virgin Mary sitting beside it, surrounded with chanting angels. The wise men, the shepherds etc., were also represented, and a complete mystery was formed.” But this practice of the middle ages in all the theatrical and superstitious details thereof, is now back in Scotland in some congregations of the professed protestant Churches, such as the Church of Scotland. The narrative of the birth of Christ recorded in the inspired Word of God is not enough for the carnal, unconverted hearts of ministers, members and adherents, of backsliding and worldly Churches who profess protestantism. The Roman Church and her people, and also the Anglican Churches are of course steeped by centuries of tradition in this idolitrous practice, an image of Christ as a babe in a manger, being obviously an idol. The sight of the eyes and the emotions of unrenewed hearts, and not faith upon Christ as revealed in the truth of God and the gospel, are thus the order of the day here. Symbolism, idolitry, and superstition are weapons of Satan and anti-Christ, directed at setting aside the Word of God as the warrant of a spiritual faith, and to eliminate the preaching of the gospel. “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe,” and not by dolls, cradles, and candles.
In the origin of the celebration of Christmas there were many features of a non-Christian character, such as the use of lighted tapers reminiscent of the Jewish festival of purification, the giving of presents which was a Roman custom, and the use of the Yule-tree and the Yule-log which were remnants of old Tuetonic nature-worship. In England the Reformation did not do away with Christmas, but sought to exclude every feature which had not a religious character. The dissenters of the Church of England however abolished Christmas altogether as far as they were concerned, seeing so much of an unchristian character connected with it, which came down from the middle ages.
In Scotland in the sixteenth century, John Knox, in the First Book of Discipline, “thought good that the feast of Christmas, Circumcision, Epiphania, with the feasts of the Apostles, Martyres, and Virgin Mary, be utterly abolished because they are neither commanded nor warranted by Scripture . . .” (Extract from Act of Assembly of Kirk of Scotland, at Glasgow, 10th December, 1638).
And certainly Scotland was remarkably free from the observance of this unscriptural festival, by the people in general since those times of Reformation until indeed recent years. But now Scotland is practically as foolish about Christmas as England. The Scottish reformers observed about Easter to quote the aforesaid Act of 1638, as follows—” . . . how superstitiously the people run to that action at Pascheven; as if the time gave virtue to the sacrament, and how the rest of the whole year they are careless and negligent; as if it appertained not to them, but at that time only.”
How clearly applicable the aforesaid quotation is to the most of people today in reference to their observance of Christmas. They make a great noise and fuss about it in the month of December; but have no thought or concern about the advent of Christ the Lord, as the Saviour of lost and ruined sinners, and their need of Him as such. And this great gospel and Christian truth is out of mind more or less for the rest of the year. Empty churches, the faithful preaching of the gospel of Christ despised, materialism, a mad thirst for the pleasures of sin, and widespread ungodliness, are outstanding witnesses to this assertion.
If the recognition and observance of so-called Christmas was enjoined by Scripture and commanded by God, would this back-sliding generation in religion and morals in Scotland, be increasingly enthusiastic about it, as they appear to be? That is a pertinent question. Does even a lighthearted and worldly recognition of this festival, render a subtle and superstitious salve to the consciences of many, and engender in them a false hope of having somehow or other a personal interest in the Name of Christ which will be to their benefit here and hereafter? We think it does and dangerously so. Men are satisfied with everything and anything short of Christ himself dwelling in the heart by faith. Now God commands us to “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.” Yet many professed Christian ministers, and multitudes of professing Christians, along with the Churchless masses, are utterly lax and sinful in their treatment of this Command from God. And among other vital matters, the Sabbath Day is a memorial of the Resurrection of Christ. But this is flouted and disregarded by hearty supporters of Christmas.
This man made festival occurring at a stated time once a year, has become the occasion for concentrated carnal activity. Big business is out to make millions of profit from the sales of a thousand and one articles with the Christmas label. The order of the season includes Christmas plays, carnivals, concerts, balls, dances, card-parties, football matches and a host of other activities of a like nature. There are illuminated trees in public places and elsewhere; and even in the quiet places of northern Scotland miniature trees lit up with coloured electric lights are to be seen at night in the windows of many homes. What a nation-wide Vanity Fair! Is there reverence here for the holy mystery of the Incarnation? Is there in all this an understanding of the goodwill of God in Christ Jesus toward lost sinners? Is there a desire for the promotion of the glory of God in the highest? Surely not.
The god fearing lover of the Lord Jesus Christ appreciates and rejoices in the coming of Christ into the World, as revealed in the gospel, time and again during the year, as the Holy Spirit leads into the preciousness of that great event. Such do not need the 6th of January or the 25th of December to remind them of their blessed Redeemer’s appearing to work out Salvation manifold in the midst of the earth.
The influence of Rome and Episcopacy seeks to reassert itself throughout our Nation. Christmas and Easter are now being made popular and are becoming so in Scotland, among a people who neglect the Word of God and have turned their back on the true and faithful preaching of the whole counsel of God, including the Incarnation, Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus the Lord. Let us guard against and resist, as the Lord may guide and enable, these and other influences which seek to undermine the work of times of Reformation in our beloved land. We must in these days contend for the simplicity of gospel religion and practice.
“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. (Galatians, chapter 4, verses 9 – 11).