Welsh Journals

figure, if our civilisation is "at the cross-roads," then the direction it will eventually take is not a predetermined one. There is a period of severe trial and struggle ahead of us, and it is high time to awake out of sleep. The task is great beyond words; it will demand far more real sacrifice and service than most of us are yet prepared to make and give. Let us then begin at the beginning, and remember that it was a few humble shepherds that heard the Angels' Song that first Christmas Eve. And the Wise Men laid down their riches before the Infant Jesus-in whose kingdom the wisest are always as little children. Are we prepared to pay the price of our reconciliation by laying down our pride, our trust in earthly things, our faith in force ? Only in this way shall we too follow the Star and find our King. Christmas is the time of special joy for little children. It is the Children's Festival, the Feast (shall we call it) of All Children. The Star of the first Christmas rested over the place where the young Child was. Let the season remind us that our hope lies with the children of our land. The future, to which we look forward with such mingled feelings, is to be determined largely by our attitude towards them these coming fateful years. The daily casualty lists, with their appalling toll of the nation's manhood should bring home to us the need at all costs of saving our children. How to ensure their health and welfare in order that they may become loyal and useful citizens how to secure for them the best opportunities that education can provide how to develop in our future men and women a fuller social intelligence and social character-these are "DAN NAWDD DUW A I DANGNEF." Can y clychau dros y fro Am ddyfod Gwyl y Geni Cadw dithau r gainc mewn co' Ar hyd yr Wyl eleni Gwell nag arfer fo dy ffawd, A'th wledd o dan y celyn Dyro'th rodd yn llaw y tlawd, A'th law yn llaw dy elyn. some of the problems upon whose right solution everything will depend. And for this solemn task. patriotism is not enough." What we need above all is, not simply instruction in religion, but a truly Christian education. The Church and the Nation have too long cherished the delusion that they know what Christianity is. "A new world has to be built up out of the ruins of our broken international unity, and it is our children who will have to build it. It is our part to train them to build it well and truly. Let us make our Pilgrimage to Bethlehem, and like those simple shepherds, see this thing which is come to pass. And although, for the time there seems to be no place for the Prince of Peace or for His Little Ones, in the Inn, we can at least open our hearts to the appeal of that Manger to our love and service. It is ours to consecrate ourselves afresh to the ideals that shine forth from that lowly crib, and, what is more, to identify ourselves with the great hopes they cannot fail to inspire. Mingled though our joy be with sorrow, let us once more keep the Feast. Christmas was there before the War, and not even this terrible tumult will shake it out of its place. For the ideals it stands for are quite safe. And when this day of force shall have come to its weary close, we shall once more take up the strain of the Cradle Song that welcomed Time's Greatest Birth Peace on earth, Goodwill toward men. Enough that we have heard it once. We shall hear it by-and-by. A Chaplain to the Forces. B.E.F. (Nadolig, 1916.) Gwn am fro lie nid oes hedd, Na cherdd or tannau tynion Ond lie torrir ar y wledd Can ru taranau dynion Cofia dithau'r llanciau trist Sydd am eu tir yn wylo, Ac yn cadw Gwyl y Crist A'r gynnau yn eu dwylo. Eifion Wyn.