The following was written by Reverend W. St. Clair Benshoff, former editor of The Brethren Evangelist and was published on November 26, 1955

At this season of the year, the American people are called upon to "give thanks" for all the many blessings which have come to them. This "thanks" must, of course, be "directed thanks." It must be given to God, "from whom all blessings flow." The Psalmist says, "O give thanks unto the Lord."

There is no place in the life of the Christian for the practice of "ingratitude." That is, the taking of offered blessings without so much as a word of thanks to the donor. How rude we would be, if when people would give us things we would never so much as say thanks to them. How much ruder we are when we fail to give thanks unto God for His wonderful acts toward us.

We are fast approaching the Christmas season. By the time you read this, the air lanes, the newspapers, the stores, will be devoted to the commercial side of the Christmas rush. With Christmas savings clubs reported at an all-time high, and with "nothing down, nothing until after the first of the year," Americans could make a clean sweep of the stores of the land. Children will receive presents and toys so numerous that they will face emotional frustration deciding which one to smash first. Adults will open up their presents, knowing before they open them, under the waiting eyes of the donors, they are going to say, "Oh, just what I always wanted!"

The post-Christmas will find some recipients satisfied, others wending their way to the exchange counters, or others calmly putting away the impractical gift, keeping in mind that they can give it to someone else next Christmas. Further post-Christmas activity will find many Americans realizing that much of the glitter and the glamour of the pre-Christmas "easy spending days” wears pretty thin when the oversized duns come from the stores. The man who suggested the slogan, “Let’s have Christmas the whole year through," certainly got his answer in the "twelve monthly easy payment plan.”

Perhaps you may feel that some above is a little bit satirical. And perhaps you may feel that this scribe is a little bit low on the "Christmas Spirit." However, it has long been the opinion of this Editor that Christians have long been desecrating Christmas by their insatiable plunge, both from the standpoint of time and money, to "provide" a commercial yuletide for their family and friends.

Children certainly should have toys. They should also have good warm clothing! Adults should certainly give gifts one to another, in appreciation for deeds done for one another during the year. Done, in a sane, Christian manner, it can do good. It is, though, a far cry from the insane, fiendish passion which insists that we out-do everyone else in the size, the gaudiness and the cost of our gifts.

Thanksgiving calls for us to give thanks unto the Lord. What better way to do this than to honor and adore the Christ in our Christmas season. This Editor does have the Christmas Spirit, and we love to give and to receive gifts. Christmas touches our heart more than any other season of the year, except the Easter season with its glorious resurrection message of the Christ who was a babe at Christmas time. 

Let us realize, Christian Brethren, that at Christmas we are commemorating the birth of the Son of God who came to die for us on the cross of Calvary. Let us see also the resurrection of our Lord, His ascent into heaven, and His promise of His coming again to receive us unto Himself. Let us remember Paul's words, "Set your affections on things above." (Col. 3:2). Perhaps then, the mad and hurting pre-Christmas drag can be tempered down to emphasis upon worthwhile and eternal things.

A grateful heart, expressed toward God in the gift of our life to Him, and in our expressions toward one another, will make for us a very joyous Thanksgiving to Christmas season. - W. St. Clair Benshoff