ERIC BUTTERWORTH PAPERS (3014)
BOX 19 FOLDER 47
A ROAD, A STAR, A
MAN
DECEMBER 18,1983
TA KOAD. A STAR. A MAN'
r- Otc.
II '0 LITTLE TOWN OF BEHTLEHEM,
HOW STILL WE SEE THEE LIE:
ABOVE THY OEEB AND DREAMLESS SLEEP I THE SILENT STARS GO BY:
YET IN THY DARK STREETS SHINETH THE EVERLASTING LIGHT*,
THE HOPES AND FEARS OF ALL THE YEARS ARE MET IN THEE TONIGHT.’
IT IS A WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR - WHEN WE ALL BECOME AS CHILDREN AGAIN//AND ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF SANTA CLAUS//AND CHRISTMAS TREES/AND CAROLS/'/AND GREET ING OARDR/ZAMn THE GIVING AND RECEIVING OF GIFTS.
BUT LET’S FACE IT, MOST 08 US OCCASIONALLY GET OFF-CENTER IN THE PRESSURES OF CHRISSMAS...AND THE BEAUIT AND SIMPLICITY OF CHRISTMAS BECOMES OBSCURED IN TENSION AND CONFORMITY.
7IN THE YEAR 124T, IN ENGLIND, A HOSPITAL WAS CREATED UBDER KB THE NAME OF ST.MARY OF RFTHIFHF>
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PURE magic: /but LIKE ALL MAGIc/the/BE- is illusicn tinvolved./ for the mistletoe may WELL BE PLASTIC,
/symbolizing the giant facade of christmas/that
HAS BEEN PUT UP LIKE A ^HOLLYWOOD SET/.TAKEN OU' OF ATTICS AND STORE-ROOMi/AND CAREFULLY ASSEMBLED AT THIS SEASON/SO THAT mToST PERSON^ MAY DUTIFULLY AND SLAVISHLY/60 THROUGH THE ANNUAL CHARADE.
“THE SONG SlfNGS, 'PUT ON A HAPPY FACE.'/ THE SUGGESTION IS MADE/TO TURN UP THE CORNERS OF THE MOUTH IN A SMILE/AND MAKE YOUR EYES SRARKLE IN
JOY./EVEN IF YOU DO NOT eeel happy,/act HAPPY/ LOOK HAPPY./ IT IS A MASKa* f*r 0,4
IS TRUE THAT tYOU BEGIN TO FEEL HAPPl/lF YOU ACT HAPPY/.AND THAT! IF YOU GO THROUGH .. THE MOTIONS/YOU TEND TO EXPERIENCE flhE CORRESPONDING EMOTIONS/ B^.. SOME TIMES BEHIND THE
4C&*8fi»r£iCL0WN,/MAY BE THE TRAGIC FIGURE OF
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BUT WHEN CHRISTMAS COME^THERE IS A COMPULSION TTO PUT ON THE FACE OF CHRISTMAS/. .AND TO GET CAUGHT UP AGAIN JWtf-ftfijmi/IH THE ANNUAL CHARADE.
iff t/a*F
OH. IT IS A GLIORIOUS TIME OF FAMILY OATIILlCTlIuy. AND THE EXCHANGE OF PRESINTS./AND GOOD FOOD,/ AND CONVIVIAL GATHERINGS /-• BUT ALSO IT IS OFTEN A LICENSE FOR IRRATSONAL BEHAVIOUR/- AO> AS £QT 31SHQPI PUTS IT/- "FOR KISSING THE WRONG PERSON
fog.	a*.
UNDER WE MISTLETOE.	»»*****•**.
IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT CHRISTMAS IS FOR CHILDREN/ AND I WOULD ADD / FOR THE SLEEPING CHILD THAT
MAY LIE DORMANT WITHIN
./ I LOVE THE
PLAINTIVE CALL OF ELIZABETH AKERS ALLTB - 'BACKWARD, /TURN BACKWARD,/0 TIME IN YOUR FLIGHT./ MAKE AE A CHILD AGAIN/JUST FOR TONIGHT.'/ SURELY,
UNLESS WE BECOME AS A CHILD/AND VIEW THE WHOLE CELEBRATION ON HE TIPTOE OF EXPECTANCY/THEN S
f IN NAVIGATION THERE IS A PROCESS THAT IS CALLED
TRI ANGULATION. A MEANS OF PLOTTING A COURSE OR A TARGET BY MEANS OF THREE FIXED POINTS. TODAY WE
^ " i " ,mm 11	-   - •>
ARE GOING TO DEAL WITH THREE VITAL POINTS THAT MAY HELP YOU TO CHART A COURSE THROUGH THIS SEASON OF CHRISTMAS 1983/AND ALSO THROUGH THE DAYS OF THE NEW YEAR 1984: A ROAD...A STAR...A MAN - OR SHOULD WE SAY - A PERSON. fWE DON'T WANT TO BE
SEXIST.)
1THERE ARE ROftDS AND ROADS AND ROADS. THERE IS
THE ROAD OF TRUE LOVE THAT RUBS OUT TO DOVER
'THROUGH THE FIELDS OF CLOVER ON OUR GOLDEN WEB-
DIBG DAY.’ THERE IS KIPLING'S 'ROAD TO MANDALAY,
WHERE THE FLYING FISHES PLAY.' THERE IS THE
'ROAD NOT TAKEN' WHICH ROBERT FROST REMEMBERED
WITH A CATCH IN HIS THROAT':
'I SHALL BE TELLING THIS WITH A SIGH SOMEWHERE AGES AND AGES HENCE:
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TWO ROADS DIVERGED IN A WOOD, AND I -I TOOK THE ONE LESS TRAVELED BY,
AND THAT HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.'
A BUT OF ALL THE ROADS THAT CRAWL ACROSS THE EARTH, I I LOVE BEST *HE ROAD TO BEVHLFHFM IT IS THE
ROAD OF WONDER. BIRTH FOR EVERY PERSON IS EMERGENCE INTO A WORLD OF WONDEE THAT LEAVES US WIDE-EYED AND BREATHLESS WITH THE RELENTLESS QUESTION
OF CHILDHOOD -
t
WORDSWORTH SPEAKS SADLY OF HOB THE QUESTING
SPIRIT OF THE CHILD FADES AWAY. HE SAYS:
'THE YOUTH WHO DAILY FARTHER FROM THE EAST MUST TRAVEL, STILL IS NATURE'S PRIEST;
AND ON HIS WAY ATTENDED BY THE VMSBON SPLENDID.// AT LENGTH THE MAN PERCEIVES IT DIE AWAY FADE INTO THE LIGHT OF COMMON DAY,'
NOT SO THE FABLED THREEWWISE MEN FROM THE EAST,
seven Tie?
WHO WERE STILL CHASING DREAMS IN THEIR KMWS. THEY LEFY THE SECURITY OF THEIR HOMES,/^ADE THEIR LOVED ONES GOOD-BYE,/MOUNTBED IHEIRICAMELSI, ADD
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RODE OFF INTO THE NIGHT “ ALL BECAUSE OF THE LURE OF THE BETHLEHEM ROAD. IT MAY BE THAT IT WAS THE LAST ROAB THEY EVER TRAVELED,//BUT THEY ACCOMPLISHED THEIR LONG TREK TO 3ETHLEHEM AND LAI THEIR GIFTS CF GOLD .//FRANK-1NCFNSF./AND MYRftH -AT THE FEET OF TIHE LITTLE PRINCE.
(RUSKIN)ONCE SAID, 'I WOULD FAR RATHER LIVE IN A COTTAGE AND WONDER AT EVERYTHINGj/THAN LIVE IN WARWICK CASTLE AND WONDER AT NOTHING.'
► OUT OF THE PROPHETIC VISION OF ISAIAH, ONE OF THE NAMES OF THE INNER MAN OF YOU IS WONDERFUL -WHICH MEANS 'FULL OF WONDER.' IT MEANS MUCH WONDER IS IN THE HIDDBN RECESSES OF YOUR INNER NATURE,/'THE SPIRIT OF WONDER IS IN YOUR EYES. 'EXCEPT YE TURN AND BECOME AS LITTLE CHILDREN' RETRACE YOUR STEPS ON THE BETHLEHEM ROAD, FOR UNLESS YOU DO, YOU CANNOT FIND THE JOYS EITHER OF CHRISTMAS/OR OF LIFE. Voi/-'' a'CSf™
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THE SECOND POINT OF OUR TRIANGULATION - IS A STAR 'AND LO, THE STAR WENT BEFORE THEM TILL IT CAME AND STOOD WHERE THE YOUNG CHILD WAS.'
THERE ARE STARS ANS STARS AND STARS______THE
LITTLE CHILD'S 'TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR, HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE.'/ THE DREAMER'S' 'ST8RLIGHT, ST8RBRIGHT, FIRST STAR I'VE SEES TONIGHT, I WISH I MAY, I WISH I MIGHT, ***
GRANT THE WISH I WISH TONIGHT. ’/TENNYSON'S 'SUNSET AND EVENING STAR AND ONE CLEAR CALL FOR ME.'/AND OF COURSE EMERSON'S 'HITCH YOUR WAGON TO A STAR.’
BUT BEST OF ALL I LOVE THE STAR IN THF FAST.
THE CHRISTMAS STAR OF BEHHLEHEM.
(gt~n. Chesterton^ English philosopher, wrote.
'AMONG ALL THE STRANGE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN, /THE MOST UNIVERSAL LAPSE OF MEMORY IS THAT BY WHICH THEY HAVE FORGOTTEN THEY ARE LIVING ON-A-SJAR! //'OFTEN WE HAVE BEEN TOLD TO ^HITCH YOUR WAGON TO A STAR' - AND ALWAYS ANB
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ALWAYS THE STARS HABE BEEN UP THERE MILLIONS OF MILES AWAY AND HOPELESSLY UNATTAINABLE. AND TO IHINK THAT ALL OUR LIVES WE HAVE BEEN LIVING ON k STAR! THAT MEANS THAT THE MATERIALS AND THE TOOLS WITH WHICH TO MAKE KIFJ GLORIOUS ARE AT HAND. WE ARE SURROUNDED BY INFINITE POTENTIALITIES AND POSSIBILITIES. WE NEED NO LONGER 0 ATTEMPT TO READ OUR DESTINY IN THE STARS. OUR^ iDEPENDS ON HOW WE LIVE dN THIS STAR.'
CERTAINLY//WE NEED TO HITCH OUR WAGON TO A STAR -TO REACTOR SOMETHING - THOUGH IT BE THE MOON. THE CHRISTMAS STAR IS THE STAR POINTING TO THE CHRIST - AND WHAT COULD BE HIGHER FOR AN ASPIRATION. AN EXPECTATION, A LIFE GOAL?
BUT THE GOAL IS NOT SIMPLY TO ACCEPT THE STORY OF THE BIRTH OF ITHE BABE IN THE MANGER. THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY. BUT WEBS* WE ARE LIVING
2U A STAR - THE STAR THAT ANNOUNCES THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST WITHIN EACH OF US.
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THIS IS THE GOAL -A GOAL HI BOH ENOUGH TO KEEP US
walk i ng,//work i ng.Reaching .Aw i th stars in our eyes
//MANY OF US HA8E NOT GOTTEN AS FAR IN LIFE AS WE HIRED WE WOULDfBECAUSE OUR STAR WAS NOT HIGH
I I /
ENOUGH. HOW HIGH IS YOUR STAR/HOW COMPLETE IS YOUR SELF-IMAGE. HITCH YOUR WAGON TO THE STAR OF THE CHRIST.///IT IS WITHIN YOU./// IT IS YOU.
> YOU ARE THE STAR. YOU ARE ALL THAT YOU £Afi BE. YOU £RE THE CHRIST!.
THEN CHRISTMAS WILL HAVE NEW MEANING. THE CHRISl-
MAS STAR WILL BE A STAR OF RENEWED HOPE THAT YOU CAN BE HEALED. THAT YOU CAN GO ON TO SUCCESS.
\J
THAT YOU £AtL BE THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE.
FOLLOW YOUR CHRISTMAS STAR AND!, AS JESUS PROMISES-'ALL THINGS WILL BE POSSIBLE TO YOU.'
THE THIRD PQiNT OF TRIANGULATION IS THE MAN -THEJ££2p. THERE ARE MEN AND MEN AND MEN. WE
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HAVE ALL KNOWN GREAT PERSONS/J^ND WE HAVE KNOWN PATHETIC LITTLE PERSONS/WHOSE LIVES ARE ONE SUCCESSION OF OPPORTUNITIES MISSED/ROADS NOT TAKEN,//AND DEFEAT AND DISCOURAGEMENT/NONE IS GREATER THAN HE WHO WAS BORN IN THE MANGER OF THE INN OF BETHLEHEM ON THAT NIGHT SO LONG AGO.
//AND* none is more pathetic than the KEEPER (F
THE INN.
NOBODY KNOWS HIS NAME. LIKBME EVERYONE ELSE,
HE LIVED A PRECARIOUS EXISTENCE ON THE BORDER BETWEEN ENOUGH AND NO?T ENOUGH. ONLY ON SPECIAL TIMES, WHEN JERUSALEM WAS CROWDED, THE OVEFLOW WOULB FILL ITHE INN AT BETHLEHEM.
the innkeeper Wias not deliberately unkind.
HE WASN'T IN BUSINESS FOR HIS HEALTH. HE TOOK ONE LOOK AT THE EXPECTANT MOTHER AND THE DUSTY FATHER AND T#LD THEM 'THERE WAB NO ROOM IN IBM THE INN.'’HE PROBABLY HAD AN EXTRA ROOM - HOTEL:
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ALWAYS DO HAVS. BUT IT WOULD BRING A PRETTY PRICE WHEN if HE RIGHT PERSION CAME ALONG.
BEFORE WE ARE TOO HARD ON THE POOR CHAP, WHO MISSED HIS CHANCE TO BECOME THE HOST AT THE GREAT MOMENT IN ALL HISTORY - WE SHOULD PONDER THE CONDITION OF THE INN OF OUR OWN MIND AND HEART. IS THERE ROOM WITHIN US FOR THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST IDEA? DO WE ALWAYS CAREFULLY MAKE ROOM FOR SPIRITUAL THINGS, DO WE TAKE TIME FOR MEDITATION?
OR ARE WE OFTEN SO PREOCCUPIED,//OUR LIVES SO CROWDED./OUR INTERESTS SO MANY AND V9RIED,//THAT THERE IS NO ROOM? AND YET, ISN'T IT TRUE THAT WE ALWAYS FIND TIME TO DO WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO, WHAT SEEMS IMPORTANT TO US? FOR INSTANCE, K SOMETHING WE WANT AND WE SAY WE CAN'T AFFORD IT -- BUT IF WE REALLY WANT IT AND IT IS HUMANLY POSSIBLE, WE FIND A WAY TO GET IT.
REVELATIONS - 'BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. ' /WE NEVER KNOW/lN THE HAPPENINGS OF I EVERY DAY,//WHEN SOME QflE LITTLE ACT DONE OR LEFT UNDONE - MAlY ULTIMATELY PROVE TO BE A GREAT MOMENT IN OUR LIVlESI. A WISE MAN HAS SAID,
’GREAT DOORS SWING ON SMALL HINGES.'
SO EVERY TIME AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE/FOR
f LOVE/- PRESENTS ITSELF TO US,/IT COULD BE THE
kW)-------
—CHRIST KNOCKING AT THE DOOR OF OUR HEARTS.
AND EVERY TIME WE TURN BRUSQUELY AWAY WITH OUR 'TOO BUSY, TOO LITTLE TIME, NOT ENOUGH MONEY,'
HE IS UNWORTHY' " WE PROCLAIM NO ROOM AT THF INN
^ AN EMERGENCY ONCE OCCURRED IN A SMALL EASTERN TOWN AND A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO SEEK LODGING IN THE SMALL HOTEL. AMONfG THEM WAS A QUIET UNASSUMING COUPLE IN NEED OF SPECIAL CARE. THE HOTEL WAS FULL WHEN THERE TURN CAME, BUT THE MANAGER GAVE UP HIS OWN ROOM FOR THE NIG4FH AND
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GRACIOUSLY WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO DO LITTLE KINDNESSES AND THUS MAKE THBR STAY PLEASANT.'
HE DIDN'T KNOW IT./AND IT WAS {BALLY UNIMPORTANT TO HIM//BUT HIS GUESTS WERE MR. AND MRS
JOHN JACOB ASTffl
LATER WHEN THE WALDORF-
ASTORIA HOTEL WAS BUILT./Z'MR. ASTOR WOULD HAVE NO ONE ELSE FOR HIS NEW MANAGER^THAN THE MANAGER OF THAT SMALL HOTEL --« AND THUS, GEOITGE C. BOLDT BECAME THE GREATEST HOTEL MAN OF HIS DAY. THE CHRIST KNOCKED AT THE DOOR, AND HE MADE ROOM IN THE INN.
IN OUR DAY WHEN THBRE IS SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON GREAT AND SMALL, ON PRESTIGE JOBS AND WORKING MASSES, ON CULTIVATING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND TURNING AWAY FROM THOSE WHO CAN'T DO US MUCH GOOI - WE MIGHT BRING INTO SHARP FOCUS THE MANGER STORY OF JESUS, THE SON OF A LOWILY CARPENTER, BORN IN A STABLE.
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THIS WOULD SEEM TO PUT HALOS AROUND PLUMBERS AND BRICKLAYERS AND BOOKKEEPERS OF ALL KIND -PROVING FOR ALL TIME THIAT, TO GOD, THFRF ARE NO UNIMPORTANT PEOPLE.
AND SO TODAY -- LET US REMEMBER THE POINTS OF TRI ANGULATION?
IHE .ROAD	tThe	STAR	THE	MAN
THE ROAD OF WONDER. OF ROMANCE, OF ADVENTURE*
THE STAR OF THE CHRIST ON THE INNER HORIZON,
THE LURE OF THE INFINITE POTENTIAL!TIES Cl THIN.
THE MAN - THE INNKEEPER WHO COULDN'T FIND ROOM AND HIS ETERNAL REMINDER OF AN OPPORTUNITY MISSED -- THE CHALLENGE TO ACTUALLY LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE, FOR LOVE AND FORGIVENESS - Till MAKE ROOM FOR THE CHRIST - THE PERSON WE ALL MIGHT BE.
SO THE NEXT TIME SOMEONE COMPLAINS, 'LOOK WHAT THE WORLD IS COMING TO!' POINT OUT* WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM, ’BUT LOOK WHAT IS COMING INTO THE
world:’
i
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THEN CHART A NEW COURSE WITH THE ROAD. THE STAR. AND THE MAN. YOU WILL KB0P PEACE IN YOURSELF,
AND YOU WILL BRING PEACE TO YOUR WORLD. (TAGORE SAYS - 'IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO CARRIES THE CANDLEJ AS LONG AS HR BRINGS THE LIGHT.'
HENRY VICTOR MORGAN -
t
'FROM OUT OF THIS STATE OF STRIFE AND HATE, FROM OUT OF EARTH'S NOISE AND FUSSI,
THERE WILL YET ARISE A MAN GOD-SIZE WHO WILL STAND FOR THE WHOLE OF US.
OUR EARS ARE ££!RE WITH THE NOISE AND ROIR OF THE PARTIALIST’S SANT AND FUSS,
WHO STANDS BOR HIS CLAS5 AND NOT FOI^THE MASS, FOR THE GREATEST AND LEAST OF US.
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IN CHILDHOOD'S DAY WE WERE TAUGHT TO PRAY TO ONE WHO WAS FATHER TO ALL,
WHO STREBBIHENED THE WEEK, PROTECTED THE MEEK, AND NOTICED THE SPARROW'S FALL.
WE WERE TOLD OF A MAN,
A WONDERFUL MAN,
THE GREATEST THIS EARTH E'ER TROD J TOLD EACH MAN WHAKEVER HIS CLAN
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j TO MEASURE HIMSELF WITH GOD.
SO WE WAIT TODAY AND DEEPLY PRAY IN THE MIDST OF EARTH’S NOISE AND FUSS, FOR A JJAfcL ID ARISE. IN |_QVE «6QD-SIZE.
I IN THE HEART OF EACH ONE OF US.'