Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-02-23
THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST.
BY REV. EDWARD TIFFIN, M. D.

NhIlNll VI
BY REV. EDWARD TIFFIN, M. d.
This day, the anniversary of the Savior's birth
greets the Christian world 1t comes to remind
us of that sacred era which the holy Jesus hal
lowed by his advent to our earth,and his assump-
ton of our nature The calendar Of the saints,
registers no epoch so dear to memory. History
records no event so momentous to man. Thro'
the vista Of eighteen hundred years, the eye of
faith still sees the unfold radiance of the hal
cyon morning whose orient beams were the first
dawning of an immortal day, and over which the
lapse of ages has thrown no obscurty. 1t was
an era which time can never blot from the recol-
lectons man-which eternity cannot expunge
from the archives of heaven. Then it was that
the great scene of redemption opened, and the
stupendous scheme of mercy, projected in the
sublime councils of heaven, began to be devel-
oped. Then the great prophecy of ages was
turned into history, and the Shiloh of early
promise stood revealed. Then were promulga-
ted those good tidings ofgreat joy,'which first
cheered to ecstacy the shepherds Of Bethlehem,
and which were soon TO be published to all
people" Then " the morning stars sang togeth-
err" and the arches of heaven rang with the ho-
sannas of angels. Vain were the attempt to
portray the glories of the auspicious day, which
filled the earth with shouts of jubilation, and
lighted up new lustres in the skies. The pens,
the tongues, the language of mortals are impo-
tent in the effort. Eloquence may array oil its
topics and figures; the muse may combine all
her imagery, and soar on her sublimest wing !;
and without the promptngs of inspirations
leaves the lofty theme all untold.
But, although we cannot portray the scene
we love to dwell on the portrait already drawn
in the Gospel by more than mortal pen. We
love to 60 back in Imagination, to the ong-laps-
ed period of his nativity; to linger around the
halowed spot; to witness the train Of wonders
involved in the process, and to ponder the au-
spicious sequel. The scene spreads Itself anew
before the eye, and solemn awe gathers around
the heart. The mighty birth is proclaimed in
our ears. We see the infant Emmanuel "wrap-
ped in swaddlng- and him to whom " is
ed upon the rude manger of stable! We see
the "star in the east" stand cleaning in the
heavens to guide the footsteps of the wise men.
We hear him, while yet a child, confounding the
wisdom of sages, and battling Pharisac subili-
ty We follow him into the great scenes of his
labors and tolls, and behold acts of godlike be-
nevolence circing his path, and miracles of mer-
cy sealing his divine mission. We see water
blushing into wine at his volition, and few
loaves and fishes swelled into profusion for
thousands by his blessing. The eyeballs of the
blind are unsealed at his touch; the sick are
healed by his word, and The dead start into life
at his summons.
We pursue him in his sufferings, mingle in
his sorrows, and weep over the woes which beset
his path to the cross. We see him treading the
wine-press alone, and whelmed under waves OF
guilt not his own. We weep with him in the
garden of Gethsemane, in the hour of agony,
when the bitterness of anguish drew blood from
every pore. We behold him betrayed by the
kiss of a perfdious disciple arraigned as fel-
on; tried in solemn mockery, amid the vocifera.
tions of a mob; and doomed to death by malice
and perjury. We hear the declaration of his in
nocence and the sentence of his condemnation
together, from the same mouth. We see the
crown of thorns twining around his sacred head,
and the great tragedy of the cross closing the
scene.
Closing, did / say? Does the scene close here? ?
o no! 1t only changes. A day of joy breaks
upon this midnight of sorrows. The hour of
triumph is at hand. Thought he could not come
down from the cross, he could break the seals
of death, and the enclosures of the sepulchre.--
He arose, the first fruits of them that slept
and taught us that sleeping millions, shall one
day, burst their tombs and spring to life-the
life of Gods. If angels shouted at his BIRTH
what notes of holy rapture should warble forth