Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-01-08

lsuSt as may naturally grow OUT of, Or
lswithpropriety be grated upbnstheg posi-
ltiveinsitutieds of thee gospel, but; those
of theSc the ceremonial law. which had already
been abrogated; nor, was il even. conform.
fifty to the eremonial law which he de.
nounced. as is apparent sfromshis circum2
cision of . Timothys and his own perform
ance of the esceremonies connected with q
Nazaritic vow made at Cenchres; but de-
pendence on that conformity. rather than
on simple faith5in Christ, as the means Of
| justification The fobjection, therefore,
to religious festivals. based on ST. PauRs
Reputation Of the obseryances alluded to,
is unworthy an ingenious mind.
e. Although christian observance Of
holidays is not expressly enjoined upon
the church. yettin ther4absence of direct
inhibition tbyi Christ, and in yiewyof apos1
tolic precedentin the,premises, we advo-
cate the, propriety Of the custom. We
need only appeal. for authority, to the
change oftbe Sabbath from sthe seventh
to the first dayiof the week, not merely
as .re-en actmenti OF, the law requiring
one day in seven to be .copsecrated to the
worship of Almighty God. since its con-
tinued observance might have been en-
joined without change; but as change
demanded blythe propriety of commem
Grating that hallowed day, on which the
CruciGed +" rose for our justification"
Services in celebration Of the birth Of
the Savior, food the mind with historic
"reminiscences; which prove the truth Of
prophecy. and establish his claim to the
homage of the universe. Who can, in
imagination. mingle with the stately
courtiers that waited in the audience
chamber of the kingly Herod, and behold
the variant passons depicted on the
changeful features of the tetrarch of Jus
dea, as he hears the Persian Magi in
quire, " Where is he that is born King
Of the Jews?" Who can look upon the
commotion exhibited in the Great Sans
hedrim, when the swift footed messen-
gers Of the agitated monarch asked Of
that learned council. T." where Christ
should be born" who can pass the
groups OF bearded Jews. gathering in the
market places, or at the corners of the
street, to talk of the wonderful tidings
that had spread over jerusalem; withou4
discerning, in all these, palpable reali-
zation, by prince, priest. and populace.
that the destiny Of Judah was accom-
plished, as had been foreshadowed in the
declaration ofthe patriarch Jacob /" The
eptre shall not depart from Judah, nor
lawgiver from. beneath his feet, until
Shiloh come 2" -'.' 7'' r. 20 }
The doom thus prophetically announc-
ed was fast Fastening to aconsummation
at the birth of Christ; and the facts ol
history show him to be the parsonage re-
lerred to, although it may not be def
nitely settled, among biblical critics,
whether the title assigned him signifies
one who is sent. one whose right it is to
reign, the peace maker, or him in whom
the kingdom of Judah should cease. Go,
examine the condition Of that kingdom
1857 years ago, and you have evidence,
that, whatsoever Of these interpretations
of the name you adopt, Jesus, only, could
have been the subject OF the patriarch's
affirmation. and the object of the wise
mems inquiry.
Notwithstanding, at his birth, the Jews,
already tributary to Cesar Augustus.
had nominal king of their own, legisla
ted for themselves. and retained the. pre-
negatives Of their national council; yet all
the tribes but Judah had become extinct
or dispersed, and in the grasp of the He.
rodian dynasty trembled the last sceptre
that was to sway their hapless fortunes.
While Jesus was yet Child Of twelve
years, the same year in which he made
his first public apl pl'earauce in the temple,
Archelaus, son Of Herod the Great, was
dethroned and banished, Judea was in
corporated into the province of Syria.
and Coponius appointed procurator of the
land where once the throne of David
stood.
If you would know why" wise men
from the east" should journey to Jerusa.
lem in quest Of Jesus, and if you would
have answer to their inquiry. Where il
he that is born King of the Jews 2" the
| celebration Of this, the reputed anniver
sary Of his birth, furnishes both. By cal
ling 10. remembrance other historic facts
which show the veri6cation Of more
specific predictions of the event. The
i first is found in this, that all nations had
become acquainted with the Jewist
prophecies, and were in expectation o
their fulflment. Hence. Haggai consol
ed the weeping elders of Israel with the
i assurance The desire of all natl >n9
shall come, and win Gil this house will
g1oly, saith the Lord of Hosts" Tht
Second is furnished in the language o
j Malachi {" The Lord. whom ye seek
shall suddenly come to his temple
While lhe world was looking. therefore
tor the appearance of Christ. bis brit
vi as 10 occur before the destruction of tn
temple.
! Now, seventeen years before "tber
!, came wise men from the east to Jerusa
len," Herod the Great. to secure popu
laritu among tia Jews. comm, n.ed !