The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-12-25
WHEN JESUS WAS BORN IN
BETHLEHEM"


1t is thus the Evangelist Matthew begins
the wonderful story of that Holy Child Je-
sus." of whom John sublimely declares that
"In him was life; and the life was the light OF
men,"
Now when Jesus was born" but ''1ohea
was it? We are obliged to say that there l.
no certainty as to the time OF year, or even
the year itself; the most eminent writers IL
chronology differ on this point, and it cannot
be settled. We are therefore to remember
that there is no divine warrant for observing
Christmas as holy day.; and no man is to
allow it to be bound upon his conscience by
any human authority. In proportion as men
have made holy days, the Sabbath day Of
Gods appointment has fallen into neglect;
lust as the magnifying of Saints in the Rom
ish church has led to undertaking the Saviour.
But let it never be forgotten that there Is
distinction between those things which the
Holy Spirit has left obscure and doubtful, and
the "weightier matters" of the GOSpel-the
things which directly pertain to mans saliva
ton. If the precise time when Christ was
of the fact, nor of the precise object of that
great mystery of goodness" While We
should have no SuperstitiOus reverence for
Christmas day, yet as the 18th Of December
has long been used to commemorate the birth
of our Saviour, Christians may well profit by
those blessed truths which crowd upon the
mind as we think of him who was born In
Bethlehem"
90 Il, Bethlehem" The Prophet Isaiah had
so predicted. Us. V: D When Caesar Angus
tus, the Roman Emperor, sent forth an order
to have his whole subjects enrolled, (for that
is the meaning of the word taxed, y he lit
tie knew that BY this decree he was causing a
prophecy concerning the Son of God to be full
filed But we who read the history, ought
to admire the ways Of God. How easily he
can bring every thing to pass which he has de
termined to do; for he is great in counsel -
or in making plans; "and mighty in working,
or in bringing his plans to pass. How unbe-
heving then is it for us to take anxious, cor
roding care about the future; for there is no
thing we can desire that he cannot easily bring
about; and if he does not, it is because his
own wise and gracious designs are different
and better.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, an obscure
town of Judea; yes, and in manger. -
Poverty and contempt nurSed him in his IN
fancy Yet this is not to be compared with
what he afterward endured on Calvary. As he
walked through this world, at each step his
way became rougher; his first bed was a man
ger, his next was from the cross, to the sepuL
ehre. And it was men whom he came to re-
deem, who treated him in this manner. But
have we not dH sometimes at least, treated
him in the same way; casting him out of om
thoughts, and erucifying him by our sins p
But he was cast out, that we might be brough
in; he was rejected of men, that We might b,
accepted of God.
But how should this day be kept? Certain
ly not as fast, but as teStiraL 1t is on suel
a day we should say Hosannah"
''Joy to the world, the Lord has come! ~
But let there be care that our joys be limo
cent. We protest against the folly and Grim,
of making day which commentaries the birtl
of Christ, the Saviour of the world, one O
mere thOughtless sport and downright dis
sipation.
In sending out weekly messenger to our
friends, we close the few remarks here sug-
gested, with that magnificent anthem first
heardover the plains of Bethlehem, but one day
to become blessed reality over all the earth.
1t is the only recorded song sung by angels up
on earth. In the book of the Revelation some
of their songs in hearea are recorded. But