The New York herald., 1872-12-26
CHRISTMAS AT WASHINGTON.
President Grant and Fla mily Mt Church
Services I'm tho Metropolitan Methodist
Episcopal Church-Scrmon by Rev.
DR.. o. Ill. Tiffany.

President Grant o. nd Fla mily Mt Church
Services I'm tho Metropolitan Methodist
Episcopal Church-Scrmon by Rev.
DIR. o. IL. Tiffany. ~
WASHINGTON D. G., Dec rs, 1874
The bells Of the Methodist Episcopal church in
this city played the following chimes at six In the
morning:-"Oxiord Chimes" sJoy te the World"
"Let the Merry Church Bells Ring" "Christmas
Caroln "Adeste Fdeles," "Kyrle Eleison," ar
ranged from Mozart's Twelfth Mass; "GlOria in
Excelss,n from Hayden's Mass No. 1; old English
Christmas CAROL "S0und the Loud Timbrel." and
"iIome, Sweet Home" The church for the FIRST
time In its history was beautifully decorated with
evergreens There was an old-fashioned Metho-
dist prayer meeting at hali-past six and regular
church service at eleven, which was largely at
tended, ~ t9aan
n m ~'e5et PRESIDENT GRANT
and his family and many distinguished personages
being present Tho pastor, Rev. DIR. o. II. Tinany,
preached q sermon from Matthew H., 2-"Where Is
He that Is born King OF the Jews ~ In his intro
ductOn he alluded to the scene at bethlehem when
Christ was bora, and the announcing angels, the
wondering shepherds anu tho worshpping sages,
all OF whom attested the wonderful TACT oil the
SS o. sn asae s Hs pSson 10
should be. The TACT OF the manger has obscured
the right to q throne; for. this babe was In q
marked sense the heir 10 the temporal throne OF
David, his royal prOgenitor. The genealogies OF
Luke and Matthew are In accord, Il we admit that
the gives us the descent Dy Iamllle9 ana tL6
other the line OF heirs to the throne. Nathan in
the list by Matthew is the same person as Matthat
in Luke's list 10 him were horn two sons,
JACOB, THE ELDER.
who was father to Mary. and He'll the younger, who
was father to Joseph; Jesus, born OF Mary and heir
Of Joseph, thus inherited from both mother and
reputed father His kingly title and position. He
was thus "born kingr In an unusual manner, and
che recognition OF this fact, well known to the
Jews, explains why the people were ready "t0 take
Him by force and make Him a king;' why Herod
feared Him: why the mother OF Zebedees children
desired places for them, and also why the disciples
were always looking for temporal sovereignty. and
asking, "Wit thou at this time restore the king
dom OF Israel ~ The world was expectant OF His
birth. God ruling In Providence brought about the
strange condolences by which oil antecedent
PROPHECY WAS FrLFiLLED.
And yet the world He had made, and now had
blessed by His coming, rejected Him In His spiritual
relations and had neither power nor will to
king 'born Kingv OF the Jews, to have
an ultimate and future reign. Meanwhile
He must become our chosen sovereign and have
rule In our hearts prepared by the humility which
his manger suggests, enriched by the royal favor
He bestOws and enn0hled by the love which lie inl-
parts. TO Him must we offer our best gifts as did
the wise men-frankincense, for he Is God; nlyrrh
to embalm all precious memories OF the past, and
gold the richest tribute that our Garth orords; our
Him homage In his person, but we may do dim
honor through His representatives. And He left
the "po0r always with us,n that through them We
might show our love to Him. "Inasmuch as ye
have done IL unto these ye have done 1t unto me-"
The sermon closed with an earnest exhortati0n
to practical benev0ence as the best expression 0l
personal gratitude for Gods great gilt to man.