, 1872-12-23

manifestation Of the Great Supreme made to His
ee Sa sas :'
Ye believe in God, in the great Creator, Ruler, ad
Judge of aEbe:ieye also in ne In
resolved The point where God touches the un:verae
when he touches the soul Of nan-is the incarnation:
livery man. As tho infinite God he knows all our
need, and man he Le touched with the feeling
Of our oHn ntlrmies. The thoughts, the affections,
the suzceptibntes OF the human heart are in him,
united with infinite power to help aud succor. In
Christ God comes to a man as Savior ..
Thus again the angelic hymn is not only an nscrtp-
also Of peace On earth. Itannounees peace between
his fellowu. n the gospel God is reconciling the
world unto himself. Reconciliation Ia peace.
And the 6Tns h sto s 1n S as
and the world. Christ removes all enmfty, al dis
cords. Perfect subjecton to the great law Of love
peace. The is fraternity like that which springs
from Christian faith md love; none SO close, 80 ten
der 50 unsesh or So enduring: In @ one Sense It Is
set at variance with father and mother, brother
at variance with BROTHER and ncghbor with neighbor
But these are not conflicts Of q kingdom divided
Kingdom md tie world Nhen ali the agencies Of evil
in the shall be converted into
ter prejudces OF men s.au be subdued by the power
Of Ghrists gospel, and genuine Christianity shall PIE
vail over all the earth, then will be fulhed the proph
ecy that men shall beat their swords into powshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks and learn no
On, what SAD thing, brethren is strife! How
tween individuals -families-churches- -States-Em-
pires. Well might the heavenly host rejoice to pro
Christianity confera upon the nations. And among
the memorable events Of the gear nov draw
ing S esse ran 5 s xh saqs 9aons a
two nations, the most beigerent In temper, perhaps.
Of any the face Of the earth, should have found
way to settle their disputes By peaceful conference and
friendly arbitration. tile P9lce. His
gospel proclaimB peace on earth. When He comes to
men it not with tho battle Of the warrior and with
confused noise, and garments rolled In blood, but in
great quetness when the temple Of Janus IL shut and
the din Of war ceased Christ cas tho tuut Of pas
When He comes to reign the angel ahan 60 up and
down through the earth, and report It sitting
still and at rest, and no tqmult Of war
May this Christnasde be to us an era Of peace and
reconciliation and forgiveness. Let the aenatons Of
the year Be- healed We hive offended rss brther r.!
been spoken, let them be recalled and repented That
divine prayer in which we ask forgiveness teaches us
given he that was Born in Bethlehem was tho Prince
OF Pence, and came to reconcile God with man, and
man With his brother; 1na to make bS the @
such happy Hatonements" old jeremy Taylor calls
them, between discordant natures as that the wolf and
the lamb should Lie down together, and little child
Again listen to the angela song and is frapght
with ss goodwill toward men," There is something
word, goodwill. It is word that seens to go right to
the heart. The celestial host proclaim Gods goodwill
tributes Of God IN all their intinitude- love, His
grace, His piety, His compassion for our weakness,
His s{phy Il s0f our sr h,sssas susrng7 s. HIS
self is. Il only be assured TINT, notwithstanding
al the sorrows and mysteriea Of hfe Divine love is
our destinylf ws can surely know that God is good,
and that His thoughts ,,t towaEas Ea,, us are Re-
f11ai
Christ II is not by looking abroad through the earth
that discover proofs that satisfy rs that God is
thistes arc scattered With them: Tie grand arsu-
ent is this That God 30 loved the world rs TO give
Hs Son for its redemption, and Christ who ts God IN.
carnate 80 loved the world as to die for it. This fact
itself proclairns goodwill to Christ jesus is the
Son Of God, the holiness Of God the sympathy Of God
and thus inviting and encouraging US to come to him,
and to speak to him Of spiritual need OF our slna
mud God s love, and Jesus Is the incar-
simply because He is better and wiser than We,
but because he is in thorough sympathy With and
and aud most tempted Of US ali. His plea is, Come and
learn Of me- for meek and lo'Ty in heart. Tried
in n points as are he can be touched with the feel
ing Of inhrities- In the world, God reveals hnl-
self to lie in His wisdom and power, the architect
and builder Of the great universe. In the human con-
science he reveals himself to tile moral governor
md Judge Of men, the holy and righteous one. In
Christ this almighty and infinitely just God re-
veas himself 10 us as SAVIOR lis incarnation IS at
the most transcendent expression of good will to
The goodwill Of God toward men is not
timent; it is active principle love that is
Eensurate with His own infinite nature The atrengh
ard depth Of human affection Is not determined 40
much by the being that Is loved, Is by the being
that loves It not question solely Of what there IS
to love- but question also Of what there IS to love
with. And Gods love finds its only in the
breadth Of His divine nature It is alcomprehend
ing heuevolence-good-w to None are too high
to be reached by it, and too low It is good
will that ia ai-comprehensve sef-sacrifcng, and en-
during.
Let us learn, then, from the angela hymn at the
nativity, how regard the birth Of Christ the advent
Of the Eedeener. It revess to the wide reach Of
that wonderful event, the magnifcence Of that re-
demption which angels desire to look into, and which
they contemplate with adosng wonder the brightest
manifestation OF the Lord Jehovah. They counted it
glad tidings Of great joy when they announced the
6ayior's birth they broke fort in songs Of praise
and e1ulted in view Of it, glorying to God in the
highest, as procaiuing peace on earth, and as the
c!earest declaration Of goodwill toward men Into
that peace with God secured to us in Christ lot
heartily enter. In that goodwill Of God toward let
heartily believe. And let learn how in the saliva
ton wrought by Christ God is gorihcd; and strive
earnestly to be made paakers Of Hs grace, hat