Wilmington journal., 1875-12-31
CHRISTmAS. s.
We again greet the patrons of the
JOURNAL with the salutation-'fMer7y
Christmas to oW.'

JOURNAL with the Merry
| Christmas to all"
His heart, indeed, must be a singu.
lar one, who, in Christian land, halls
not with delight the yearly recurrence
of this, the chief of Christian festivals.
Throughout the Christian world, the
festivals of the church, Lot arbitrarily
appointed, but succeeding each other
in beautiful order and systematic ar
rangement, form an exq8isite and per-
feet epitome cf Christi adorable plan
for the Redemption of all men, and
hence we enter with the greatest Joy
upon the celebration of this, His natal
day.
The first part of the ecclesiastical
year, from Advent to Lent, is devoted
to the contemplation of the great
mystery of the Incarnation.T To-day,
the Christian world celebrates this
glorious and most joyful of festivals,
in memory of the beginni ng of the
work of the salvation of the world
the Divinity taking our flesh, and
mankind.
The world had ex sted for about
four thousand years, and all things
were accomplished which, according
to the ancient prophets, were to pre-
cede the coming of the Messias. The
providence of God, from the fall of
our first parents, gradually and or
derly disposed all things for the full
filling of his promises, and the accom-
plishlng of the greatest of all his mys-
teries, the incarnation of his Divine
Son. Had man been restored to grace
as soon as he had forfeited it, he would
not have been sufficiently sensible of
the debth of his sins. Neither would
the infinite power and mercy of God
in saving him, have been so lous-
trously apparent. He was therefore
left for long experience in centuries
of blindness and weakness, and wretch
edness, with only an occasional
glimpse of his future redemption,
given through the promises of the
prophets. "a child is born to us,
and a son is given to US, and tie gov
ernment is upon his shoulders; and
his name shall be called the Angel of
the Great Council"
He gave to Adam a promise and
some knowledge of that promise. He
the same 10 Abraham, imi-
ting it to his seed. He confirmed it to
Isaac and Jacob. On the prophesy of
this latter, it Was fixed in the tribe of
Judah. 1t was after wards clearly de-
termined to belong to the posterity of
David and Solomon, which was repeat
ed by all the succeeding prophets. la
these prophecies. all the circumstances
of Christ's birth. life. death and spiritual
are set forth. The whole
law which was delivered to Moses,
consisted of types, expressive
of, and alIuding to Christ.
The nearer the time approach
ed for his coming, the fuller was the
revelation of him. The prophecy of
turning swords into plough shares,
aud lances into pruning hooks, &C.,
was to foreshadow the profound peace
in which the world should be, at the
coming of the Prince of Peace. Jacob
declared that the sceptre was to be
removed from the tribe of Judah, to
show the establishment of the new
spiritual King dom OF the Messiah,
which was to endure to the end of the
world. Some of the prophets declared
that he would come whilst the second
temple stood, which was that of Solo
mon, restored after the captivity.
The Christian world claims that ell
these prophecies have been fulfilled to
the letter, and that the mystery of God
becoming men, was completed on this
day, eighteen hundred aud seventy
five years ago. The circumstances of
this great mystery, and the wonderful
manner in which it was performed.
should attract our most serious atten-
tions and remain the source of our
greatest JOY, particularly on this
Christ's human birth day.