Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-01-01

y" ~" 'hNS M uut Hutl ~ NCIoc II
Luke's narrative; and yet to Hiram
, Nenn they were life-laden. All in
minute, memory Is SO swift of wing
they waited him back to the day
of his childhood, and he seemed t,
hear his mothers voice telling o
the night when Christ was BORN
Christ who loves little children,-
and then, quickly as passing seem
of panoramic view, he was a youth
listening to the same stOry-the sto
ry of the Christ who came to th,
earth, bringing pardon for sin
strength for weakness, help for trial
love for sinners and Hiram remem
oered, though he was an old man
with hair white as the snow, will
form bowed by his many years az
the vine is bent beneath the autumn
fruit, how his heart had glowcd il
his youth, with half resolve TO fol
low the guidance of that Saviour
but, breaking in on these Weakened
memories like the note of an alarm
bell, loud and clear, rang out, in Hi
rams heart, the words the praecher
uttered: "No room in the Inn; nc
room in the Inn"
Were they just addressed to him
those words I! Did they mean, as
entrance had been denied at Bethle.
hcm's Inn, so he, Hiram Venn, had
shut out the Lord of Life from his
heart; shut Him out and barred it,
that heart-door. with the words,
"No room in the Inn ?" and,-for
questions would not be silenced in
Hiram's heart that Christmas eve
nig lit t,-what had crowded the Christ
out ? with what had he filed his
heart. that over it's portal was writ
ten, "NO room in the Inn :"
ALI bitterly grOaned the old man,
as before hun, in swift array, pass
ed the emptiness of the treasures he
had garnercd, and almost aloud he
murmured, "No room in the mn,-
no room: and it is late, too late, to
open the door now,-too late "
Thus Hiram'S soul was revealed
to himself that night thus he saw
that threshold and door was barred
hy sin heapcd upon sin. ...
But only men say, "TOo late )"
and, even as Hiram sighed, like the
note of far-otf music, he heard the
voice calling, "Come to me )" ''Be-
hold | stand at the door and knock
if any man hear my voice, and open
the door, | will come in to him, and
will sup with him, and he with me-"
And old Hiram,-Hiram Venn,-
the man who all his life long had
shut his hearl's-door against the
heavenly love, softly as little child
whispers, 81 am sorry" to a tender
mother, murmured, 'Lord, pardon
me, for Christ's sake; l believe,
help thou my unbelief." And as he
thus murmured, the closed door of
his heart opened wide, and Christ
came in-in--there to abide. Came,
only for the asking. Think you not
Hiram Venn's was a blessed Christ
mas day 2 Think you not his Gift,
the gift of pardon for sin,-the
most wondrous of all gifts that
made glad hearts in the great city
on the Christmas morning,the morn
ing heralded with ringing bells and
the singing of children ?
1t was long ago all this happened.
Many and many a Christmas has
come since, and now we stand close
to another only sunrise or two
divides us from the day. Our gifts
of love and kindliness are well nigh
prepared; our homes are already
hung with the Christmas evergreens;
we have made ready to celebrate
the birthday of our Christ. But
have we, one and alt, as we have
thus made ready the outward signs
of our gladness, made ready our
hearts too? I-H ...l
In HerOd's palace, on the night
when Christ was born, there were
sounds of revelry and mirth, and
only furlong or two Oft from that
palace was Rethlehem's manger &;
and yet among the merry throng
that crowded UerOd's hall, there
was not one who saw the Eastern
Star arise. VIII it be thus with
any of us? Will we enter into the
Joy and mirth OF keeping high hOli
day, and yet stay outside of the
sight of the Christmas Starr AS
we look into our own hearts do we
find haced there the words Hiram
Venn found in his: "NO room in
the Inn"-nO room for Christ !
Thank God, if we do thus find,
vet. though the hour be the twelfth,