Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-12-23

this alien soil the kingdom OF
heaven" He came not with the
sword to smite the ungodly with great
slaughter, but He likened the union
of Himself and Church to marriage
and invited the nations to feast
which is to be perpetual.
His sway is deepening and widening
every year. Without arms, without
allies, without wealth, without inau
ence, without worldly allurements,
His Name went forth eighteen humid
red years ago from the lowly shed i'll
Bethlehem, seized upon Jerusalem.
overcame Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth.
Alexandria, Rome-ovsrturned Idol
and temple, swept away the religious
i'etrifactions of centuries, Frustrated
its enemies, placed its foot On the neck
Of persecution, assembled imperial
thrones and gave laws to the snbjuga-
ted nations Represented by men ig-
noble and despised, and declaring
open war upon all the vanities, vices
temporal ambitions, selfish interests,
cherished propensities and deep rooted
superstitions Of the world, yet it tri-
umphed over prejudice, argument, elo-
quence, philosophy, established relig-
ion and the instruments of persecution
Should all other miracles be blotted
from record, this miracle of the swift
and successful extension of the gospel
over otherwise impregnable obstacles,
would remain an indisputable creden-
tial Of its superhuman origin. 1t still
survives with unwasted and unwastine
vigor; its past history affords bright
presage Of future triumphs. Itderives
its life from Him who only is from all
eternity to everlasting; its shrine is
not within material walls but the liv-
ing heart of the good man.
Who, then, is Jesus, the Author if
he be not the Prince of Peace, the
Priest of the Most High, and the Saw
ior OF those vho beIere9 After test
mony concerning Him, is it not harder
to disbelieve? Is it easy to discredit
convictions, experience, history? Is
it easy to affirm that His lite, labors,
death and resurrection, are a "cun,
ningly devised table when we have
stronger proofs Of their occurrence
than of the life and conquests of Alex
ander, Caesar, or Hannibal ? His
twelve Apostles gave their lives pro-
claiming these facts, and died in at
testation Of their truth. The fact that
Jesus was crucifed under Plate is
more fully demonstrated than that
Caesar was assassinated by Brutus.
Where, then, should faith begin, if
not upon the authenticity of Jesus
biography? This step established, the
next affirmation corroborates expert
ence; we know that humanity is prone
to evil, yet we learn in the same uni1n-
peachable biography that Jesus life
and death atoned for this evil propen-
sity, supplemented, however, with the
divine force OF an exemplary character.
1t is left to us not only to believe His
life and death sacrifice, but to adopt
that lie and death as model after
which to fashion human character.
Without generalizing further, what
is the specially appropriate mode Of
signalling this season, set apart as His
birthday period? Is it enough to
Irvine immortelles and hang graceful
festoons over aisle, altar, chancel, desk :?
Is it even enough to distribute gifts to
the children Let us see.
Christmas is the poor people festi-
val it is the natal anniversary of the
representative poor man, who gathered
the poor around Him that through the
wonderful economy of His poverty
they might be made rich Poor as
He was, He dispensed benefactions
more atfluent than crowns, more endur-
ing than wreaths Of evergreen. The
news John heard was "the blind
receive their sight, and the lame walk
the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf
hear )" even the dead are raised up /"
After this astonishing recital He gives,
as the Sunlnaum bona4m of miracles
the climacteric benediction Of His life
land the poor have the gospel
preached to them -
Of this gospel the fundamental the
ory is charity, and Christmas is pecul-