Nebraska advertiser., 1876-12-07
SERMON.

Yours Obediently.
]. w. ELLIS.
SERMON.
Tert :-"GLoRY TO GoD!"-Luke
2-14.
AS a member of that great brother
hood, of whom God is our father |:
and as one of community OF human
itarian loving principles; and as a
citizen of this great commonwealth of
Nebraska, young but potent factor
of the thirty-eight United States, and
in the name of peace and plenty, L
greet you on this, our National
Thanksgiving day for our Centennial
year of 1875.
/ congratulate you, fellow-citizens,
in that you live and share in the
abundant harvest of our hundredth
anniversary. Yourgranaries are full.
Your larder is not lacking. Your
families are provided with food, raj
ment and shelter. Your sons and
daughters are provided with educa-
tional facilities. Your churches are
supplied with officiating ministers
and the development of muscle, brain
and affection its not denied you. You
are doing well. You look well. You
are we'll. You ought to be thankful,
and your presence indicates your
gratitude. You ought to echo the
angelic shout of "Glory to God" 7"
My text is an exclamation Of graft
tude, and its bearing upon the subject
In hand is appropriate. For more
than fifteen hundred years q thick
cloud hid the face of God from the
people. Their spiritual way was by
the pale light of types snd shadows,
and they desired a stronger evidence
of the Divine recognition Of them as
a people. The fullness of time at last
dawned apon the age. Men of ex-
perience were expecting the coming
Of the Prince of peace. All things
were now ready. The Roman sword
was sheathed. The gate Of Janus
was closed. The world was at peace.
In obedience 80 the will of the king
the people were assembling i'm their
own cities to be taxed. Among the
gathering at Bethlehem was q young
couple from Lower Gallilee. They
were late getting to the city! The
people generally travelled on foot.
The stronger arrived first, and the in
firm and burdened came slower and
arrived later. Joseph and Mary were
among the LAST, Too late for the Inn.
No special arrangements. No private
home, or anticipating friends. Wear
led of body, discouraged in mind and
anxious of spirit, they hastily take
the most h9rsble place. They are
admitted to the manger and find a
temporary rest.
Along on the hillsides skirting
Bethlehem's suburbs are shepherds
watching their flocks by night. All
else is quiet save the occasional bleat
of the lamb, or the shepherds famil-
lar call. Suddenly there is rustling
In the air. Brilliant scintillations
succeed the sudden sound, and great
fear came upon the shepherds. A
voice! 'Tis the voice of an angel,
announcing in slow and measured
cadenoes, Fear not, for behold l
bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people. For un-
to you is born this day in the city of
David Saviour which is Christ the
Lord" And suddenly there was with
the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host, praising God and saying. GLORY
to God in the highest, peace on earth.
good will to men," To every one
who accepts this Bible announcement
as a historical! fact, there are sufficient
reasons for this triumphant shout. l.
suggest few reasons:
l. The spirit Of the Incarnation
was the spirit of Divine progress.
2. The spirit of the Advent was
the omen of the breaking down of all
partitions between individuals and
classes of mankind.
3. The spirit of this new era. was
the spirit of fassimilating the Kingdoms
of this world, to the kingdom Of our
Lord.
4. Tbs spirit of the New Dispen-
sation was the spirit of helpfulness,
the spirit Of charity. benevolence and
philanthropy to all conditions of men.
GOVERNMENT
has been the vital question Of every
age In all civilized lands. AS Eze-
kiers wheel within a wheel, so all
governments, whether So
cial, commercial, national or ecclesias-
teal, are subordinate powers under
the Divine law and work out either
or diverging influences.
The Divine government is the recog-
1ized head of which all others are
but members, aud that civil govern.
nent which has points in com mon
With the Divine. is to the extent of
ts likeness of Divine authority.
Before drawing the parallel rela-
ions existing between our national
and the Divine. as taught
D the New Testament, / desire to re-
er 10 the present status Of our coun-
ry and express the opinion that We
re not tottering on the craggy side of
be decline, as predicted by some, but
ather struggling to make the greatest
tride into a permanent national ex-
stence ever attempted by any organ
zed civil government.