Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-22
4 GaRISTaf.sS LESSON.

Behold, sring goa good tidings of great
joy, which etall be to al people. For unto
Savior, which is Chris.'the Lord.-AuKE:lo-ll
The festival celebrated for ages as the an
niversary of the birth of Jesus OF Nazareth
10 almost saere, and the Christian churches
will hail the day with Joy in honor of the
beginning of the new dispensation. Nine
teen hundred years ago the event was herald
ed on the plains Of Bethlehem by an angel
choir who sang tGlory to God in the high
est, and on earth peace, good will toward
menu And we'll might the event be hailed
with delight, for It marked the disappear
ance Of the old regime of law and the advent
of that of love-the overthrow of the era of
intolerance and retaliation, AID the inaugu-
ration of that of federation and peace, of
good will to all people, THIS was tidings Of
great JOY indeed, worthy to 90 communieat-
ed to nortals by the songs of the heavenly
hosts.
For nineteen centuries this religion has
progressed, yet to-day it is nominally 40
copied and recognized by less than one quar-
ter of the people of the globe, not more
than one-t tenth of that number, however,
having by voluntary act professed obedience
to its teachings. And yet it was intended
for all people. Can it be that the religion
human heart, and therefore not acceptable?
This we cannot believe, for its theories are
more nearly in accord with our Unborn sense
OF right, and our preconce;ved ideas of deity
than any that has ever been devised by
human ingenuity. Its one law is the es-
sence of all that 10 reverent towards God and
just toward mankind 'Ihou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and thy
neighbor as myself This is the whole
law-the only law-of the new dis
pensatlon. Its slow progress, how
ever, may we'll set Christians to think
ing. Even in nominally Christian comma
mites but small portion of the people are
protesting Christians, and those who are,
seem to be half hearted, quarrelsome, dis
contented and doubling. Is this not due to
the fact that those who profess Christianity
have imbibed and act upon an erroneous
conception of that of which Christianity
oonsiste2 We we'll know that in the first
three centuries after Christ, the spread of
his religion was checked by neglect of the
to go into all the world and preach
it. The Jews thought they were Gods chosen
people, and that it was to them only that his
son was sent; the Romans refused to believe
that the gospel was sent to any but them;
the Greeks embraced the Few doctrine as
being designed for them alone, and thus the
church became divided, disorganized by dis
putations, and finally almost disappeared.
For centuries it had an existence only in
name. The reformation brought change
revival Of true religion. But almost before
it had got fairly under way the same disturb
ing element made its appearance. The fol-
lowers of Luther held that only they were
entitled to be known es Christians; the
Church of England claimed to be the only
true catholic church; the Presbyterians in
sisted that they and they only could claim
the precious promises of Christ, while the
Wesleyans, the Baptists, the Moravians and
a score of others soon appeared claiming to
be the elect, and all others heretics deserving
roasting at the stake. None of them remem-
bered that when Christ was born and the
good tldings proclaimed it was announced
that the gospel was to all people.
Thus it has continued ever since. Each
decade marks the organization of new sect |
claiming to be the only true church of Christ,
as being the only people who serve God in
his own accepted way. Instead of assisting
in the spread of the gospel they |
have retarded it. In foreign missionary |
fields this has been especially noticeable. A |
a Methodist, a Baptist and a Pres !
byterian are frequently working in the |
same region. Each claims to be a Christian.
and to be anxious to convert the heather
from their idolatry, but each works at cross
purposes with the other. The native NAV
be almost persuaded to be Christian, when
he finds himself in dilemma. The Catho-
lie pulls him this way; the Methodist the
other; the Baptist insists that if he would
save his soul he must travel the path that
be directss the Presbyterian reads the five
points of Calvinism and declares that saliva
lion can only be obtained by their accept
ance. What is the half converted wretch to
10? He usually argues that if the new re-
iglon has SO many roads, each diverging
rom the other, and each essential to saliva
ion, be will reject them all and be content
With his idols and his sacrifcial offerings
The Christianity of to-day is not the religion
,eralded by the angel hosts so many centu-
les ago and taught by him who was mar
yred on Calvary. 1t is, on the contrary, a
eligion of exclusiveness, not for all people,
,ut for few-a religion of contentious and
# hate. In the abstract all evangelical
christians, so-called, profess to be akin, but
ct harbor jealousies and uncharity towards
ach other. Envy of the success of others
} predominating feature among the mass
f those who profess Christian unity.
Is 1t not the duty of ministers of the Cos
ell Of every denomination, on this Sabbath
the greatest anniversary of the
aurch, to begin new ife-to act upon the
leory that the good tidings O. great joy {
nall be to all people2 Can they not forget
1e trivial differences of faith and creed that
ave divided thom for 80 many years, and
ork hand in hand for the upbuilding of b
ne rellgion-that taught on the mount and 2
Graded on the plains of Bethlehem? If !,