Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-26

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been refined and have wanted to go hom,
mad ne " gone into business, although 4
was sWi1feeding. Indeed, il is not once
| IN astiuifed times that lazy man eyel
becomes christian, There is but little
hope torhe man who has nothing to do
1t IS not ben in idleness, but while like
the bethhem shepherds watching your
Hocks tn the glory of God will shine
about 70 and there be joy in heaven
among tlangles, and God over your soul
penitentid forgiven.
Again e story of the text strikes at the
popular Ition that the religion of Christ
IS coiorol and grief infusing. The music
whlch kofhe famous birth night broke
through e heavens was not a derge. but
an anthe, 1t shook joy over the hills
Isounded the Triumph.
1t came IT only down among the shep-
erds, tbl sprang upward among the
thrones; The robe of Righteousness is not
black: ligion is not all weeping and
ciess-bealg and war-waging around the
temple ofrace in the heart. Let us not
plant iw9ing willows and nightshade.
but ceda, and triumphal palms. Our
subject tehes us that Christianity is not
a groan, song. In a world of sin and
s,SSiGeas sroSi1s Rd sePIlGhress we .ga must haze
infinite ueeoIat;on and the darkest night
the heave. mart with angelic songs
Like Paul al his comrades, you must
some time bGTrecked but Il exhort you
to be Of good teer," for tusting in Gods
help YOU shall ali escape save TO land
True religion doc not sbw itself in the
elougation of the face o1 the cut OF the
garb. The Pharasts whputs his religion
on his philactery has pne lett Tor his
heart. Fretfuincss al complaining are
not members of that faily OF Christian
graces which wove intthe heart when
The Devil owes Out.
True Christianity Jes not form Upon
amusements and recrauons. Religion ~
neither shrew nor agnic. 1t chokes no
laughter, ii quencheno ilght, IL defaces no
art, among the hapIest it is the happ lest.
Again, this Chrlmas story suggests that
grand endines s,netimes have insigniti-
cant beginnings. The straw pallet was the
humble startin. out the shout III the sky
indicated whatSould be the magnificent
Beginning with Christ on
Mary's lap, il shall end with Christ on the
throne of unIersal dominion. Religion i'll
the heart ofrn begins feebly. 1t IS but a
taper, and tlr SdNlOuT HOluS pOth naiiuS
over ii to keep it from extinction. Faith
lends under the pressure OF misfortunes.
The crss almost breaks the mans back.
He sees men only as trees walking. What
an humble starting. Afterwards behold
the same man in the Kingdom of Heaven.
No earthly crown could express his roy
atty. Or palace his wealth, or sceptre his
iom:aio Drinking from fountains where
they irst drop from the everlasting rock,
among harpers harping with their harps,
Oh q sea of glass mingled with fire, beneath
the throne of God to go no more out for
aver. That spark over which the Savior
must hold both hands to keep it from eN'
.inctiOr. how it hath famed up into glory,
honor and immortality. The New TeSta-
nent church begin on small scale. FISH
,rmen watched it, Against the uprising
wall came the crash of internal enginery.
The World Cried
,nathema, And when momentary defects
ame upon the church there were multi
udes to say: Aha, so we would have it,
iartvrs on fire lifted their hands cXclaim-
pg: How long, 0 Lord, how long,. SO
I started. But we shall see q difference
When the charms of an enslaved earth have
mapped under the right arm Of God AL
mighty. IIimmalaya shall become Mount
lion and the PyrenccS Mcriah and oceans
he walking place of him who trod the wave
lifts of stOrIned TiberiaS and island shall
all to island. sea to sea, continent to con-
inent, and the song of worlds redemp-
i saIyatIOn 10 TIE earIlE cIiI H reDOunu
gain TO the abode of the Infinite and all
iSinp on their thrones beat time with the
ceptrcs. What an humble beginning
What glorious ending. Throne linked to
manager! Heavenly mansions to Beth
chem stable.
Furthermore, let our subject teach us
What is TO be the effect of the Saviour mis-
ion-clory to God and peace to man
When God sent His Son to earth angels dis
oycred something in God they had never
een before. 1t was not power. II was not
yisdom. il was not love. These were
,nown long before. The stars themselves
we're but pebbles on the shore OF
His RoundIess wisdom and Power.
A willingness for self-dcnial was diSrov-
red in God. His love had until then cost
Him nothing. If He loved the sinner II
would be at infinite expense. IL Is lar
easier TO love an angel on his throne than
, thief on the cross, and Seraph IN ms
than all adultereSs III her crime
What an astonishment to Heaven wheh
God, who would not have allowed the least
attractive angel to be harmed, gives up ms
DnIv bepotten Son, Beside the new that
,vos seen in God the old came to greater
Illustration. That power which first made
man ont of dust was not so great as that Is
which ont of the wreck and ruin OF
his soul makes q new creature III Jesus
Christ. Yea, that power which struck re-
hellious angels to ruin was only the same
nouer which is seen when from the reSen.
crate heart He hurls the princlpalires oi
darkness We cannot wonder that on the
NIGHT of the Savior's birth, as angels saw
the commencement of that pilgrimage
which was so greatly to honor the attn
butes of Deity. they clapped their wings III
= tr;umnh and called on the hosts OF heaven
tn celebrate it. singing till the shepherds
heard them: GLORY TO God in the hiSh
est"
Rut pcace to man was another mission
Christ was 10 bring heaven and earth into
treaty. What difference between
God and Man.
between infinite holiness and accumuiatc'
depravity. The Gospel was To- bridge tnit
separation so ithat God could CONSISTENT.
come to the sinner and the SINNER 90 u
God, Behold What nlahuef Va ~. va
Father hath bestowed upon. us, that W. W.
should be called the sons OF GOd; W.
are inferlocked with divinity, God III u
and we in God. Glorious attonement
Justice satisfied. sins forgiven, everlasting
life secured pardon proclaimed hcaVci
built on manger, Peace, goodwin
men
Individual and national animoSities ar
IN lie nacified. Mulutudes are actuated D
intense selfishness. Those who labor 10
the good OF others are the exceptions
Have YOU ever thought how strangely IN
song Of peace must have sounded TO ID
Roman empire? Why, that Roman en-
n;re gIoried in its arms and boasted OF tn
humber OF men it had slain, and with u
umrh looked at conquered provinces; oi
ily Sardinia. Corsica, Macedonia and Eeyl
Lad bowed to her sword and Crouched
the cry of her war eagles. Highest homo
were conferred uvon her Fabins, Scipio an
Ceasar, With what contempt must the
have looked upon 4 kingdom whose u
heard OF principle should he good VIII
men; upon the unarmed. penniless Chris
clothed in the garb of Sazarene. vino "
10 start out for the conluest.oi the nation
Were all the blood that has been shed
hattie gathered together, it would bear !