New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-25
LIE SHEPHERU& HITCH.

The SHEPHERDS WATCH.
One winter night in those early dim times Of
the world when stone affairs dripped with
human sacrifices all through England and
France, when our own country was one vast
forest inhabited by the mysterious tribes of tine
Mound builders few herders of sheep sat
watching their hocks on hill in Syria 1t is
not probable that they were particularly de-
vout or intellectual men, or that they were
thinking at the time of God or of the need the
world, butchering and blood dripping as it then
was, had of Him; or, indeed, that any loftler
ideas were in their minds than the wolves aud
their sheep. Yet to them first appeared the
messengers Of God, and to them first was told
the good tidings of great joy which were sent to
all the Deople of the earth. 1t is because OF
the message which was given to these lgno-
rant, poor shepherds that England and America
are what they are to-day, and that we do not
this morning still offer up human sacrifices on
stone affairs. Romans and Cymry were men
naturally as shrewd and intelligent as we, but
we see the world and life differently, and the
light by which we see it came into the world
that night There is n significance in this fact,
that il came to poor men, ignorant men, and
men,whose occupations and thoughts we're COM
monpIace. not devOut nor enlightened. The
good tidiugs are meant for aall people" the
poor, the ignorant and the commonplace OF the
world. The glory that shone about the heads
of those shepherds has lightened since then the
homes of millions of other dull, ordinary men,
and the song which the heavenly host sang to
them has lifted hard, drudging liyes which God
only can number into the highest hcrolsm.
There is significance, too, in the fact that
the divine light and the angelic song and the
star which at the same time led the kings OF
Eastern Asia to this hill. showed the seekers
for the worlds Helper only Child.
All through the round world this morn
ing. i'm the countless myriads of homes
where Christmas has brought Joy, it is every
where the little ones who make it tender and
bright 1t is the child with its soft, aimloss
couch that pulls the heart OF the man, no matter
how hardened or degraded he may be, back to
rentleness and truth and manllness; 1t
il the child more than anything else
that keeps the woman this morning, be
she in Yokohama OF New-York, true TO her
highest self. How many thousands OF unbe-
levers to-day who profess to care nothing Tor
CHRIST, will work anxiOusly to make the day
happy for some little one that is dear to them;
not knowing that denying Him they bindly
serve Him; that it is His spirit of love and
tenderness that is in their hearts after all. 1t
WAS not only into the group of doubling discl-
ples in Jerusalem that He took little child
and set it in tie midst to show them the King
dom of Heaven. but into every household on
earth and the purpose was the same, TO cleanse
il of its impurty and sefishness. Let us thank
God, therefore, this morning that in this stern,
inexplicable problem of world, lie has given us
children to care for and to make happy and
has given US Saviour who came first as
child, with the religion of purity, of unseliish-
ness, of helpful love.
The idea of God came only slowly into the
world. TO the Greek lie was dimly apparent in
nature, sublime and beautiful; the HlndOo
found glimpses of Him in philosophic raDt
calm the Hebrew saw Hin only in memorable
law. But to the world of later ages lie shows
himself through all th.se media, but clearest
through the Man born in Bethlehem imbued
with God, come TO lead men who have the like
ness of God within them up to Him. Ii Is the
Innocence and love that He taught which we
vorship to-day. The Divine Babe in the
manger still stretches out its blessing arms to
all the world aud the angels song is heard this
morning, not by two or three shepherds, hut by
each one OF us. We hear no voices in the sky.
Il may be from a woman or child that we
love and that loves us it may be from man
whom We have greatly wrOnged and who has
borne with and forgiven us; it may be from
the grave of one who has gone up higher that
the message of peace on earth and goodwill to
men comes to our souls to- day. But however
it COME we may be sure that it is the message of
God, and that it is sent 10 lead us to tho
Mace where the Saviour waits for us.