The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-01-05

in the highest, and on earth peace, good
will 10 men,"
7 Bethlehem sits on ridge of rocks SIX
miles from Jerusalem. 1t is memorable
I'm Bible story. Near here were the WaY-
ing harvests of BOaZ, where Ruth CLEANED
for herself and weeping Naomi. Here
David, the warrior, was thirsty, ana
three of his men with unHeardOI sell
denial broke through the hosts OF the
PhiIistinps to get him drink. To this
place. surrounded by olives and p0me-
granates and gardens, Joseph ana Mary
came To have their names counted IN
the census. That is what the Scripture
means when il says came TO be taxed,
for do not suppose that in these times,
any more than now, people were accuS-
toned to run after taX-gatherers. so
great was the rush of the population
that all the inns of the village We're
filled. and these two travellers were
OBLIGED to lodge in the stables. These
were large stone buildings, in the center
of which the camels We're kept, while
running out from this center in all
directions there were small rooms, in
one of which Jesus was born. If His
parents had been more ShOWily appareled
/ suppOse they would have found better
accommodations. That night in the
field the shepherds, with cook and
kindled fires, were guarding their tlOcks
when hark, they heard the sound of
voices strangely sweet. Can it be
maidens of Bethlehem have come out to
sprpuade the weary shepherds? But
now great light stOOps upon them like
the morning, at which the tlOcks arise,
shaking their snowy fleece, and bleatlHg
to their drOwsy young. The heavens
are all aglOW with armies of light, and
the earth trembles under the harmony
of the song as, echoed back from cloud
TO cloud, it rings over the midnight
hills, GLORY to God in the highest, and
ON earth peace, goodwill to men, 1t
seemed as if His crown of royalty and
dominion, left behind Him, were hung
upon the sky within sight Of Palestine,
Was il not that crown which the wise
men afterWard mistOOk for a star gilt
tering and pointing downward? Learn
several lessons from the story of the
birth of Jesus; and
First, that indigence is not always
significant of degradation, When
Princes are born heralds proclaim it
and cannon thunder it, and flags wave
it and illUminatiOn5 set cities on fire
with the tidings, but at the advent Of
Jesus there was no earthly rejoicing.
He was poor, and growing poorer. Yet
the recognition of the heavenly host
proves the truth of the proposition that
poverty is not always significant of de-
gradatiOn In all ages there have heen
great hearts that have thrObbed under
rags. tender SympatlueS under rough
eSteriors. gold in the quartz, Parlan
marble yet i'm the quarry, and In very
stables of privatiOn wonders of excel
lence that have been the joy Of the
heavenly host. They who have been the
deIiverprs of literatures and of nations
have come from homes without atlluGnce,
and 10y the distinction Of their own
privations have learned how TO speak
and 1ght for the Ignorant and oppressed
Columbus, the weaver; Johnson, the
HALEY, the sJap-bOiler;
the shoemaker; Elihu Burritt,
the blacksmith, through many pTlNa-
tiuu. arose to their positions of power.
There are those who have held up their |
light until nations and genera
lions c0ud see 10y it, and men who OF |
the crust which they ate In their penury |
have broken the bread of knowledge |
and religion for starving millions of the |
race. Poetry and science and laws and !
and commerce were born, !
like Jesus, i'm mangeT. Most of the |
great thoughts which have seemed the |
lXIe-free on which the centuries turned |
lad their start in obscure corners, and |
lad HerOds. who tried to elay them, and |
-scariOts. who betrayed them, and un- |
lust Pilates, who condemned them, and !
-abbles that crucified them, and sepulch- |
eTs that confined them till they burst |
out again in glorious resurrection. Men
are like wheat, worth all the more for
being failed Strong character, like
the ThodOdendron, is an Alpine plant,
which grows fastest in the storm. There
are those who never would be useful
unless ground and hammered in the
foundry of disaster. When | see Moses
come up from the ark of bulrushes to
become the greatest of laW-giveTs, and
Amos from keeping the herd to make
Israel tremble under his prophecies, and
David from the sheep-cOts so NIGHTLY
to sway the poets pen and the Kings
5cepter, and Peter from the tisherman's
net to become the preacher at the Pente-
cost, [ behold the Truth of the principle
advanced that indulgence of appearance
is not always significant of degradation.
Furthermore, we learn from this story
that while we are engaged in our Occu-
DatiOns we behold divine manifestations.
Had the shepherd concluded for that
night they would go into the village
and risk their fiOcks among the wolves,
they would not have heard the song of
the angels. In other words, he sees
most of God and heaven who minds his
DWu DuSlub5Ss ~ 10 Ohly tlb Jul pOob VI
duty that we have heavenly exhibitions
made unto us. We are all shepherds,
having large flOcks of cares and duties
around us, and we must tend to them.
Men engaged constantly in worldly Oc-
cupatiOns think if they could only have
here and there a secular day with moth
ing to do they would become better
Christians. 1t is great mistake. The
busiest men are usually the best men.
There is no better place from which to
see heaven than a carpenters table, or
a masOa's wall, or merchants counter,
if the heart be right. Elisha was plow
ing in the field when the prophetic
mantle fell upon him. Matthew was
engaged in his custOm-hOuse duties
when he was commanded to follow"
James and John were busily mending
their nets when called to become fishers
of men. Had they been snoring in the
sun Christ would not have brought
their Incidence into the ApOstleship.
Gideon was at work with a fail on the
when he saw the angel.
It was when Saul was with fatigue
hunting up his fathers asses that he got
the Crown of Israel. The PrOdigal Son
WOuId NOT have hpen reformed and have