Smyrna times., 1882-12-27

CHRISTMAS is a season that effects
every fibre of society, Jew or Gentle,
bound or free, but to the mass of them
it is only as great holiday time for
revelry, frolic or dissipation. There
are thousands who have no higher con-
ception of the day than this: the fact
that it is to commemorate the gift of
one to the world who should be a
Prince and Saviour has no realization
in fact. Such people live in the same
mental atmosphere individually as did
those who lived at the time when the
song of the angels was heard over the
plains of Bethlehem. The shepherds
that first heard the song of "peace
good will to men," perhaps had no
loftier idea in their minds but the
wolves and 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 people of the earth. 1t is be-
cause of the message which was given
to these ignorant, poor shepherds, aptly
remarks the Tribune, that England and
America are what they are to-day, and
that we do not still offer up human sac
rifces on stone altars. 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 signif
canoe in this fact, that it came to poo
men, ignorant men, and men whose
occupations and thoughts were com
monplace, not devout nor enlightened
The good%idings are meant for al
people" the poor, the ignorant and tn,
commonplace of the world. The glor!
that shone about the heads of thos
shepherds has lightened since then tn
homes of millions of other dull, Ordi
nary men, and the song which tn
heavenly host sang to them has lifte'
hard drudging lives which God onl
can number into the highest heroism.
There was significance. too, in tn
fact that the divine light and the ange
ic song and the star which at the sam
time led the kings of Eastern Asia t
this hill, showed the seekers for tn
worlds Helper only a Child. A
through the round world, in the count
less myriads of homes where Christina
has brought JOY, it is everywhere tn
little ones who make it tender an
bright. 1t is the child with its sOf
aimless touch that pulls the heart
the man, no matter how hardened {
degraded he may be, back to gentlene
and truth and manliness it is IL
child more than anything else TIL
keeps the woman, be she in Yokohan
or New York, true to her highest Sc
How many thousands of unbelieve
today, who profess to care nothing f
Christ, worked anxiously to make Il
day happy for some little one that
dear ~ them; not knowing that den
ing Him they blindly serve Him tn
it is his spirit of love and tendernC
that is in their hearts after all. 1t W
not only into the group of doubling d
ciples in Jerusalem that He took a
tie child and set it in the midst to she
them the kingdom of Heaven, but ir
every household on earth; and I
purpose was the same, to cleanse it of
impurity and selfshness- In this ste
inexplicable problem Of a world,
has given US children to care for a
to make happy; and has given vi
Saviour who came first as a child, W
the religion of purity, of unseIishne
Of helpful love.
The idea of God came only sloy
into the world. To the Greek He v
dimly apparent in nature, sublime 6
beautiful; the Hindoo found glimp
of Him in philosophie rapt calm
Hebrew saw Him only Ia inexora
Law. But to the world of later a
He shows himself through all th
media, bat clearest through the y
born in Bethlehem imbued with g
come to lead men who have the Ii
ness Of God within thern up to III
IL is the innocence and love that
taught which we worship to-day.
Divine Babs in the manger