Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-12-19
THE ANGELS SONG.
REV ROBERT coLLYER CONSIDERS CHRISTMAS
AS A TIME OF PEACE AND oooDwuI-


When 1 find myself that sort Of q man that
call liberal Christian. said the preacher, it
will be as easy 20 me as laughter is to little
children on Christmas morning 10 summon up
in my heart the blessings Of peace, 10 exercise
a perfect good will toward all the world.
When Chr-tmastide comes around every year
look back to d Christmas long ago-so long D..
ago that II almost seems 10 have been another
lfe-when | was casting my eyes across the
Atlantic in search Of a new home. ] could not
tell then whether | would find palace or .
poorhouse. | have found palace; but can
put ali the egotism aside and say that it is all
due to the blessing and goodness OF God and
the love Of Him that ] kept in my heart. But
hold it true as has been said. that according
to the love we show for our fellow beings 10
strong Is the love Of God within us, and
know that loving those who love me and doing
good 10 those who do good 10 me Is no standard
to measure my love for God by. Love your
enemies There is the great standard, that is
| the great principle. Yet il IL the one STUN
| bling block that / find it hard 10 get over,
| though | say II 365 times a year. find IL
| hard not to hate the man that know hates
me. Everything in me revolts against it. II
can't be better than God" / say 70 myself
and when some one says, Toss your heart
over 10 God and all the rest will follow"
| don't find the solution so easy. Perhaps /
| can't just toss my heart over.
But when Christmas time comes and see
workings Of the divine love. l say 70 myself,
J surely God can't love one man and hate an
| other, and what poor thing my heart il that
| / cannot mold II after His. Then ] say it il
| time 10 make some effort. The divine love for
! man Is like the highest note in the melody
! some SURPRISING singer reaches when the
| Academy down there shakes with the thunder
| of applause. | am q humber voice, indeed;
! but must | not strive, encouraged by that
| great example, TO reach some higher note than
| / have ever touched before in the song which
! the angels sing Of goodwill and peaoe-peaoe
and goodwill throughout the universe?
| II l can't love the man or woman who has
done me deadly injury, let me at least be sure
| do not hate them. Let me keep in view the
possibility that may some day love them; let
me be sure that / will help them If they need
| it, This universal demand for love and peace
| is not Of Thanksgiving but Of Christmas. Our
Thanksgiving is founded on Plymouth Rock,
but Christmas stands on the Rock Of Ages.
| When | bless the children of friends, even
though they may be a thousand miles away,
they shine out 10 me like stars. / get more
than / give aud the best giving is when ex-
pect no return. l used long ago 10 know .
house-mOther who always did her houseclean-
ing Just before Christmas. She didn't care for
the rest Of the year but all should be clean
and bright for Christmas. Her custom may
serve me as parable. ] say TO you that you
| should brighten the windows of your soul at
| this holy time so that love and grace may be
seen shining out through them. You should
make your heart clean and pure, just as she
did her hearth, and welcome 70 1t all mankind
| as she did singers who came TO sing the carols
on Christmas morning, while the fire lit up the
whole place with its warm and GENIAL glow.