The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-25


the garrets and cellars where the poor
abide, as well as in costlier, finer houses.
The essential thing about home is not |
house, but heart.
Now, the star of Bethlehem is the
star of the home. For when it rose
upon the earth, this noble ideal was
created. And nowhere else is the pres
ent power and vitality of Christian ideas
more plainly marked than in the home.
So that this Christmas tide when the star
is in its perigee, and swings its lambent
torch close to our earth, is time above
all others to remind us how few homes
have blessed this world. 1t is signif-
icant, indeed, to see how the earliest
Christians began to be impressed with
the new dignity and elevation of the
home, sanctified as it now became by
the childhood and youth of our Lord.
The artists early seized upon the new
thought, and threw about the family
touching beauty and noble charm in
their multiplying pictures of the holy
family. And as marriage rose in dig
nifty, and childhood was respected, and
it was seen how deeply the roots of
character strike into the early soil in
which they grow, more toll and thought
were consecrated to the culture of right
affections, and to the use Of the oppor-
tunities of the home. For here God
gives man the largest means of the best
moral culture. Here are the strongest
loves the heart can know, ready to
serve in the good cause of righteousness.
Here is the golden chain which holds
the child to his parent, ready to become
the leading strings by which he may be
guided, higher yet, to God. Here is
the still plastic soul given into the
hands of those who are pledged by all
the guarantees of love to care for it's
future. Here is the reverence of the
child for its parent, weighing all the
early precepts of fathers lips with
sacred authority. Here is filial love
winning the heart to irksome duties by
its tenderness for mothers wishes.
And here the pleading helplessness of
infancy, the innocence of childhood,
and the restless energies of youth, ap-
peal to the hearts of fathers and moth
ers, to make themselves strong, to keep
themselves pure, to maintain their own
vigor of spirit for the children's sake.
These are the powers which stamp the
sweet truths of religion so indelibly
upon the soul. For in whom is religion
so fair and natural growth as it is in
him who drank in gentle virtues from
his mothers breast, or saw the light of
the Holy Spirit in his fathers eyes :?
Who prays SO trustingly as he who
lisped "Our Father" at his mothers
knee To whom do self-denial, and
pure speech, and high-minded rever-
ence come SO easily as to him who
learned thepSsaEmong his brothers and
sisters All, when God ordained the
home, and fostered it by the powers of
Christian love, he established very
nursery of heavenly grace.
Finally, let me remind you that the
light which the star of Bethlehem her
aided, is light to tighten them that sit
in the shadows. We have no right to
grieve as those who are without Christ.
He has come and brought life and i'm
mortality to light. The peace heralded
in the angels song has come, to many a
tired, many a discouraged, many a
mourning heart. To them that look
upon the star of Bethlehem with weep
ing eyes, it makes long glistening rays
through their tears, and on that track
of tremulous light, angels come and
go, ascending and descending with
messages of comfort and hope. Do not
say that this Christmas joy and light
are only pledges of better days to come.
They are the sign of light and comfort,
righteousness and love already come
upon earth. The light shall never be
less, but grow forever. Be glad in what
there is. Rejoice that there is more to
come.
There is morning star, my soul!
There is a morning star,
Twill soon be near and bright, though now
1t seems so dim and far.
And when times stars have come and gone
And every mist of earth is flown,
That better star shall rise
On this worlds clouded skies
To shine forever"
The Chicago NeaUs remarks: "The