National Republican., 1886-12-27

tian. Who was the wisest writer on law?
Blackstone. the Christian. Why is It that
every college and university in the land has
chapeR They must have place for the wise
co Come, I now, let understand in ounces and by
inches this whole matter; In post mortem ex.
been examined, and l will find the largest,
the heaviest, the mightiest brain eyer pro-
duced in America, and viii ask what that
weighing sixty ounces, the largest brain
ever produced In America. Now, let me find
what that brain thought OF Christ. In the dy-
I help "T' Thou mine mint % unbeiief Whatever else
do, Almighty God, receive me to Thyself for
Christ's sake. This night 1 shall be In life,
eRG o 70 apS lSe The visa mem Of tbe
east followed by the wise men of the west.
Know also in this scene that 1t was winter
month that God chose for His Son nativity.
Had 1t been the month Of May-that is the
season OF blossoms had II been In the month
of June-that Is the month OF roses had 1t
been in the month Of July-that is the season
of great harvests; had 1t been in the month of
Septembcr-thnt Is the season of ripe orchards
had II been in the month OF October-that is
the season of upholstered forests. But He was
born in the month of December, when there
are no flowers blooming out of doors aud when
all the harvests that have not been gathered
up have perished, and when there, are no
fruits ripenipg on the hill, and when the
leaves are drifted over the bare earth. 1t was
In closing December that He was born, to show
this is a Christ for people In sharp blast for
people under clouded sky for people with
below zero; for people showed under. A De-
cember Christ That is the reason He is so of
ten found among the destitute You can find
can see Him any night coming through the
dark lanes of the city. You can see Him put
ting His hand under the falnting head in the
pauper's cabin. He remembers how the wind
whistled around the caravausary In Bethlehem
that December night. and He Is in sympathy
with all those who in their, poverty hear the
shutters clatter on a cold night.
II was this December Christ that Washing
ton and his army worshiped at Valley Forge,
when, without blankets, they lay down In the
December snow. 1t was this Christ that the
hover ~ w6arfed % at Plymouth ROCK, and ia The
years that went by the graves digged were
more in number than the houses built. oh, l
tell you, we want December Christ, not a
Christ for fair weather, but a Christ for dark
days clouded with sickness, and chilling with
disappointment, and suffering with bereave-
ment, and terrific with wide open gr1ayes Not
a springtime Christ, not a summer Christ, not
an autumn Christ, but winter Christ!
oh, this suffering and struggling world needs
to be hushed and soothed and rocked and
lullabied in tho arms OF sympathetic omnipo
tencel No mother ever with more tenderness
put her foot on the rocker OF sick child than
Christ comes down to us TO this invalid world
and He rocks II into placidlty and quietness as
He says; "Nly peace give unto you; not as
III g world giveth, give unto you: :" oh, you
broken hearted, oh, you prosecuted and tried
souls, oh, you burden6eSTers' thlsday l declare
Notice, also, fact which no one seems 10
notice, that this Christ was born among the
sheep and the cattle and 'he horses and the
Camels, in order that he might be an alleviat.
ing influence TO the whole animal creation. 1t
means mercy for over.driven, under.ted
poorly'sheltered galled,and maltreated animal
Hath the Christ who compared Himself to q
dove no care for the cruelties Of pigeon shoot.
ing? Hath the Christ who compared Himself
to lamb no care for the sheep that are tied
and cOntorted, apd with neck over the sharp
edge of the butchers cart, or the cattle train
in hot weather from Omaha to New York, with
no water-1,500 miles of agony? Hath the
Christ whose tax was paid by a fish, the coin
taken from its mouth, no care for the tossing
fms in the fish market Hath the Christ who
strung with His own hand the nerves ofthe dog
and the cat no indignation for the horrors OF
vivisection2 Hath the Christ who said "Go to
the anti no watchfulness for the transfNed
insects? Hath the Christ who said ''Behold
the fowls OF the air. Himself never behold the
the outrages heaped upon the brute creation,
that cannot articulate its grief? This Christ
came not only 70 lii the human race out of its
trouble, but TO IN out OF pain and hardship
In the glorious millennlal time the child
shall lead the lion and play with the cocka-
trice only because brute and reptile shall have
ton Of the brute creation Christ was born in
the cattle pen. The first bleet OF the lamb of
God was heard amid the tired ilocks of the
Bethlehem shepherds. The white horse of
eternal victory stabbed in barn.
But notice also In this account the three
Christmas presents that are brought to the
manger. Gold, frankiLcense, and myrTh Gold
to Christ, That means all the afiuenoe Of tho
world surrendered TO Him. For lack Of money
no more asylumsl slimping on their way like the
otipples whom they helped, feeling their slow
way like the blind people whom they sheltered.
Millions of dollars for Christ were there are
now thousands for, Christ. Railroads owned
Christian directors, and carrying passengers
and freight ut Christian prices. George Pea