National Republican., 1886-12-27
TIE CHRISTMAS JUBILEE.
A BRIGHT STAR OF HOPE Is OUR GLORI-
GUS CHRISTIANITY.
DIR. TaImage Believes All Worlds Were
Loyal but This-But the World Shall
He Attuned, and All Worlds win Yet
he Accordant.

BRooRLYH. Dec 26.-The Rev. De Witt Tai
mage, d. D., preached in the Brooklyn Taber-
nacle this evening on the subject: "The Christ.
mas Jubilee" A special programme of music
was rendered by the artists of the church, and
the congregational singing was inspiriting,
The opening hymn begins:
"Joy to the world the Lord is come,
Let earth receive her king"
DR.. Talmage's text was st. Matthew, ch. IL,
v.0: "when they had heard the king they
departed; and, 10, the star, which they saw in
the east, went before them, till 1t came and
stood over where the young child was" The
preacher said
At this season all Christendom celebrates the
birth of Christ. Step down out of your COM
Portable surroundings into the chill December
night Of Beth,lhem. Two plain people are
hoteled IN q village barn alter a walk of eighty
miller, too long trudge for one in poor health.
No lords of state awaiting in antechamber as
when other kings are born. No messengers
aSyent from city h to city. No % medical skill In
attendance. No satin-lined cradle TO receive
the infantile guest. But monarch born in
night, with diamonded finger, pointing down to
the place, the door of heaven set wide open TO
look out; from orchestral batons of light
lowest doorstep Of heaven the Ministries dis.
Soon after the white-bearded astrologists
kneel, and from leathern pouch chink the
Rhekels, and from open sacks exhale the
frankincense and rustic out the bundles OF
myrrh. The loosened star, the escaped dox-
ology Of celestials, the chill December night
anush with May morn, our world a lost star,
a. other star rushing down the sky that
night TO beckon the wanderer home again,
shall yet make all nations keep Christmas
Arethere no new lessons from the story not
yet hRokneyed by oitrepeAtal2 On, yesl Now,
In the first place, it.was sideIeal appearance
that lead the way. 10, the star which they
black cloud in the shape of a hand or finger
pOinting down 10 the sacred birthplace? A.
cloud means trouble, and the world had had
flashing and striking down 10 the sacred birth
place? Lightning means destruction, shatter.
Ing and consuming power, and the world
wanted no more destruction.
But il was a star, and that means 10y, that
means hope, that means good cheer, that means
ascendAncy, A star That means creative
power, for did not the morning stars sing to-
Rethsr when the portfolio Of the. worlds was
opened? start That means defense, for did
not the stars fght In their course against Slsera
and for ne LORDS people a. A sta star ot Thal ,hI
righteous 10 shine as the stars forever and ever
A star That means the opening of eternal
10y. The day star in the heart. The morning
The unusual appearance that night may
have been strange conjunction Of worlds. AS
the transit Of Venus was foretod many years
whatwill be the conjunction of worlds thou
sand years nom now, so they can calculate
backwards, and even intldel astronomers have
been compelled TO testify that about the year
/ there was u very unusual appearance In
the heavens. The Chinese record, OF course
entirely independent of the Word of God, gives
as matter OF history, that about the year
there was a strange and unaccountable appear
ance In the heavens. But II may have been a
meteor such as you and have seen dash
in the horizon, Only few years ago saw Ia
the western sky star shoot and fall with such
bTillianCy and precision that II had been on
hillashigh as that of bethlehem. on which the
shepherds stood, could have marked within
EfoIt distance the place of the alighting The
University of Iowa and the British Museum
have specimens of meteorlc stones picked M
in the fields, fragments flung oil
from other worlds, leaving a fiery
trail on the sky, SO that 1t Is not to me at ali
improbable, the stellar or the neteOric appsar
ance on that night of which we speak. only
care 10 know that II was bright that 1t was sif
very, that 1t flashed, and swayed, and swung
aud halted with joy celestial as though Christ
In haste 10 save our world, had rushed down
without his coronet, and the angels OF God had
hurled II after Him. Not black cloud OF
threat, but bright star Of hope Is our glorious
Christianity. one glimpse of that stellar ap,
peATanee kindled up the soul of the sick and
Tho dying college student until the words