The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-26


anything remarkable in the fact that an
| old shepherd named Jesse sent his son
| David TO carry gifts to his brethren in the
| army Nothing seemed SO simple, vet as
David drew nigh. there stood Goliath,
clothed in steel and breathing defiance to
the armies of Israel, and with simple sling
! in his hand, David accepted the challenge
! to mortal combat with the warrior The
| destiny OF two nations hung in the balance.
| Into one scales Philistia threw Goliath.
Israel placed the boy of Bethlehem in the
other, and with what result. Swift as the
| light, inspired by the hand of David, the
pebble from the brook slew the giant, and
| the stream of Davld's life mounted up
from the sheepfold TO the throne.
When Alexander the Great overran the
| Eastern hemisphere he prepared the way
| for the introduction of the Greek language,
which in time became the language of the
civilized world. The Old Testament was
translated into the Greek language, and by
this means the scriptures that foretold the
| coming of the Messiah were scattered every
| where Again, the Greeks were maritime
| people, as the Romans were the worlds
| great road builders, making highways in
| Spain, Germany and Britain for the future
messengers of the gospel
BEFORE THE ADVENT.
Before Christ'S advent man had wandered
away from God, and left to his own devices,
had invented mythologies and built up
philosophers. He built great cities and
greatness and all his achievements he
| thought to satisfy bis soul, but he
failed most signally. Man may wallow,
said the speaker, SO low that there is no
lower depth of degradation left for him to
wallow in, but God will use his filth even
to teach him lesson. Thus the failure of
man to satisfy his soul with mythology
and DhilOSnnhu I'D unafariaI udi
ment, was as a schoolmaster to bring him
to Christ, the only true light of men. Reli-
gion and philosophy have failed to answer
the question, "what is the truth" and of
necessity this compelled the human mind to
seek more diligently after the truth. Mans
weakness, continued the learned bishop, is
Gods strength. Mans failure is Gods OPP
portunity, and man needed deliverer and
in the fullness of time God sent forth his
Son into the world Not circumstanced by
the pomp and pride of armed men. He
came not to impoverish the world by his
splendor, or crush it with his power.
1t might have seemed to the world as a
very unimportant event that a babe was
born, but God moves in mysterious way,
and results are his best interpreters In
this event a new power had come to en-
Tighten and civilize all the enterprising
| nations of the world, and this power is the
source of all that is best and highest in the
lTOnC rank Oh ndblOUS tOQdy. II you COulQ
pluck out the birth of the babe at Beth
lehem you would pluck out the best part of
the history of Europe. In proportion as
men and nations have assimilated this
power they have progressed in the direction
of civilization, culture and real power.
THE NEW POWER.
There was a something about the divine
child who was born in Bethlehem, where
he began in after years to illustrate by his
life and teaching "what is TRUTH which
thrilled the hearts of men and they felt a
desire for self ennoblement and higher
life. The highest law up to the time of
Christ's coming was Thou shalt not kill"
He gave them a new law. "Thou shalt
not haten Visions Of a new and stately
manhood were opened up before men with
such a teacher to guide them into the way
of truth.
Touching Christ's death the speaker said,
it was the vilest death that man could die;
yet who among his murderers could have
foreseen that the cross of the felon should
afterward become the banner staff of pro-
gress, as it is to-day, or that it should be-
come the symbol of civilization and ad-
vancement Yet 1T is so. God has written
the history of Christs birth and the
saving power of the cross in eighteen CEN
turtles of human progress, written it in the
history of the lives of the best men the
world has ever produced. What but this
power has enobled society! Why is it that
woman is not beast of burden in America
as she is in Syria to-day9 1t is because of
the elevating influence of christianity,
wnich, with its divine power, has elevated
woman and made sacred the home. 1t has
beautified morals and humaniZed govern
ments.
AT ST. JOHNS CHURCH
The services at st. Johns church were
the usual Xmas services. The church was
deliberately decorated with evergreens,
roses and japonicas. The three panels in
the chancel were filled in with silver and
gold. The center panel was Of white velvet,
and handsome cross of japonicas and white
roses resting upon the altar. The lower
portions of the windows were decorated
with evergreens, and the spaces between the
windows was filed with designs and mono
grams in Greek and Latin.
A long scroll of red with
gold letters, forming the sentence, "Glory
to God in the Highest" was just in front
of the choir. The music was good. The
quartette was composed of Mrs. Theo Wells,
Mrs. Cornwell, Messrs. Z. Wood and R. d.
Rockwell. Mrs. Wells rendered the offer
tory in the most satisfactory manner. Those
who heard her were impressed with her
singing. She has but few equals in the
city aud there are none who excel her.
Rev. G. ii. Strong preached Christmas
sermon from the text, Ii. Corinthians.v. II.
IAN things have passed away and
all things have become new.n He
spoke of the world before
and after Christs coming. He described
scene In Switzerland. On the
borders where that country joins Italy. is
the word "Italia.n AS one approaches the
post, the surroundings become bleaker and
bleaker, until the mark is turned, when it
becomes brighter, and from there to Italy
it is light as midday. Christ, he said, is the
Italia of the gospel. The entrance into
new life Up to Christ the world gets
dark and gloomy, but after Christ every
thing is sunshine.
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
The services at the Lutheran church were
very interesting. Rev. Dr. Bowman
preached from the text, H. Corinthians, tx,
Is: Thanks be unto God for his unspeaka-
bic gift" He spoke of the incarnation Of
Christ as Gods greatest gift TO man. 1t is
incalculable and inestimable, he said, in its
benefits. 1t required a reciprocal gift from
us of our love, of our willing service, of our
kindness and good will to our fellow-man.
The preacher said that the reciprocation of
the gift is different from tho payment of a
deot. It must be voluntary and from the
heart. One can receive the gilt migrate
fully. A debt one is obliged TO
pay by law. No service is honor
able TO God and profitable to the wor-