The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1890-03-21
REV. DR.. TALMAGE.
THE BROOKLYN DIvINEs SUN
DAY SERMON:
Subject: "The Sky Anthem"
preached at Beyroutl

AT last have what lOnged Tor, Cnrlsl
mas eve in the Holy Land. This is the TIM
of year that Christ landed. He was Deem
Der Christ. This is the chill air through
which He descended 1 look up through thes
Christians skies and l see no lbosened sta
fastening southwark to halt above Bethle
hem. but all the stars suggest the Star o.
Bethlehem. No more need that any of then
run along the sky to point downward II
duietude they kneel at the feet Of Him who
though once an exile, is now enthroned for
ever. Fresh up from Bethlehem,
am full of the scenes suggested by {
visit to that village. You know thai
whole region of Bethlehem is famous in Bible
story. There were the waving harvests OF
Boaz in which Ruth CLEANED for herself and
yeeping Naomi. There David the warrior
was thirsty, and three men of unheard OF
self denial broke through the Philistine army
to Get him drink. 1t was to that region
that Joseph and Mary came to have their
names enrolled in the census That is what
the Scripture means when 1t says they came
'sto be taxed for people did not in those
davs rush after the assessors of tax any more
than they now do
The village inn was crowded with the
strangers who had come up by the command
of Government to have their names in the
census. so that Joseph and Mary were Obliged
70 lodge in the stables. You have seen some
of those large stone buildings, in the center
Of which the camels were kept, while run
mug out from this center in oil directFEl
there we're rooms, in one of which Jesus W.
born. Had his parents been more showily
appareled have no doubt they would have
found rnore comfortable entertainment.
That night in the fields the shepherds with
crook and kindled fires, were watch
ing their hocks, when harkl to
the sound of voices strangely sweet.
Can it be that the maidens of Bethlehem have
come out to serenade the weary shepherds?
But now q light stoOps upon them like the
morning, so that the hocks arise, shaking
their snowy fleece and bleating to their
drowsY young. The heavens are filled with
armies Of light, and the earth quakes under
the harmony as, echoed back from cloud to
cloud, it rings over the midnight hills:
"GloTy to God in the highest and on earth
peace good will to men.n It seems that the
crown Of royalty and dominion and power
which Christ left behind Him was hung on
the sky in sight Of Bethlehem. Who knows
but that that crown may have been mistaken
by the wise men for the star running and
pointing downward
Ny subject, in the first place, impresses me
with tho fact that indulgence is not always
significant of degradation. When Princes
are born, heralds announce it and cannon
thunder it, and flags wave it, and illumina-
tons set cities on fire with the tidings. Some
Of US in England or America remember the
time of rejoicing when the Prince Of Wales
was born. You can remember the gladness
throughout Christe1dom at the nativity in
the palace at Madrid. But when our glorious
Prince was born, there was no rejoicing on
earth. Poor and growing poorer. vet the
heavenly recognition that Christmas night
shows the truth Of the proposition that in
digence is not always significant of degrade
lion.
In all ages there have been great hearts
throbbing under rags, tender sympathies I'M
der rough exterior, gold in the quartz. Par
ian marble in the quarry, and in every stable
Of privation wonders Of excellence that have
been the joy Of the heavenly host. All the
great deliverers Of literature and of nations
were born in homes without aifluence, and
rom their own privation learned to speak
md fight for the oppressed. MANY a man
las held up his pine knot light from the will
lerness until all nations and generations
nave seen it, and of of his hard crust of pen
lXy has broken the bread of knowledge and
ehgion for the starving millions OF the
ace. Poetry, and science, and literature
md commerce. and laws, and consti-
utions, and liberty. like Christ, were born
u manger. All the great thoughts which
ave decided the destiny OF nations started in
DSCuI Z EoIucIS, anu uttl nGTpu5 WHO WduLe1I
o slay them. and lscariots who BETRAYED
hem, and rabbles that crucifed them, and
epulchres that confined them until they burst
orth IN glorious resurrection. Strong char
cter, like the rhodOdendron, is an Alpine
liant, that grows fastest in the storm. Men
re like wheat, worth all tho more for
eng failed. Some of the most useful
eoplc would never have come to posi-
.Ons of usefulness had they not been
round and pounded and hammered
l the foundry OF disaster. When
20 Moses coming up from the ark of bull
ushes to be the greatest lawgiver of the
ges, and Amos from tending the herds TO
lake Israel tremble with his prophecies, and
avid from the sheepcote to sway tho poets
en- and the Kings scepter, and Peter from
ne fishing net to be the great preacher at the I
entecost find proof Of the truth of my
roposition that indulgence is not always
gnifcant of degradation.
My subject also impresses me with the !
fought that it is while at our useful oc-
1patiOns that we have the divine [
Had those shepherds |
ono that night into Bethlehem and |
sked their hOcks among the wolves, they /
Ould not have heard the song OF the angels. I
! other words that man sees most of /
nd heaven who minis his own business. We I
Il have our posts of duty, and standing 4
lere God appears to US. We are all shep- .
erds or sheperdesSeS and we have our /
ocks Of cares and annoyances and anxieties, /
nd we must tend them.
We sometimes hear very good people say:
If l had month or year or two to do
othing but attend to religious things 1
ould be a great deal better than lam now
on are mistaken. Generally the best peo-
lie are the busy people. Elisha was blowing
the field when the prophetic mantle fell
I him. Matthew was attending to his Gus
IN house duties when Christ commanded
m to follow. James and John were mend
g their nets when Christ called them 10 be
ihers Of men. Had they been snoring in
lie sun Christ would not have called their
dolence into the ap0stleship. Gideon
as at work with the fail on the
reshing floor when he saw the angel.
Jul was with great fatigue hunting up the
81 asses when he found the crown Of Israel.
ne prodigai son would never have reformed
ID wanted TO have returned TO his fathers
use if he had not first gone into business
Ough it was swine feeding. Not once out
a hundred times viii lazy man becoms
Christian. Those who have nothing to do
e in very unfavorable circumstances for
e receiving Of divine manifestations 1t is
L when you are in idleness, but when YOU
c, like the Bethlehem shepherds watching
ur nocks, that the glory descends and there
joy among the angels Of God over your soul
intent and forgiven.
My subject also strikes at the delusion that
$ religion of Christ is dolorous and grief
using. The music that broke through the
dnight heavens was not dirge, but an an
EN-. 1t shook joy over the hills. 1t not
ly dropped upon the shepherds but it
rang upward among the thrones. The
be of a Saviour's Righteousness is not
ick. The Christian life is not made up Of
,eping and cross bearing and war waging.
rough the revelation Of that Christ /
Is night 1 find that religion is not a
1an, but a song. In world of sin /
d sick bed and sepulchers we must nave
,uble; but in the darkest night tho heavens
rt with angelic song. You may, like
ul, be shipwrecked, but exhort you to be
good cheer, for you shall all escape safe to
. Land. Religion does not show Itself in the
ngation of the face and the cut Of the
rb. The Pharisee who puts his religion
0 his phylactery has none left for his I
art Fretfulness and complaining do I
belong 10 the family of Christian
Ices which move into the heart when /
devil moves out Christianity
IS not frown upon amusements
l recreations. 1t is not a synic, it is not !
ew, it chokes no laughter, it quenches no I
ut, it defaces no art. Among the happy, i
5 the happiest. It is just as much at home t
the playground as it is in the church 1t {
just as graceful in the charade as it is in +
psalm book It sings Just as well in Sur
gardens as it prays in st Paurs Christ
d that we might live. Christ walked that
might ride. Christ wept that we might {
gin. +,
gain, my subject impresses me with the /
{ that glorious endings sometimes have
y humble beginnings. The straw pallet