The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-12-31

horse Of eternal victory STABBED In Q
barn.
But notice also in this account the
three Christmas presents that arc
brought to the manger. Gold, franklin
cense and myrrh. Gold TO Christ-that
means all the affiuence Of the world sur
rendered to him. For lack Of money no
more asylums limping on their way like
the cripples whom they helped, feeling
their slow way like the blind people
they sheltered. Millions OF dollars
for Christ where there are now
thousands for Christ Railroads owned
by Christian stockholders and gov
erned by Christians directors and
carrying passengers and freight at
Christian prices George Peabodys and
Abbott Lawrences, and James Lenoxes
no rarity. Bank Of England, Bourse OF
France, United States Treasury, all the
moneyed institutions Of the world for
Christ. The gold for Christ. Gold not
merely paid the way Of Joseph and
Mary and the divine fugitive into Egypt
but 1t was typical Of the fact that
Christ's way shall be paid all around
the world. The gold for Christ, the
silver for Christ the jewels for Christ
Australia. Nevada and Golconda for
Christ The bright round, beautiful
level Of world set like solitaire on
the bosom Of Christ.
But notice that these wise men also
shook out from their sacks the myrrh.
The cattle came and they snuffed at 1t
They did not eat 1t because 1t was bit
ter. The pungent gum resin OF Abys-
sinia called myrrh brought to the feet
OF Christ That means bitterness. Bit
ter betrayal, bitter persecution, bitter
days Of suffering, bitter nights OF
woe. Myrrh. That is what they put
into His cup when He was dying.
Myrrh. That is what they put under
His head In the wilderness Myrrh.
That is what they strewed His path
with all the way from the cattle pen In
Bethlehem to the mausoleum Of Joseph's
country home. Myrrh. Yea, says tho
Psalmist "All the garments smell OF
myrrh." That is what the wise men
wrapped in the swaddling clothes OF tho
babe. That is what the Marys twisted
in the shroud OF o crucified Christ The
myrrh. o, the height the depth, the
. length, the breadth Of the Saviours sor-
row. Well might the wise men shake out
the myrrh.
But notice also from another sack
they shake out the frankincense. Clear
up to the rafters Of the barn the air Is
, filled with perfume, and the hostlers
and the camel drivers in the furthest
part OF the building inhale 1t, and II
, floats out upon the air until passers-by
a wonder who in that rough place could
a have by accident dropped a boz oil
n alabaster. Frankincense. That's what
{ they burned in the censer in the ancient
a temple. Frankincense. That means
4 worship Frankincense. That Is to nj
4 all tho homes, and all the churches
and all the capitals, and all the nations
/. from cellar Of stalactited cav'
= clear up 10 tho silvery rafters o
. the starlit dome. Frankincense. Thati
h what we shake out from our hearts TO
A. day, so that the nostrils OF Christ ono
Ia crimsoned with the hemorrhages OF tn
: cross shall be flooded with the perfum
OF a worlds alteration. Frankincense
20 Frankincense in song, and sermon, an
:, u ofiertory, and handshaking, and decora
"a ton. Praise Him. mountains and hill'
10 valleys and seas, and skies and cart
~ and heaven-cyclone with your truu
80 pets, northern lights with your han
a ing ensign, morning with your castle
ho Of cloud, and evening with your bi
-. lowing clouds OF sunset DO 20
know how they used to hold the ccnst
ot in theOlden time, and what II was mad
a, of? Hereis metal pan and the hand
No by which 1t was held. In tho inside
w this metal pan we're put living Goals,
In, the top Of them a perforated cover.
,or square box the frankincense WI
be brought to the temple. This franki
ed cense was taken out and sprinkled oy
,as the living Goals, and then the perio
m. ated cover was put on, and when TAI
ar we're all ready for worship, then u
Ith cover was lifted from this censer al
NJ. from all the other censers. and tho pt
20. fumed smoke arose until 1t hung am
,en all the folds and dropped amid all Z
Ist affairs, and then rose in great colum
nal OF praise outside or above the temp
,,,. rising clear up toward the throne OF GC
ho So we have two censers to-day, OF Chri
IA mas frankincense Here is the one Gems
tic OF earthly frankincense. On thatwe
i,h our thanks for the mercies Of the pi
| - oil
IAN individual mercies, family mercies,
,lid cial mercies, national mercies, and
'i,v hearts burning with gratitude send oil
.a the incense OF praise toward the throne
IN. Christ Bring on moro incense, and higf
and higher let the columns OF pra
ascend. Let them wreathe all thu
ON pillars and hover amid all these arcl
"a and then soar TO tho throne. But b
-. Is the other censer OF heavenly than
I A. giving and worship Let them bri
all their frankincense cherut
NV bring theirs ard the seraphim the
& and the one hundred and forty and Il
"a thousand theirs, and all the eterni'
noI. theirs, and let them smoke with
.sa fume on this heavenly censer until
~ cloud canopies the throne OF God. II
"a take these two censers--the censel
arr earthly frankincense and the censer
e .he heavenly frankinoense-and ] sw
~ them before tho throne, and the
,aaa clash them together in one great ha
,ba iuiah unto Him 10 whom the wise
,ha Of tho East brought the gold and
49, myrrh and tho frankincense. Bles
l,ato bo Ills glorious nane ioro'er'