The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-26
Man Has Been Led Upward
Through All These Eighteen
Centuries.
Blindness Fell Upon Israels People and
tho Prophet Saw Vision OF
the Future.

C0fl6tl80 era oHlO Vu0 uA9AVPs q RIOpACO
lived, and thought and prophesied. He
knew Israel's law, and he realized the
grandeur of the promises which had been
made to Israel's seed. But he saw around
him disobedience to the law, disregard of
the covenant, Indifference to the wor-
ship of the living God, and forgetfulness of
the heritage to which his people we're heirs.
He knew that persistence in wrong-doing
was sure to bring punishment upon his
nation, and ruin to his people. And there
fore, with burning words, he warned them
of their danger. But blindness had fallen
upon Israel. The voice of the prophet was
the voice of ono crying in the wilderness.
In the midst of all this confusion, dis
obedience and idolatry, the prophet saw a
vision of the future. deliverer should
come forth from the house of David. a
kingdom of psace should arise in the earth.
The spirit of wisdom and understanding, of
counsel and might, of knowledge and the
and rule the world. The wolf should dwell
with the lamb: the leopard lie down with
the kid; the calf, the young lion and the
failing together. and little child should
lead them.
Centuries roll on and prophecies con
.V0rQ0
birth takes place in Bethlehem, Judean
shepherds are aroused by angelic rejoicings,
Eastern magi come to worship, kingly
hand is stretched forth to kill. But the
hand on the dial-plete of time moves stead
lily on. A wonderful ministry is exercised
now Law of love and mercy is proclaimed,
all,t end in a cross on calvary and in a
burial IN q rock-hewn sepulcher.
"Rulera and pharisees have done their
will. But the officers of the new kingdom
20 forth to do their work and the heralds
world is old and worn with wickedness,
and humanity satisfied with human deceits.
But the new message has different ring
from any that has been heard before and
the new doctrines touch new chord
in human breasts. The cold world moves
rulers Of the nations abate not iot or a
title in their base ambitions, the philoso-
pliers are az proud as ever in their over
weeninP superiority, the human itarians
look with scorn upon all that is new and
strange. But the new message reaches hui
man lives. Before the face of this unac-
countable force, the religions Of the world
stand aghast, temples are deserted, alters
abandoned, priests are ridiculed, oracles
are dumb. Seeing all this, Roman en-
peror, not a christian, but prudent. shrewd,
ard Of the Roman empire. After that, an
other emperor, who had been christian,
but had lost his faith, attempts to kill the
religion of the cross. He builds new tenn
piles, appoints new priests, he gives popular
ity to heathen ceremonies and heather
billions are disappointed and death meets
him with the despairino exclamation on
his lips: 20, Gallilean thou hast con-
1.-THE prophets exclamation is verified,
ga little child she'll lead then.'' The Babe
all nations Yet the work is only Just
begun. Nations receive the word of God.
Races receive Christ as their leader. But
error intermingles with truth. What are
called the dark ages intervene. Ecclesias.
tioism rules supreme. The most earnest
Learning is confined to converts and sci
ence to secret votaries. Christianity is all
outward following, more than an inward
reality. But the power delegated to the
kingdom of God could not be repressed. It
reappeared and touched the Indifferent, re-
viyifying the world. The fifteenth century
developed forces which are working to this
hour. The human mind was set in motion
by force which could not be expressed.
Philosophy was remoulded, science was
placed on a new foundation, reason was en-
throned as the equal or the superior of rev.
astrous to CHI istianity.
but a reaction is slowly taking place.
Men are finding out more and more that
the theories of scientists, pantheism, evo-
luton, natural selection, will not answer
all the problems of nature and human life.
They see that there is new era which is
superior to the old. Tie ideals Of human
ity are higher than they were. There are
many evils to. overcome. Might may
be right, and wealth may Be power,
but this is something beyond all that. JUS
t!ce is more than name. Right is more
be protected. Womanhood is to be rever-
enced. temperance. purity, charity, are
virtues which are to be held in hottest ad-
miration. Yet this was not the worlds
standard two thousand years ago. What
you will. yet you must admit that the
standard BY which Judgment il formed has
risen with every lncreasi & century. Why |
10 this9 Has philosophy accomplished the |
change? No. Philosophy is as cold and
impartial as ever. Has science made hui
more sacred? No. Science deals with facts |
only, and leaves results to care for them
selves. There 10 but one answer to the |
question. The child of Bethlehem has
been leading man upward through all these |
eighteen centuries. Justice, righteousness
holiness, nre words that are heard from |
every tongue. And they would not be |
head had not Christ been bonn in Rethle-
hem. had He not lived such life as man I
he'd never before lived. had He
not taught as man had new
er taught. and had He not
died - man had never died. Think of il.
Christians, and learn to appreciate the
heritage you possess. Ponder 1T, men of
the world, Who are inclined to think that
all things continue az they were from the
beginning of the creation. Study it, stu-
dents of history. who say that one age re-
peats another. Take it into your consider
alton, men of science, who say that inexor-
able Law conti ols the destinies of man.
Look it square in the face, We skeptics, who
arc inclined to say that the Bible is myth
and the Christ of history delusion. lsn't
1t easier to believe that God was in this
way revealing Himself to His children and
them the value Of human life than
that tine world ID delusion and human life
vanity? In view OF all these facts, is it so
difficult to understand that in Christ God
was manifest in the flesh?
I'm these services OF Christian rejoicing
the Child of Bethlehem 10 leading the
world. This morning millions on
millions of people awoke and were glad be-
cause it was Christmas. For days and
weeks. in every centre Of business life and
activity, there has been prapa-
ration and expectation. Not q town
but has experienced its presence; not
a street but has felt its coming.
And the motive that has been the promptsr
Of this expectation has not been An entirely i
Eelfsh one. Business men have been plan-