The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-01-02
TALMAGE'S SERMON.
err OF JESUS. THE CHRIST.
o,,oorrse by DR.. TalmaGo Adar ted to
Christmas Eve.

-. "CIoyv 10 Cod IN The highest, and
I'm yeace. good lCiH toicdrd men,
lnke H.. H.
,.i.s, have what longed for Christ.
=. ~ oxc in the Holy Land. This is the time
rasv 49, that Christ landed. He was a Deccm
q a!.chrisf This Is the chill air through
g, n uc descended l look up through these
nIti.n,as skies and | see no loosened star
.lh,s.ing southward 10 halt above Bethlc-
~, mi all the stars suggest the Star OF
r.a,hlohem. No more need that any OF them
~ along the sky TO point downward In
I.9.,nde they kneel at the feet OF Him who,
xTsh once an exile, Is now enthroned for
Fresh up from Bethlehim,
W. ,un of the scenes suggested by
~, 10 that village. You know that
Nsnle region Of Bethlehem is famous in Biblo
w., There were the waving harvests OF
~, IN which Ruth CLEANED for herself and
D''';nc DSN; Naomi. There David the warrior
w, thirsty and three men of unhcard OF
sp denial broke through tho Philistine army
= yet him a drink. II wns TO that region
g,i Joseph aud Mary came 10 have their
s.nss enrolled in the census. That Is whnt
ne Scripture means when 1t says they came
~ he taxed for people did not in those
daYs fusn ulN'i 'i' "N'0'N'' " ~ J ~
NAV they now do.
ne village inn was crowded with the
.r,nrcrs who had come up by the command
| q G9ycrnmcnt 10 have their names in the
Is.,Vis SO that Joseph and Mary were obliged
| :, ioige in the stables. You have seen some
| n ,hrse large stone buildings, in the center
1 "a which the camels were kept, whilc rum
,ns out from this center in all directions
,hrTe were rooms in one of which Jesus was
A 4. II, sl,,
.rnarelcd have no doubt they would have
snnI moro comfortable entertainment.
Tbat night in the folds the shepherds, with
Irr5ok and kindlcd fires, were watch-
hg their nocks, when harkl to
MI sound Of voices strangely sweet.
ICanit lie that the maidens OF Bethlehem have
rome ont 10 sercnade tho weary Shepherds
Iht now a light stoops upon them like the
morning. ~ that the floclts arise, shaking
sbeir snowy fleece and bleating 10 their
druwsy young. Tho heavens are filled with
armies Of light, and the earth quakes under
the harmony as, echoed back from cloud TO
|eloud. il rings over the midnight hills:
Ftlory 70 God in the highest, and on earth
hcacc. good will TO men," 1t seems that the
troan Of royalty and dominion and power
hhich Christ left behind Him was hung on
|ahe sky in sight of bethlehem. Who knows
hu, that that crown may have been mistaken
y the wise men for the star running and
pointing downwardg
I MyMhiect, in the first place, imprcsscs mo
kiti the fact that indigence is not always
kgulcant of degradation. When Princes
he born hcralds announce IL, and cannon
Hhundcr H. and flags wave 1t, and illumna-
ions set cities ON fire with tho tidngs. Some
u us in England or America remember the
i'm Of rejoicing when the Prince OF Wales
fas born. You can remember the gladness
throughout Christendom at tho nativity in
hc palace at Madrid. But when our glorious
Primer was born, there was no rejoicing on
birth. Poor and growing poorer, yet tho
@yeniy recognition that Christmas night
bows the truth of tho proposition that in-
igence is not always significant of degrade
ION.
In all ages there have been great hearts
lr0bbng under rags, tender sympathics un-
er rough exterior, gold in the quartz, Par
n marble in the quarry, and In every stable
privation wonders of excellence that have
cn the joy of the heavenly host. All the
Tett deliverers OF literature and of nations
|erc born in homes without allluence, and
Fom their own priyation learned TO speak
hd fight for the oppressed. Many n man
held up his pine knot light from the will
fmcss until all nations and generations
bye teen Y, and Or of his hard crust of PEN
lteN 'iNNNll Allt VI hl'hifuIt anu
lglon for the starving millions of the
lce Poetry, and science, and literature,
commerce. and laws, and consti-
ltIonS and liberty. like Christ, were born
a mangcr. All the great thoughts which
lye decided the destiny of nations started in
pscure corners, and had iicrods who wanted
slay them. and Iscariots who BETRAYED
Rem, and rabbles that crucillod them, and
pGlchre, that confined them until they burst
rth IN glorious resurrection. Strong char
t'er ike the rhododcndron, is an Alpine
Ynll, tlat grows fastest in the storm. Men
a Ike wheat, worth all the more for
nS failed. Some of tho most useful
ople would mover have come to posi-
pms OF usefulness had they not been
Fcund and pounded and hammered
The foundry of disaster. When
Moses coming up from the ark of bul
'sheN TO be the greatest lawgiyer of the
- and Amos from tending tho herds d
IKE Israel trcmhle with his prophecies, and
Nld from the sheepcote TO sway the poets
and the Kings sceptor, and Peter from
nshlng net TO DO the great preacher at the
lecosi, lind proof of tho truth of my
opposition that indigenco is not always
nil,cant Of degradation.
ply subject also impresses me with the
pught that 1t " while at our useful oc.
huohs that we have tho divine
lniieatations Had those shepherds
pc that night into Bethlehem and
ked their tiocks among the wolves, they
uia not have heard the song of the angels.
other words, that man seos most Of God
heaven who minds his own business. We
nave our posts of duty, and standing
fe God appears to US. We are all shep.
or sheperdeSses and we have our
A. ol cares and annoyances and anxieties,
we must tend them.
sometimes hear very good people say;
haI q month or year or two TO do
nihS but attend TO religious things. [
iid be great deal better than lam now. y
are mistaken. Generally the best poo
ale sne busy people. Elisha was plowing
e hell when the prophetic mantle fell
~" Na'thew was attending to his GUS
mouse duties when Christ commanded
~ iolo". james and John were mend
'uelI hels when Christ called them to he
.,'.' sot men Had they been snoring i'm
Nhiist would not have called their
Vco INTO the apostleship. Gideon
W work with the nail on the
ns moor when he saw the angel.
n1 as WIN great fatigue hunting up tho
49, n.,i, Nheh he found the crown Of Israel
s,uusai xa,ts son would never have reformed
~ "ahteu 70 nave returned to his fathers
u he had not first gone into business
5n u was swine feeiing. Not once ont
nuhlfed times will lazy man become
iStlah Those who have nothing 10 do
~ very nnlayorable circumstances for
loving OF divine manifestations. IL Is
p,IIea ill., you are IN idlenoss, but when you
axe a0 tne Bethlehem shepherds, watching
'oeAs, that the glory descends and there
ons atslonS the angels Of God over your soul
nt ana forgiven.
subject also striI,os . A., ,,, A., .
felgion OF Christ Is dolorous and erieS
lhs, The music TINT hr,nl,a thror,nh IL ~