Connecticut western news., 1890-12-31

no indignation for the horrors Of vivisection2 Hath the Christ who said, "Go to the ant, no watchfulness for the transfxed insects2 Hath the Christ who said, Behold the fowls of the air. heaped upon the brute creation which cannot articulate it's grief? This Christ came not only to lift the human race out of its trouble, but to lift out of pang and hardship the animal creation In the glorious millennial time the child shall lead the lion and play with the cockatrice only because brute and reptile shall have no more wrongs to avenge. To alleviate the condition of the brute creation Christ was born in the cattle pen. The first bleat of the Lamb of God heard amid the tired focks of the Bethlehem shepherds. The white horse of eternal victory stabbed fin barn.
 But notice also in this account the three Christmas presents that are brought to the manager. Gold, frank incense and myrrh. Gold to Christ that means all the affluence of the world surrendered 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 whom they sheltered. Mill ions of dollars for Christ where there are now thousands for Christ. Railroads owned by Christian stockholders and governed by Christian 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 Jo- seph and Mary and the divine fugi- tive into Egypt, but it 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 jewel of world set like a 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 it. They did not eat it because it was bit ter. The pungent gum resin of Abys- sinia called myrrh brought to the feet of Christ. That means bitterness Bitter betrayal, bitter persecution, bit ter 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 at Jo- seph's country seat. Myrrh. Yea, says the Psalmist, %All thy garments smell of myrrh." That is what the wise men wrapped in the swaddling clothes oi the babe That is what the Marys twisted in the shroud of a crucifled Christ. The myrrh. Oh, the height, the depth, the length, the breadth o1 the Saviour's sorrow! We'll might the wise men shake out the myrrh.
 CHRISTMAS FRANKINCENSE.
 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 farthest part of the building inhale it, and it floats out upon the air until passers by wonder who in that rough place could have by accident dropped box of alabaster. Frankincense That is what they burned in the censer in the ancient temple. Frankincense. That means worship. Frankincense. That is to fill all the homes, and all the churches, and all the capitals, and all the na- tons, from cellar of stalactited cave clear up to the silvery rafters of the starlit dome. Frankincense. That is what we shake out from our hearts to- day, so that the nostrils of Christ, once crimsoned with the hemorrhage of the cross, shall be flooded with the per fume of worlds adoration. Franklin cense. Frankincense in song and ser mon and offertory and handshaking and decoration.
 Praise him, mountains and hills, val leys and seas, and skies and earth and heaven Cyclone with your trumpets, northern lights with your flaming en- sign! Morning with your castles of cloud, and evening with your pillow ing clouds of sunsetl Do you know how they used to hold the censer in the olden time, and what it was made off Here is a metal pan, and the handle by which 1t was held. In the inside oE this metal pan were put living coals, on the top of them perforated cover. In square box the frankincense was brought to the temple. This franklin cense was taken out and sprinkled over the living coals, and then the perorat ed cover was put on, and when they were all ready for worship then the cover was lifted from this censer and from all the other censers, and the per fumed smoke arose until it hung amid all the folds and dropped amid all the altars, and then rose in great columns of praise outside or above the temple, rising clear up toward the throne of God
 So we have two censers today, of Christmas frankincense. Here is the one censer of earthly hankincense. On that we put our thanks for the mercies of the past year, the mercies of all our past lives, individual mercies, family mercies, social mercies, national mer- cies, and our hearts burning with grati- tude send aloft the incense of praise toward the throne of Christ. Bring on more incense, and higher and higher let the columns of praise ascend. Let