Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-01-02
amid the tired fiocks of the Bethlehem
nl,o re

shepherds. The white horse of eternal
victory stabbed in . barn.
But notice also in this account the
three Christmas presents that are
brought to the manRer. Gold. frank
incense and myrrh. Cold to Christ
that means all the affiuence 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
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 Lcnoxes
no rarity. Bank Of England, Bourse OF
France, United States Treasury, all the
moneyed:instituions, 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 it
was typical of the fact that Christ's way
shall be paid all around the world. Tho
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 asoli-
talfe on Tie BOSOM OIL Christ.
But notice that these wise men also
shook out from their sacks the myrrh.
The cattle came and they .snuifcd at it.
They did not eat it because it was blister.
The pungcnt gum resin of Abyssinia
called myrrh brought to the feet of
Christ. That means bitterness. Bite
betrayal, bitter persecution, bitter days
of suffering. bitter nights OF VOC.
Myrrh., THAT'S what they put into Ills
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 10 Tho
mansoleum ut Joscph's country seat.
Myrrh. Yea, says The Psalmist, "All
thy garments smell Of myrrh." Tint il
what the wise men wrapped in the
swaddling clothes of the babe. That is
|! what the M1ryA twisted in the shroud Of
I.aGrucitied Christ. ,fhe myrrh Oh, the
Eheight, the depth.a the length. the
breadth Of the Saviour's sorrow! We'll
] 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 hosticrs and
the camel drivers in the farthcst part Of
L VIZ O0liAlDS Auu0JI abS NUu ~ ilOdtS OIk
upon the air until passers-by wonder
who in that rough place could have by
accident dropped box of alabNster.
Frankincensc. That Ia what they
burned in the censor In the ancient tenn
pie. Frankincense. That means wor-
ship. Frankincense. That is to ill oil
the homes, and all the churches, and all
the capitals, and all the nations. from
cellar Of stalactited cave clear up to the
silvery rafters of the starlit dome.
Frankinccnse. That is what we shake
ont Of our hearts to-day, so that the nos
tri)s Of Christ, once crin,soncd witt. the
hemorrhage of the cross, shall be flooded
! with the perfume of d worlds alteration.
I Franhincense. Frankincense in song
and sermon and offertory and hand
: shaking and decoration.
; Praise Him, mountains nnd hills, val
lcys, and seas, and skies and earth and
d heavcD: Cyclone with your trumpets,
northern lights with your flaming en-:
!, sign! Morning with your castles OF
d Cloud and evening with your billowing
g clouds Of sunset Do you know how
|, they used to hold the censor in the oldcn
Y time, and what 1t was made Of? Here
b is q metal pan, and . handle by which
' it was held. In the inside of this metal
{ pan wero put living Goals, on the top of
e them o perforated cover. In square
Y box the frankinccnse was brought to the
temple. This frankincense was taken
r out and sprnkled over the living Goals,
, and then the perforated cover was put
on, and when they were all ready for
worship then the cover was lifted from
this censor and from all the other
! censcrs, and the perfumed smoke arose
} until it hung amid all the folds end
| dropped amid all the affairs, and then
rose in great columns of praise outside
, or above the temple, rising clear up to-
. ward the throne of God.
J So we have two censcrs to-day, Of
!, Christmas frankincense. Here is the
that we put our thanks for the mcrcies
of the past year, the mercies of all our
past, lives; individual mercies, family
mercies, social mercies, national rnercies,
, and our hearts burning with gratitude
send aloft the incense of praise toward
the throne of Christ. Bring ON more in
cense, and higher and higher let the col
umns of praise ascend. Let them
wreathe oil these pillars and hover amid
all these arches and then soar to the
!, throne.
But here is the other censor of hayenly
thanksgiving and worship. Let them
bring all thoir frankincense - the
cherubim bring theirs, and the seraphim
theirs, and the one hundred and forty and
four thousand theirs ind all the eter-
mites theirs; and let. Them; smoke with
, herfnmeon this heavenly censor until
the cloud canopies the throne of God
Then take these two censers-the
censor of earthly frankincense and the
3 censor Of heavenly frankincense--and
swing them before the throne, and then
! clash them together in one great hal
lelujah unto Him whom the wise men Of
} the east brought the gold and the
myrrh, and the frankincense. Blessed
J be His glorious name forever!
A Military Empress.