The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-12-30
A CHRISTMAS SERMON.

Outline of d Sermon Preached in the
Baptist Church Last Sunday Morning
BY Rev. T. E. Jasper.
Matt. IL, 2.-"Where is he that is born
King of the Jews?"
The New Testament knows moth
inc of our Christmas holiday. 1t was
originated in traditional history some
three or four hundred years after the
New Testament was written. The
New Testament recognizes only one
day as sacred or holy; that day is the
Sabbath day. All other days kept in
memory OF Christ are of human orr.
gin, and should not be noticed and
observed by the followers Of Christ:
The first coming of Christ, like the
second, cannot be definitely known
as to the year, month, week, or day
As we can ascertain the period OF
Christ's second, not the year, month,
week, day, so both sacred and profane
history work out the period or the
characteristics of the age in which
Christ was born, and not the exact
date of his birth. As the burial OF
Moses on Mt. Nebo by the Lord was
wisely concealed from the supersti-
tious Israehtes, as they would wor.
ship the place, so God has wisely hid
in history the birth of his son that we
might ssworship him." and not the
date of his human birth.
The date o. Christ's birth is not the
object of our faith, nor the fact OF his
birth, but his life, death, resurrection,
ascension, mediation, intercesslon,
the value of his atonement, &c. Con-
slider briefly
I. THE PERIOD OF HIS BIRTH.
I. Our present date of civil history
is four wears too fast. Instead OF this
being Dec. 9th, 1891, it should be
Dec. 9th, 1887. Our civil date is
four years ont Of whack. Dionyssius,
an abbot of Rome in the 9th century,
fixed our present date, making the
birth of Christ in the year 754, from
the founding OF Rome. But the East
ern Greek Christians fixed the time
of Christ's birth on the 9Th OF JAN, IN
the 4th century. Before the year 215
after Christ, there was no celebration
OF his birth. The first historical au-
thority makes the death of Herod IN
the year 750 Of Rome, and Christ was
born not more than two years before
that time, and we don't know how
much less. Herod had the two years
old children slain at Bethlehem TO
reach back far enough to take III the
date of Ch1ist's birth, that he might
ssay the infant rival king.
8. AS to the month and Gay, it is
out of the question to find out.
Every month in the year has been
claimed by history as the exact month
Of his birth. Since no one knows, no
one should presume to tell the IN
movable. We. know from the New
Testament that Jesus was SIX months
younger than John the Baptist; both
were about thirty years old when
their public ministry began, but
Johns ministry is said to have begun
early in the spring-say March or
April-which would make the birth
of Jesus in August or September.
And what confirms this is, that they
had to make a journey of some one
hundred miles to Bethlehem on foot,
most likely; and also the shepherds
were still in their pastures watching
their Aocks by night. But it was the
common practice with shepherds to
drive in their focks in November, and
not return to remain overnight in the
fields until winter was over; hence
Christ was not born in the winter
time. DR.. Talmage's ssicicles hanging
down from the house, where Christ
was born is 8 mere poetical fancy OF
Ehe imagination. The climate neither
would Justify the idea of remaining
out in open fields in mid-winter.
Hence the birth of Christ most Likely
occurred late in the summer or early
in the fall months; we don't know
what month, say nothing about the
day. Notice
u. SOME REMARKABLE EVENTS CONNECT
ED WITH Els BIRTH.
When the independence of the
American colonies was granted, and
the news came across the ocean to
New York, all the colonies on Ameri-
can soil were thrown into ecstacies of
joy over the good news. They all
we're shouting to the top of their
voices, blowing horns, beating drums,
ringing bells, making bonfres, and
delivering speeches, etc. But better
still, when the Son Of God came into
the world to save fallen man, destroy
sin, conquer satan and the grave, all
heaven was jubilant with Joy, the
heavenly angelic choir bore the
blessed message to humble, pious,
shepherds watching their docks, and
sang his welcome mission to lost
man! s'Glory to God in the highest,
on earth peace and good will to men"
sand great host of the heavenly
multitude joined in the welcome re-
frain." An angel named the child
and acts as guardian to direct the le-
gal father, Joseph, how to preserve
the infant from the bloody Herod.
A mysterious star led learned men
from a distant part of the globe to
come and worship the infant King Of
heaven and earth.
The magi were doubtless on the
lookout for the birth OF the Messiah.