Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-28


things are against him, may find here
''good tidings" of sympathy, yea, even
news of the birth of One who sticketh
closer than brother"
Some times labor journals sneer at re-
ligion, and ridicule the Bible, but If the
gigantic wrongs now existing on the
part OF capital toward labor are ever
rghted (and l believe they will be) this
Christmas mornings text must not only
enter into the settlement, but it must
take the lead, yea, it should be inscribed
upon the banner of that great army OF
toilers who are seeking only their lin
ailenable rights" against overwhelming
odds.
Only so far as we are able to compre-
hend Gods infinite love and tender
mercy are we able to graep the contents
of this text. 20! the depths of the
riches both of the wisdom and knowl
edge OF God How unsearchable are
His judgments and His ways past find
ing outv'
fiith-What effect has this message
had upon the world? 1t is right for us
to ask this question. After it has been
tested nearly 1000 years, does it still
iLerit our acceptance? Let us see. l
shall not treat you to the cold, foreign
facts OF ancient history. What led to
the settlement of America? What sus-
tanned the pilgrims and their associates?
What effect do you think this message
had upon the men who composed the
continental congress when all present
bowed head or knee while prayer was
being offered? Then, men who in the
face of obstacles were forming the des-
tiny of our nation, stood upon the floors
OF that congress and publicly proclaimed
the author of this glad message to be
their God and Father. Only in its light
have men dared to oppose fraud, cor
ruption and political trickery. 1t has
been barrier to evil, while things of
good and pure report have originated in
it and been promoted and developed by
it. Let US come little closer to our
own time. Who is that city official who
presides at bull fights, where men are
gored to death? Let it be answered
life is in the least actuated by the spirit
OF this text. Small doses of the good
tidings" herein contained have been
known to work wonderful miracles in the
lives even of slum politicians, Would
that We could get some OF our city Off
cials to try it
LIS it a man who has accepted the
"good tidings" who, while employed by
the school board, sseen by the scholars
drunk upon the premises of the school,
who leaves bottles full of whisky about
the buildings where the boys may
easily find them? That such have been
the true facts within a few weeks; and,
that in the face of the facts, the school
board, through its committee, has sus-
tanned such an employee cannot be sue
cessfuly contradicted. The effect of
this first Christmas message has been
to lift society into that place where
such transactions seem worse even than
outrageous. Once, man who rose to
condemn such doings would have been
considered crank or a loon; but this
message has so marvelously changed So
ciety, that now the man who lends him
SELF to the endorsement of such things
is considered low, mean and worth
less. 1t has been barrier to evil in
the management of the government. 1t
has been a plumbline in the business
enterprise of the world. 1t has been a
rectitier of social evils. 1t has been
purifier of personal lite, and it has been
a safeguard about the house.
Sixth-What may we hope shall yet
be accomplished upon the strength of
this message? l have little sympathy
with the saying that the world is grow
ing worse. 1t is growing better; and as
these blessed Christmastides succeed
one another and are piled up like
mighty rocks in the quarry OF the past,
we have every reason to believe that
this blessed message of "peace on earth
and good will toward men" shall more
and more become the chief corner stone
of advancing civilization, until men in
all quarters OF the earth shall say of the
Lord: "He is our God" 1t shall become
more and more the basis upon
which treaties between nations shall be
formed until the nations of the earth
shall bask in the sunlight of heaven. 1t
shall become more and more the solid
pillar to which our legislative bodies
shall tie their enactments, until our
laws shall be in consonance with the
laws of God. Then to the credit of this
blessed message may be placed the COM
plete abolition of the liquor traffic; by
which today we are disgraced and de-
graded; by which today the homes OF
our land are endangered, and the safety
of our youth imperied.
trust that | am not too sanguine, but
as | hold this Christmas message over
lily uSdu anu ny i1o dlu Vi IT'S DiGSStQ
rays look out into the future, see won
derful things in the way OF progress. In
spired by these same rays men and
women will open their purses and send
Christian missionaries to those sitting
in darkness, who, when they see the
beautiful light, will eagerly grasp it and
carry it TO their fellows, who in turn
shall grasp it and carry it still further
into the heart of heathendom. And as
we look into the future of our own land,
as this light shall more fully dawn upon
it, can we not see better state of af-
fairs? May we not hope to see peace
between labor and capital; peace be-
tween various sections of the land;
more regard for personal honor and
integrity among the political par
ties; more security and safety in
our courts, and more humane and kind
ly treatment of the erring in our iails
and prisons May we not hope that all
persons, of whatever class or condition,
may find great joy" in the 'good It'd
ings" of Christ's birth upon earth
And when the things of this earth shall
have passed away and we ehall have
lost our hold on life and all that makes
it dear to us, even when the cold waters
of death shall rise about US and chill
us, may it then be true of US that we
have loved and appreciated this glad
message from the Father, and have go
fashioned our lives that as we enter
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