St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-26
AT The L0WLY CRIB.
Rev. Joseph F. Busch Gives a
Beautiful Picture Of the
Savior.
What Christmas Means to
the Follower Of
Christ.
Economics a Secondary Con-
Sidepation in the Great
Teachers Life.
Some Pungent Thoughts
Clothed in an Eloquent
Address.

A strih'Ngly eloquent sermon was that
deliverE at the cathedral by the Rev.
Joseph f. Busch. The sacred edifice
was well filled, and the sermon, which
was based OH the words Il came that
they have life and have it most abund-
antly," reads as follows:
ChristmaS-charmed wOrd-it leads US
back through ages. transports us to
distant land. Today the land that
Moses dared but gaze at from afar. the
land Of milk and honey, the land where
angels walked with men. the holy land,
to US it seems like home. With the
lover in the canticle. the beloved one
finds us today "leaping upon Judea's
hills" Oh wings of faith and love we
are borne today to Bethlehem, the
"h0uSe of brcad'' whence comes the
bread OF life. To Bethlehem, where
the gentle Ruth went out to CLEAN and
won the heart of BOaZ. where the youth
full David watched his flockS. where
Jacob and Rachel lie buried. Built on
a slOping ridge, it lies there clad in
solemn silence, myriad stars bedeck
the clOudless sky, the beloved hills,
the beating lambs bid US be still and
TeVerent.
Beyond the village a winding path
leads US TO a cave half hidden in the
shadow of the moons pale light.
Thither we direct our anxious steps; we
stand upon the threshold Of this cavern
we enter now the first true Christian
temple. LO, Joseph. the just man,
Bowed Down in Awe.
his callous hands are crossed upon his
kneelS hard by. all wrapped in Joyous
ecstasy: and there, oh brethren, behold
the object of our painting heart; en-
thrOned on straw and meanly wrapped
in the rude manager lies Jesus. the saw
Tor Of mankind. About Him glOwS a
heavenly light. and unseen angels HOY
ering round fill all with sweetest music.
Why are the infants arms OutStretched?
Seeks He perhaps cross, or would He
clasp in fond embrace His cold and sim
full world? What wonder that the
shepherds guileless heart was touched
at this fond scenes
But alas, my friends, for you and me
this is but a poets dream; to US the
tory. Christ had been dead 600
years when Pope Theodore re-
moved the last relic of this scene,
Christ's crib, from Bethlehem to
Rome. where it has since stood for
nearly thirteen hundred years.
But now this sacred relic is shown
each wear on Christmas eve in the
church of ST. Mary Major, and could
you or have stood last night before
That Sainted Shrine.
we might have fancied to see the angel
there who guarded Christ's empty tomb,
for here again he might repeat those
words: Whom seek you, Christ? He
is not here; behold the place they laid
him. He is not here; He is risen.''
Yes, out from this lowly crib He rose
to perfect manhood, rose equal to His
mighty work, His death. Rose from
the grave, rose to the throne of God,
and 70 the throne Of countless Christian
hearts.
Why need we, therefore, envy the
magi or the shepherds? Have we not
more reason to rejoice today than they
who nineteen centuries ago were gath
cred round Christ's crib? When does
the farmer bless most the fruitful seed
is it when the first faint blade APP
pears above the soil, or when the heavy
Sheat brings back hundredfOld return?
When does mothers eve beam most
with pride-iS it at the hour of her sons
birth, or rather when in life, by manly
act, She sees him reap thousand hon
Ors? When, think you. was rejoicing
lOudest in the land-when the colonies
first shook off their yoke and made our
country free, or when today with CRATE
tul heart we recount the
Nations Myriad Blessings?
So we today are far more fortunate
than were the simple shepherds; they
gloried in the dawn; we reveI in the
monday of this risen sun. They could
but look forward from the crib. they
lived in haZy expectation; but what they
could forecast but family, what they
scarce dared to hope. we. looking back,
find realized most fully, for we, the
gospel says, "have seen Christ's glory,
glory like unto the only begotten of
the Father, full of grace and TRUTH
Christmas to us means more than to
the blessed magi. Their guide to Beth
lehem was but brilliant star. We are
drawn there by a chain, that chain of
golden blessings of which Christ'S
birth was but the first strong link.
When a traveller stands beside a
mountain stream ami watches the
crystal waters as they leap gaily over
rocks and precipice and rush INTO the
valley, he is wont to cast longing look
up towards their snowy source. So we
tOudys VIII Ddlnc OuI UIOW Ill Tic HEAL
ing waters that flowed out from Christ
and down through Christian ages, turn
back to find their fountain head: with
eager hand we brush aside the misty
veil of ages and rush into the presence
of our newborn Savior. We need no
Choir of Angels.
no shining star, to tell us that the infant
born in Bethlehem is our Lord and God.
On every side we hear the joyful cry
that Jesus is the Son of God.
Before Abraham was | am" Christ
said. "All things which the Father
hath are mine; the Father and are
one" TO prOclaiE this truth we find
heaven and earth conspire. Among
the rivers His witness is the Jordan:
among the seas, Tiberius: His wit
nesseS are The blind, the lame, the dead
restored to life. We know Thee, Who
Thou art. the demons cry, the Holy
One of Cod" His divinity the silent
winds proclaimed when He had babe
them hush. "Iie is God indeed" cry
out the multitude whom He had fed
with five small loaves.
And as we look down the vista of