The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-25
CHRISTMAS.

OF the way and the heralding OF the
coming Of the Messiah. he had n right
10 ask of the Saviour. Art thou He
another?" In the eyes OF the world.
shame and Imprisonment were all that
ne had made out OF his office and self
sacrifice. by a divine Inspiration, he
had proclaimed to the world the Car
penter Of Nazareth as the Saviour OF
mankind; and, for his reward. he was
lying in ienominy In the powers of n
british tyrant. Well then might he
send to inquire. Have / been mistaken?
What Is The xpllnation? From greater
lips than his. later on. the cry went up:
why hast thou forsaken me?" We
now. in the fuiiness OF the harvest for
which ~they-the greatest born of woman
and the accepted Son Of God-sowed. in
these latter days" can understand 1t
perfectly.
When the inquiry comes was Jesus
the promised M%essiah?" all Christendom
replies: Open your eyes. look unto the
fields white to the harvest. "The blind
receive their sight, the lame walk. the
lepers are ~cleansed, the deaf hear. the
dead are raised up, and to the poor the
Gospel is preached" The words OF the
Saviour told plain facts. But those
blessed facts were but first fruits and
prophecies Of the great and glorious
things that now occupy the world In
His name" Charity and philanthropy
are a great. o~ver-spreading power. press
ing themselves and making themselves
felt everywhere more and more. The
Spirit of Christ is acknowledged as a
great factor" in the life OF mankind.
And hat great power and factor and
/ influence owes its acknowledged origin
10 an event and source measured in time
az 1892 years ago.. And every recorded
act and deed and writing in the civil
ICED world acknowledges that beginning.
( That beginning was the birth Of Jesus
Christ in Bethlehem, and now the high
est and dearest labors of the best
Of mankind in the civilized world are the
restoration OF the unfortunate, the relief
Of the suffering, the enlightenment Of the
poor and the lifting up Of all mankind.
At this most joyous season all decent
people are wholly given up to the highest
feast and revelry, the luxury OF doing
good. n He that seemed to lave
labored in vain and spent his strength
for nought, now sees Of the travail Of
his soul and is satisfied.
Talk as you please about the boldness
Of infidelity. the progress Of heresy, and
the inconsistency of Christians and all
that, the sun Of Christianity is now in
mid-heaven, and there is nothing hid from
the light and heat thereof. The gospel of
peace and good will and the life and
character Of the Saviour are written on
the soul OF humanity, and living epistles
Familiarity appear from the divine author
ship. bright md burning with the spirit
Of heaven and shining with a holy light,
that testify to a Master at the right hand
Of the throne of God.
Yet still, before the world. these are
largely humanity's underground. The
stubble field Of q world, on it's W
merits. fat and Improbable, betrays a
rich and vigorous crop in the ground,
lowly but honest and loyal to their King.
In the glory of the Augustine age. the
gladiators, equipped and ready for their
brutal strife, to entertain classic gentle
men and ladies. lords. high captains and
chief estates, presented themselves be-
fore the statue Of great Caesar, the
foremost man Of all the world. Their
tribute was Ave Caesar! Moritun te
Salutant!" Hail Caesar! They, about to
die, salute theel But in our day and in
this hour, near to the sacred, high eter-
nal noon, the purest, highest and best in
human form, children, mothers, families,
full Of mutual affection and love to God
and man, gathering TO their homes and
IN their houses of worship, in joyous
communion with the company Of heaven,
the dear ones gone be%fore-join in the
triumphant song:
Shout the glad tidings,
Exultirgly sing;
Jerusalem triumphs,
Messiah Is king.
The veil will soon be rent. and show
loved and lost, as we call them, in joy
and felicity i'm the HOLY Of Holes