Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-26
WORD OF THE LORD
Lessons Taught bY Birth Dates
and Holidays
CHRISTMAS SHOULD BE HELD
stsorrior 70 Al Orher Anniversaries .
ths Y-G-Nsrurc's Lesson Of
Progress and Decay.

Brooklyn, Dec. 25.-Ths sermon
Irearhed by Rev. DIR. Talnaze this
morning was % a character especially
apuropriats % the holiday season, and
was lisseasd % with rapt attention by
aa audience that crowded the Iaber-
n4cls. Before beginning bis discourse
the preacher gave out ths opeEing hymn;
Joy 20 The World. TIE Lord has come:
La earth receive Ter king.
Ths text salected was Colossians Il, Is,
bin respect of q holy day
What the Bible here and elsewhere
calls holy day we. by change Of one
letter and changs OF pronunciation, call
holiday. But ~ change q spelling AID
accsntaatiOn We cannot ceanse tho fact
that holidays have great significance.
As long as the world stAnds Christmas
day and New Years day and Easter day
viii Do charged and surcharged with
solemn suggsstiveness and holy Tnirth.
Whistler you take the old style OF my
text and caH tasFn holy days. or the mod
sra sbyls and can them holidays. they
somehow set ali my nerves a-tingle and
my deeper emotions into profoundess
agitation. l arr glad that this season
We have the holidays completely boGn1-
al. For years, Christmas day starting
IN the raiGstof one week, and New Year,
day starting ia the midst OF another
week. We have been perplexed 10 know
when ne holidays began and when they
ended. ard perhaps We may have begun
thsm TOO soon or continued them TOO
long.
Bat this yesr they are bounded by two
beaches az gold-Sabbat3, Dec. q, 1882,
and sabbath, Jan. I. 1893. The ons Sab
basA t1is year commentaries tho birth
OF The greatest being that ever walked
the earsh, the other celebrates the birth
OF thas which Il TO be one OF the greatest
wears of al time; the one day super
natural because Of an unhinged sra. ara
angelic aoxology. and the other day nat
ural, bus part of a procession that started
w1tA tie worlds existence and viii 90
on until the world Is burned up; both.
the first and tho last days OF these holi-
DAYS coming n with Sabbas.cal splendor
and solernnify, and girdling all the days
between with thoughts that have all
time ard ail eternity in their emphasis.
How shall we spend them? At hap
hazard and without special direction.
and they leaving, as they 90 away from
rs. physical fatigue and mental exhaus-
ton, the effect OF late hours and reck-
lessness OF diet adding another chapter
70 the moral and spiritual and eternal
disasters which have resulted from mis-
spent holidays Oh, no. A stout and
resoundiag mol for all the eight days.
/ propose that we divide this holiday
season, tie two Sabtaths OF the holiday
and the six days between, into three
chapters-tae first part chapter OF
filustricos birthday; the second part a
chxvtsr OF annual decadence: the third
part a chapter Of chronological introduc.
ton
BKRrHDArS OF THE GREAT.
First, then. q chapter of illustrious
birthday. Not . day Of any year but
has been marked by the nativity OF some
good or great soul. Among discoverers
tho birthday OF Humboldt was Sept. "A
and II DAVID Livingston March 10
Among astronomers the birthday OF
Isaac Newton was Dec. % and Of Her
schel Nov. II. Among orators the birth
day of Cicero was Jan. and Of Chrys
oston Jan. Ia Among prison reform
ers the birthday of John Howard wa:
Sept. 9 and Of Elizabeth Fry May
Among painters the birthday OF Rsphse
was March - and of Michael Angel
March s. Among statesmen the birth
day Il Washington WIS Feb. %. OF
Hauuil Ton Nay and Of Jefferson Apri
Q. Among eonsecrated souls the birth
day OF Mrs. Hsrnans was Sept. %, d
Lucr~tia Mott Jan. 3 and Of Isabella
Graham July 20. But what are al
those Birthdays compared with Dec. rs
for on OF about that day was born on
who eclipsed all the grea. names Of al
Accommodation Of Bethlehem, Jesu
o. Nazareth. Jesus Of Golyosha, Jesu
OF Oliyst. Jesus Of the heavenly throne
The greatest pictures have been mad
about scenes 10 his lifetime. The creates
sacrifices on field II battle or in hospita
or on Iong march or IL martyrdom hav'
ban inspired BY his self sbnegation. tn
fnest words of elcquence ever spoke;
have been uttered in the proclamation
Of his Gospel. The gTandest orstorio
thas have ever rolled frsm orchestra
wtrs descriptive % bis life ard death
There have beea other orators, but non
He him who "sDake ss never ms
spase." There have been other reform
e.. bur pons ike ham who viii no
havscofauisted his mission until the las
rrssca IS vent lated, and tha last bin
eve epered and the last deaf ear M
esopped. and the last lame foot bound
Ike = roe. aud the last case - dsmenri
shall come % ia right mind. Tier
have been other diseoverers. bat non
he hin ALE to and how man rasy b
iust 18th God. There have been etns
DELIVERIES hut none ike hsnn. TIE rs
rus~ 81 nsa0ns. There have besn otse
painters. bus none like hirn who ppt th
frasxe q God CO a lost soul No VOL
der va celebrate his birth, Protes-ar
church. Csshchc church. Greek c7uTcl
&. Isaac q St. Petersoars, 81 Peter