The Irish standard., 1892-01-02


"Let US welcome the new born Savior
who comes to US in the garb of infancy.
clad with all our mortal fraiities, en-
comprised by suferings, surrounded by
poverty. His divine infant lips speak
words Of love, words of peace to men,
of good will;
"Peace beginning to be
Deep as the sleep of the sea
When the stars their faces glass
In it's blue tranquility.
Love that is sunlight and peace
Ageby age to increase
Till anger and hatred are dead
And SORROW and death shall cease.''
'.Let us felicitate Mary, the new made
mother Of the Saviour, for the joys of
her maternity. She alone realizes the
greatness of Bethlehem's mystery.
''Let us felicitate the supplemented
shepherds for the marvels made known
to them by the fulI-toned choir of angels
singing praises to God, promising peace
to men. What awakening for these
humble swains when the angel OF the
LORD stood bv the1n and SAID; Fear
not, bring YOU tidinga OF great joy,
for this day is born to you Saviour,
who is Christ the Lo1fs; you shall find
the infant wrapped in swaddliug clothes
and laid in a manger.'
DAY by day the faithful had sighed
for the speedy advent of this Saviour.
The pride, the sin, the foliies Of man
had done their worst for human nature.
The Wisest and best Of mankind had
lost faith in humanity. A. mere sem"
blance OF peace had been forced upon
the nations by the iron despotism Of the
Caesars. Thinking minds despondingly
asked themselves these questions: Why
must the poor be the slaves Of this
wealthy? Why must the weak be
crushed by the strong? How long shall
sin and pride and lust and wrath des-
ecrate the fair face Of the earth? All,
for a Saviour, FOR a teacher, for guide,
for master, who shall preach and es-
tablish faith. hope and charity. who
shall teach man the beauties, OF peace,
OF justice, of virtue, Of humanity, who
shall be to the sin laden mind a light
shining in darkness; VINO shall be to
the stray sheep a Good Shepherd leading
to virtue, who shall dispel ignorance
with trutz.. sin by virtue, doubt by faith,
Injustice by charity; who shall redeem
degraded man, restoring him to fellow
ship with God. The memory of prinl-
eval promise pointing TO Saviour
survived among the nations. The full
ness Of time was at hand. LIS not this
che wistful hour OF the prophetic seer:
'Teil the Daughter Of Zion. behold
the Saviour cometh-thou that bringeth
good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy
voice, say to the cities Of Judah: Be-
hold your God. Arse, be enhghtened,
o, Jerusalem, for the glory Of God is
right upon thee-the Genti!es shall
walk in thy light, and the kings in the
glory of thy rising. For child is born
to us aud son is given to us, and the
government is upon His shoulders. His
name stall be called wonderful, Coun~
sellor, God the mighty, tbs Father of
the world TO come, the Prince Of peace.
His empire shall be multiplied and
there shall be no end Of peace.''
"With these solemn strains Of pro-
phetic anticipatlons ringing in our ears;
with our eyes gazing upon the bright
halo Of angelic hosts: with our ears in
tent upon the jubilant melody of their
song of peace, let US approach the STA
BILE of Bethlehem, the palace Of the new
born king. Where shall we find the
evidence of His power, Of His royalty,
Of His divinity? Does eternal wisdom
beam from that infant brow? Do
words OF truth flow from His infant
lips? Dwells omnipotent creative pow
er in those infant hands? Throbs crea-
tive love, compassion and mercy in that
infant heart? The church answers
these questions by the jubilant strains
of her hymnologY 'Venite Adoremus. "
Let us approach the cave of Bethlehem.
let us in alteration PROSTATE ourselves
before our Savior, God. Whence have
we an evidence:of the child's divinity
.whomwe thus adore as God and Savior?
For this evidence weneed appeal only to
the love, the JOY. the alteration Of the
millions who to-day point
to the Babe of Bethle hem as their God,
who IN Him alone find light and