Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-01-08
REV. DIR. TALNAGF.
THE BROOKLYN DIVINE'S Sun
DAY SERMON
Subject. "The Nativity"

Tying IN q nlGnger."-Luke H., 1G.
The black window shutters of a Dece nba-
night were thrown open, and some OF the
best singers Of world where they ali sing
stood there. and putting back the drapaly OF
cloud, cnanted peace anthem until ali tae
echoes of hill and valley aDplaudei and en-
cored the Halleluj jan chorus. Come, Ie1 Us
go into that Christmas scene as though We
had never before worsbiped at the mango.
Here is a Madonna worth looking Al |
in all lands and In ali Christian
centuries is Mary And tner4 are
Marys in palaces and Marys in caoias,
and though German and French and Italian
and Spanish and En- ZIisn pronounce it diff
ferently, they are ell namcsakes of the one
whom we find bel OF straw, with her
pale face against the SOFT cheek Of Christ in
the night of the Nativity. All the great
painters have tried on canvas 10 present
Mary and her chill and tie IN eidents OF
that most famous nig ht OF the worlds his
tory. Yet all of them We're copies os st.
Matthews Madonna AMI Luke,s Madonna,
the inspired Madonna OF the Old Book, which
we had put into our hands when were
infants and that we hoTe to have un1e. our
heads when we die.
Behold, in the nrst place, that on tha first
night of Christ's life Col hon0reI the brute
creation. You cannot get into that Ba5hte-
hem barn without going past the camels,
the mules, the dogs, the oxen. The brutes
FAINT Lord. Some OF the old painters repre-
sent the oxen and camels kneeiug that night
before the newborn babe. And well mi ght
they kneel! Have you ever thought that
Christ came among other things to alleviate
the sufferings of the brute creation? Was
it not appropriate that He should, during the
first few days and nights OF His life on earth,
be surrounded by the dumb beasts?
Not kennel in all the centuries, not
birds nest not WORKOUT horse on tow
hnr 1:r1rr -ly| hill
cow pen, not a freight car in summer time
bringing the beeves 10 market without water
through thousand miles of agony,
surgeons room witnessing the struggles Of
fox and rabbit or pigeon or dog in the hOr-
rors of vivisection but has an interest in the
fact that Christ was born in stable sur
rounded by brutes. They surely have as
much right in this world as we have. In
the first chapter of Genesis you may see
that they were placed on the earth before
man was, the fish and fowl created the fifth
day, and the quadrupeds the morning OF the
sixth day, and man not until the afternoon
of that day. The whale, the eagle, the lion,
and all the lesser creatures Of their kind were
predecessors OF the human family. They
have the world by right of possession. They
have also paid rent for the places they occu-
pied. What an army of defense all over the
land are the faithful watchdogs. And who
can tell what the world owes to the horse and
camel and OK for transportation? And robin
they have filed orchard and forest, more
than paid fol- the few grains they have
picked up for their sustenance.
Standing, then, as imagine now do in
that bethlehem night with infant Christ
on the one side and the speeches. creatures
of God on the other, l cry look out how you
strike the rowel into that horses side. Take
off that curbed bit from that bleeding
mouth. Remove that saddle from that raw
back. Shoot not for fun that bird that is
f(N0 cT1oaH fort MOTT nut for
in the cage OF that canary. Throw out
some crumbs to those birds caught too far
north in the winters inciemency. Arrest
that man VINO is making that one horse draw
a load heavy enough for three. Rush in upon
that scene where boys are torturing cat
of transfixing butterfly and grasshopper.
Drive not off that old robin, for her nest is a
mothers cradle, and under her wing there
may be three or four musicians OF the sky In
training. No more did Christ show interest
in the botanical world when He said Con
slider the lilies" than He showed So mpathy
for the pathological world when He said
+'Behold the fowls of the air, ;" and the quad
rupedal world when He allowed Himself to be
place a lamb. Meanwhile may the Christ
OF the bethlehem cattle pen have mercy on
the suffering stockyards that are preparing
meat for our American households.
Behold, also, in this Bible scene, how on
that Christmas night God honorei child
u
visit to our world in, cloud, as He will de-
scenf on His next visit in cloud. In what
a chariot of illumined vapOr He might have
rolled down the sky, escorted by mounted
cavalry with lightning for drawn sword.
Elijah had a carriage of ire 20 take Him up,
why not Jesus carriage OF ire to fetcn
Him down? Or over the arcned bridge OF
a rainbow the Lord might have descended.
Or Cnrist might have had His mortality
built up on earth out of the dust OF a garden
<1oT full nd a
without the Introductory feeoleness OF in
fancy No, no! Childhood was to be hon.
ored by that event. He must have a caild's
light limbs, and a childs dimpled hand, and
a chi.ds beaming eye, and chllds taken
hair, and babyhood was to be honOred Tor all
time to come and cradle was to mean more
than grave. Mighty God! May the re-
Election of that one child's face be seen IN all
infantile faces.
Enough have all those fathers and mothers
on hand If they have child in the house. A
throne, a crown, scepter, a kingdom UNI
der charge. Be careful how you strike him
across the head, Earring the brain. What
YOU say to him viii be centennial and mil
Ienial, and hundred years and thousand
wears will not stop the echo and re-echo. Do
not say, ut is only a child" Rather say, 1T
is only an immortal" It is only a master
piece OF Jehovah.
1t was q child in NaamenS kitchen that
told the great Syrian warrior where he
might so and get cured OF the leprosy, which
at his seventh plunge in the Jordan was left
at the bottom of the river. 1t was to the
cradle of leaves in which a child was laid,
rocked by the Nile that God called the at
tention of history. 1t was sick child that
evoked Christs curative sympathies. 1t was
child that Christ set in the midst OF the
squabbling disciples TO teach the lesson of
humility. Wear informed that wolf and
leopard and lion shall be yet so domesticated
tfat little child shall lead them A child