Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-12-26
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grarnne Is published. The pastor, Rev.
Mr. gesbess, took for biz text, John XIX
: Behold the Man
Mr.. Sewber,'s remarks were e,Binently
fitting TO the day and is Is impossible to pre-
sent their force and interest IN this brief
abstract
Al this Christmas-iinie oar thoughts re-
yerts to the man Jesus. of the many views
Of ms life, the simplest, the meet natural
believe TO be the truest
| sIiaii not try TO account for the growth
Of fact into myihie story rather allow me
10 see a direct way leading back to
the simple mau, tile daring prophet.
the de, poet, the large mind tnt warm
fiesrt---ihe effeeiionaie, aspiring. loving hui
man spirit. What was this man more 10
the world than other nen? Bat We do see
his superiority. lie reai the secrets of
this universe of life His deep-ileoing soul
fstiion,ed eternity, passed back of the
throne AMI eneaBipsssed Infinite Love.
Can the florist tell Why one rose eelipses
all others on the same stem? Into the SUI
perior rose there seems 10 have come more
of Tie forces from earth aud air, giving il
a tltllfE Aaltf ttfStf "a htoat
lasting fragrance.
And il NAV be that 10 a great soul more
OF the mora life Of the universe has been
given more inspiration from the deep in.
breathing of the injwellug God.
Jesus was nfeA, and yop confer on
bim title the bich God might he proud
to wear.
when We say that Jesus was a man, We
mean nisn With mans possibilities achieved
The ideal man realizing his hign powers
making hi;aself truly real
,jesus represents in his lifc, not Deity
coming down to earth, but earth bound man
arising 10 claim his high privileges 10 put
on his right of divinity. He illustrates
what man truly is. hat infinite possibilities
are in his nature: He shows US how far be-
low our ideals We are daily living, declaring
that earth is not all clay and We its soulless
workers. but that this life Is heaven en-
viruneh and mans faith sufficient to grasp
the eternities.
Already the God man" of dogma falls
upon the world, while this man Jesus never
won more hearts than now
The star that guided the Magi becomes
Christmas reality as we learn to look with
free, open eyes into the mauger where lay
the human babe, into the natural boyhood
home at Nazareth, INTO the gardens AMI
among the hills of Gallilee, when the yovng
man walked. a deep prayer upon his lips,
and great thought pressing his mind for
utterance. The ages forgot the human
Jesus, whose hands were outstretehed--
one to man. one to God AS they came to
picture the face of terrible agony, the pai1
81 an infinite God in atoning for the worlds
sins.
/ have been told that I'nitarians have no
right to Christmas, for rejecting Jesus we
rob Christmas of significance. But | ehal-
lenge any sect to show truer reverance.
a more rational acceptance. deeper love
of Jesus than is accorded him this Christ
mas-time by the Liberal eharch.--a rever-
ance that is not worship, an acceptance
embracing his pcrsonability, love--the re-
Spouse of our souls to large, unselfish.
triumphant life.
We might rightfully lay claim TO Christ
mas on anti-t Christian ground rs having
10 relation to Jesus. The day is ours
as an Inheritance from The race
But make bold to claim right to this day
because of our allegiance to Him whose
nativity it celebrates. ! would make this
day joyous because of tina, Joy Ne gave the
world | would make it generous because
lie gave his all to life; ! would make ii
ehildrens day because He blessed little
children Yes. would make Christmas
mesn,a fellow ship of hearts, a joining of
hands for better service for another year.
The First Baptist Church
Was also finely and appropriately deco
rated. The special Christmas music, as
rendered by the Winthrop Street Quartet,
was exceptionally good. The pastor, Rev.
j. NJ. Wyman, preached from the following
text Micah g., 2 "But thou, Bethle-
hem Ephratali, though thou he little among
the thousands of JnIah, vet out OF thee
shall lie come forth unto me that Is to lie
ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have
been of old, from everlasting" He SAID in
brief Christ does not come simply To
bring Joy, but to bring about the conditions
from which come joy He comes to estah
lisli His kingdom. We depart from tie
usual custom of the day and turn from the
descriptive 70 the prophetic. The pastor
then spoke of The setting of text and its
general teaching, contrasting IL with the
usual method of portrayal. The names
ars significant, Bethlehem meaning ''house
of bread" and Ephratah, 'frriisfulness.
Plain reference Is made TO the occurrence
the worhl celebrates today. We are liable
To think of the spectacular and ne
elec; the real. We think of Christ
coming down into humanity. but
forget his mission. Mr.. Wyman
then spoke in detail Of the conditions which
called for Christ. He who has \ right to
su.,t puusf e,xprt-iS,. that rirftt
IN the second place it was noted how the
differences of the text had been fulfilled.
The preacher sought TO secure the answer
of the centuries on the point. He closed
with two practical lesso on the same line
of thought first She small, the weak things
are not 10 Ita despised. bethlehem was not
to be cansi Tered town, yet ii has been lit
eraIlv house of bread" for centuries, for
here the Bread of Life WIS nourished.
We dent know, We can't tell What choice
plan God has for the weak things of this
worId. The second lesson was that charac-
ter is what tells. 1t is not mora tBau but
more men that the church needs, Manhood
rules. Christ. no matter whatever else he
M gilt have been, vas perfect man, and
As such our example.
In the evening the exercise told
FrapsiHcense and Myrrh'' was given by
TN, sunday school. The singing BY the
chair ami the male quartet was very fine.
Especial mention should be made OF Mr.
/ mol : solo and tie quintet consisting of
Inc male quartet anil Mrs. Scott Hill.
r. llo~ ifs;- il thu programme.
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