Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-01-01

ana he gaveit on a Christmas night, and II was
OF such value that heaven adjourned for IA re-
cess and came down and broke through the
clouds TO look at IL. Yea. in all ages God has
honored childhood. lie makes almost every
picture failure unless there be q child either
playing or the floor, or looking through the
window, or seated on the lap gazing into the
face of the mother.
II was child in Naaman's kitchen that told
the great Syrian warrior where he might go
and get cured OF the leprosy, which at his sew
enth plunge in the Jordan was left at the bot
tom OF the river. IL was TO the cradle OF leaves,
in which child was laid, rocked by the Nile,
that God called the attention OF history. IL
was a sick child that evoked Christs curative
sympathies. IL was child that Christ set in the
midst OF the squabbling disciples, TO teach tho
lesson OF humanity. We are informed that wolf
and leopard and lion shall be yet SO domesti-
Gated that "a little child shall lead them. A
child decided Waterloo, showing the army OF
Butcher how they could take a short cut through
the fields, when, IL the ole road had been fol-
lowed, the Prussian General would nave com
up too late 10 save the destinies of Europe. /
was child that decided Gettysburg, he havin
overheard two Confederate Generals in
conversation, in which they decided
20 march for Gettysburg instead OF Har-
risburg; and this reported to Gov
Curtin, the Federal forces started TO meet their
opponents at Gettysburg. And to-day the child
is TO decide all the great battles, make all the
laws, settle all the dcstinies, and usher in tho
worlds salvation or destruction. Men, women,
nations, all earth and all heaven, behold the
childl Is there any velvet so soft as q child s
cheeky is there any sky SO blue as child's
eyer Is there any music so sweet as a child's
voice' Is there any plume so wavy as q child's
hairY
Notice also, that in this bible night scene
God honored science. Who are the three wise
men kne,,ling before the divine infanti Not
- -.
and Melchior. men who knew all that was TO
be known. They we've the Isaac Newtons and
Herschels and Faradays OF their time. Their
alchemy was the forerunner OF our sublime
chemistry, their astrology the mother OF our
magnificent astronomy. They had studied
stars, studied metals, studied physiology.
studied everything. And when sec
these scientists bowling before the beau
tiful babe see tho prophecy OF the time
when all the telescopes and microscopes and
all the Leyden jars, and all the electric batter
les, and all the observatories, and all the uni
versities shall bow TO Jesus. II is much that
way already. Where is the college that does
not have morning prayers thus bowling at the
manger? Who have been the greatest physi-
ciansy Omittlng the names of the living lest
we should be invldious have we not had among
them Christian men like our own Joseph G.
Hutchinson and Rush and Valentine Mott and
Abercrombie and Abernethyi Who have been
OuI kItblf>t SClGullSlSG Joseph f1tuIy, WHO
lived and died in the faith OF the gospels, and
Agasiz who, standing win his students among
the hills took of his hat and said,
Young gentlemen. before we study these
rocks, LET us pray for wisdom 10 the God who
made the rocks" To-day the greatest doctors
and lawyers of Brooklyn and New York and OF
this land and OF all lands, revere 20 the CAris.
tian religion and are not ashamed TO say so
before iuries and legislatures and senates. All
geology Will yet bow before the Rock OF Ages-
All botany will yet worship the Rose OF sharon.
All astronomy will yet recognize the Star Of
Bethlehem. And physiology and anatomy will
join hands and say, 1--WE must, by the help Of
God, get the human race up TO the perfect
nerve, and perfect muscle and perfect brain,
and perfect form OF that perfect child, before
whom, nigh twenty hundred years ago, the
wise men bent their tired knees in worship.
Behold also in that first Christmas night that
God honorcd the fields. Come in, shepherd
boys, 10 Bethlehem and see the child. NO."
they say, 1--WE are not dressed good enough &c
come in" Eyes, you are; come in" Sure
enough, the storms and the night dew and the
brambles have made rough work with their ap-
parel, but none have better right 70 come in.
They were the first to hear the music Of that
Christmas night. The first announcement OF a
Sayiours birth was made 10 those men in the
fields. There were wiseacres that night in
Bethlehem and Jerusalem snoring in deep
sleep, and there were salaried officers OF gov
eminent, who, hearing Of IL afterward, may
have thought TINT they ought 10 have had the
first news OF such a great event some one dis
mounting from a swift camel at their door and
knocking till, at some sentinels question,
who comes therei" the great ones OF the pal
ace might have been told OF the celestial ar
rival. No; the shepherds heard the first two
bars OF the music, the first in the major key
and the last in the subdued minor; "Glory TO
God in the higaest, and on earth peace, good
rrf11 4. 4 Ia ~.
ored
The old shepherds with plaid and crook have
for the most part vanished, but we have graz
ing-our United States pasture fields and prai-
RE about 45,0o00J0 Sheppard all their keepers
ought 10 follow the shepherds OF my text and
all those who toll in fields, all vine-dressers,
all orchardists, all husbandmen Not only that
Christmas night, but all up ana down the
worlds history God had been honoring the
fields. Nearly all the raessiahs OF reform and
literature ana eloquence and law and benev-
oience, have come from the fields.
Washington from the fields. Jefferson from
the fields. The Presidential martyrs, Garfield
and Lincoln from the fields. Henry Clay from
the fields. Daniel Webster from the fields.
Martin Luther from the fields. Before this
world is right, the overlooking popula tons Of
our crowded cities will have to take 10 the
fields. Instead OF ten merchants in rivalry as
10 who shall sell that one apple, we want at
Instead OF ten merchant desiring 10 sell that one
bushel Of wheat, we want at least eight OF them
10 go ont and raise wheat The world wants
now more hard hands, more bronzed cheeks,
more muscular arms. TO the fieldsl God hon
ored them when he woke up the shepherds by
the midnight anthem, and he will, while the
world lasts, continue to honor the fields. When
the shepherds crook was that famous night
stood against the wall OF the Bethlehem kahn,
il was a prophecy OF the time when threshers
fail and farmers plough and woodmans axe
and ox's yoke and sheaf-bnder's rake shall sur
render to the God who made the country, as
man made the town.
EThe first word child utters Is apt 10 be
Mother" and the old man. in his dying dream,
calls, "Motherl motheri" 1t matters not
whether she was brought up in the surround
ings OF city, and in aiiluent home, and was
dressed appropriately, with reference 10 the
demands OF modern life, or whether she wore
the old-time cap. and great round spectacles,
and apron OF her own make, and knit your
socks with her own needles, seated by
the broad fireplace, with great black
log ablaze, on a winter night II matters
now how many wrinkles crossed and recrossed
her face how much her shoulders STONED