The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-12-26

the popular experience notion, some
I'm hicil VIC meet every day in our
/ C'l-.~c, with the cruue ideas of many OF
/ INC Sectarlans. The ulystics, who profess
I a pure, sublime, and wholly disinterested
/ devotion, and maintain that they have
uirece intercourse with the Di-
euge OF God and spiritual things unat-
| talnaole by the natural intellect, and such
as cannot be analysed or explained, come
uhuer TINS head, rs do also those who pro-
less 10 be moved by the spirit" and the
nAe. But experience has proven all
| these phenomena to be VIGOROUSLY un-
trustworthy.
Inc question then naturally presents
itself: How then does the incarnate God
touch each individual soul? The answer
cannot have the simplicity of any of the
! foregoing, for Christianity is not "sim-
pie" 1t is mo short and easy method -
Inc answer in rough is that He was in
carnate: and thus He established relations
with men. By His incarnation, God the
/ Son, through His humanity, established
an Intimate relation with men. By His
incarnation He changed the disposition
OF God as toward us, for by the incarna-
ton the Son of God made OF men His
brethren, and hence the disposition of
God toward us was changed as toward
sons.
By His incarnation, Jesus the Christ,
GOD the Son, infused certain persons with
a new spirit. This spirit is in the church
using the word in its widest sense-but
4 not altogether cO1lSclOuSiy; it is such a
motion as breathing, or the circulation of
| the blood. 1t is spirit that moves. but
not IN manner externally visible to the
| natural vision.
But how shall he be seen? Jesus an
/ this ha Egplouzad
| the pure in heart, for they shall see God"
Purity OF heart is prerequisite to rec
/ ognltIon of the manner in which the In
carnate God, Jesus Christ, God the Son,
/ touches the individual soul. The Virgin
Mary, the Magi, Simeon, John Baptist
all persons Of marvellous purity and
slngleness of heart-recognized this, and
were hlled with ecstatic joy because OF
the coming of God to men. But no one
can see unless he will take the trouble to
look. They who will not purify them
selves will not look for God, and so will
not perceive Him. The Peace on earth
which the angelic choir proclaimed eight
cen centuries ago is to men we'll
! willed," not to those whose wills are evil,
for they cannot perceive or comprehend
the peace which the Inearnate God came
to earth to bring. He is the Emmanuel,
GOD with US, and He is perceived only by
| those whose desire is to be with God.
rms has ever been recognized by the
pure in heart in of all the ages since God
was lncarnate, more than eighteen centu-
rles ago. And every year sees added to their
number many who rejoice in, and unite
in singing with the choirs OF angels,
! GLORY to God in the Highest" and
| to-day, wherever the sun looks down in
| tenderness and kisses the face of earth
no land is found where there are not
glad hearts to sing back the Joyous re-
train, ON Earth Peace, Good viii
| Toward Men,"
| On the wintry ana lonely hillside,
All in the dim starlight,
| shepherds over the flock were keeping
w atch at the dead of night:
When swift Angels OF Light came down,
And Earth with hoSannaS rang.
| Harps OF gold and cherubic voices
Loudly and cheerily sang
At Bethlehem
Glory to God in the Highest
And on Earth, Peace Good VIII to Men
Proudly marching along the forum,
| PreStS, with pompous train,
Closed the gates of the Roman Janus
| Under Caesars reign.
Everywhere and in every nation,
| War, with its carnage grim
| Shouts and groans, and the roar of battle
! ceased Tor the angels hymn
At Bethlehem
| Glory to God in the Highest
And on Earth Peace, Good VIII to Men
Lo, each oracle of the heather,
Soon dismounted proves;
Through the gloom Of the dark Dodona
| Dumb are the oaken groves;
! Dumb the voice of Apollo's priestess.
Delphi is left forlorn;
All the realms OF the demons tremble
| Knowing the Conqueror born
AT Bethlehem
Glory to God in the Highest
And on Earth Peace Good VIII TO Men.
| Wide and wider at every Christmas,
| Echoes the joyful sound;
From Judea the glad, good tidings
| Now run the wide world round
sing, then, sing, for the listening angels
| Bending on eager wing,
Join us nOlC in the royal chorus,
| They were the first to sing
AT Bethlehem
Glory to God in the Highest,
! And on Earth Peace, Good viii to Men,