The Globe-republican., 1893-09-29

the u Jul XA1AAAAhASA- 49, 1
such birthday celebration at the close
of one century and reaching into new
century would be something in which !
Heaven and earth could join 1twould
not only be international. but inter
planetary, inter-stellar, inter-constel- !
, lation-
If you remember what occurred on |
the first Christmas night. you know
that it was not Joy confined to our
world. The choir above Bethlehem
was imported from another world.
and when the star left its usual
sphere to designate the birth
place all astronomy felt the thrill
If there be anything true about
our religion. it IS that other worlds are
sympathetic with this world and in
communication with it. The glorified
Heaven would join in such celebra-
ton. The generations that toiled to
have the world for Christ would take
part in such jubilation and prolonged
assemblage. The upper galleriesof Gods
universe would applaud the scene.
whether we heard the clap of their
wings and the shout of their voices or
| did not hear them.
Aye. Aye. / bethink myself such
vast procedure as that might hasten
| our Lords coming, and that the ex-
pectation of many millions OF Chris
| tians, who believe in the Second Ad-
vent might be realized then at that
conjunction of the nineteenth and
| twentieth centuries. | do not say it
would be. vet who knows but that our
blessed and adored Master. pleased
with such plan of world wide observ-
| ance. might say. concerning this wan
dering and rebellious planet: THAT
world, at last. shows a disposition to
appreciate what have done for it, and
with one wave of my SCARED hand.
will bless and reclaim and save 1t.
| That such a celebration of our Lords
birth. kept up for days and months.
| would please all the good Of earth. and
nightly speed on the gospel chariot
and please all the heavens sanity,
cherubic. seraphic. archangelic, and di-
vine. is beyond question
Whether this suggestion of worlds
celebra ton of the nativity be taken or
not, it has allowed me an opportunity
| in a somewhat unusual way of express
ing my love for the great central char
acter of all time and all eternity He
is the infinite None-such. The armies
of Heaven drop on their knees before
Him. After Bourdaloue, before over
whelmed audiences. has preached Him.
and Milton in immortal blank verse
has sung Him. and Michael Angelo has
gloritied the ceiling of the Vatican
with His second coming. and martyrs
while girdled and canopied with
the flames of the stake have
with burning lips kissed His memory,
and in the hundred and forty and
four thousand OF Heaven with feet on
seas OF glass intershot with sunrise,
have with uplifted and down-swung
ba ton, and sounding comets. and wav-
ing banners. and heaven-capturing
doxologies celebrated Him, the story
of His loneliness. and His might, and
His beauty, and His grandeur. and His
grace. and His intercession. and His
sacrifice and OF His birth and His death
will remain untold. Be His name on
our lips while we live, and when we
die after we have spoken farewell to
father and mother. and wife, and child,
let US speak that Name which is the
lullaby of earth and the transport of
Heaven.
Before the crossing of time on the
midnight between December 81. 1900.
and the lst OF January. 1901. many of
us will be gone. Some of you will
hear the clock strike IL of one century
and an hour after it hear it strike of
another century. but many of you will
: not that midnight hear either the
|! stroke of the city clock. or of the old
: timepiece in the hallway of the home
stead Seven years cut a wide swath
through churches and communities and
. nations. But those who cross from
world - world before Old Time
in this world crosses that midnight
from century to century. will talk
: among the thrones OF the coming
earthly jubilee. and on the river bank
, and in the house OF many mansions,
| until all Heaven viii know of the COM
! ing of that celebration. that will fill
the earthly nations with JOY and help
augment the nations of Heaven. But,
: whether here or there. we will take
, part in the music and the banqueting,
. if we have made the Lord our portion.
, Oh. how | would like to stand at my
5 trout door some morning or noon or
night and see the sky part and the
/ blessed Lord descend in person. not as
, he will come in the last Judgment,
| with FIRE and hail and earthquake, but
: in sweet tenderness. to pardon all sin,
and heal all wounds, and wipe
: away all tears. and feed all hunger,
and right all wrongs. and illumine all
s darkness. and break all bondage. and
harmonic all discordS Some think
+ he will thus come, but a bout that COM
r ing make no prophecy, for / am not
enough learned in the Scriptures as
some OF nv friends are to announce a
, very positive opinion But this l do
: know. that it would be well for US to
: have an international and an inter
5 world celebration of the anniversary Of
. his birthday about the time of the birth
of the new century, and that it will be
! wise beyond all others wisdom for US
1 - fa1- hin, nd