Smyrna times., 1893-12-27

but citizens of the kingdom of heaven and
through Christ, adopted children of God.
Since then the Lord was made flesh and
dwelt among us, recognize this human
divinity-recognize it because it is pos
itively and clearly set forth in Scripture;
recognize it because he has come to the
world in respOse to the cry of human
nature; recognize it because all argument
points to his verify; recognize it because
he proved his two-fold nature by his life
and work. The qualities of his character
clearly surpass the normal human type
Had he been no moro than the ordinary
member of his race he would, ere this have
had his rivals in moral excellence; had he
been no more than this the dead French
critic, Renan, intdel though he was, would
never have said "Whatever may be the
unloOked-for phenomena of the future,
Jesus will never be surpassed.
His worship will grow young forever.
All ages will say that among the sons of
men none have ever been greater than
Jesus Had he been no more than man,
that deep-dyed infdel Mill, could never
have said, The life and sayings Of Jesus
place the prophet Nazareth in the very
first rank of the men of sublime genius y
nor even now would it be easy, even
for an un6eliever, to find better trans
latlon OF the rule of right . than to
endeavor so to live that Chsist would APP
prove our life" If his enemies speak thus
OF hlm, can we, his disciples, do less? Aye
we must do more. 1t is not enough for us
to say that we have searched among patri-
archs and prophets and Apostles and Poets
and Philosophers and have found none
%hom we can regard as Christs equals.
IL Is not enough that we admit him to be
clothed with humility, majesty, compassion,
unselishness, gentleness and charity as
with God own robe of righteousness. 1t
is not enough for us to acknowledge that
his holiness was without an alloy, that his
brow never trOwned with disapDOintment
and worldly care, his heart was never
sOured with lll-treatmcnt and pain, that no
weakness no blemish, no indiscretion. no
hasty word, no unworthy action was ever
proved against him. 1t is hot enough for
US to say that the evidence of history and
the laws of the human mind pronounce the
lmposslDlllty of any mere man rising to
that wealth of wisdom and that moral per-
tection which belonged to him.
lie IS more than this to us He is our
model our Saviour, our King and we
should initiate him, obey him, trust him
lie was God with US" who dwelt among
us. One OfOurselves; tempted AS we are
suffered as we do, and is thus enabled to
succour those who travel the same thorny
road. We can touch him on his humanity
side. And through his humanity we NAV
communicate with God upon his throne.
God with US" At length this dream lad
der OF Jacob becomes a reality and is set
up between earth and heaven: and angels
are ascending and descending upon il: nj
length the link in the chain Of life. broken
by mans disobedience is welded into its
place and makes an unbroken chain be-
tween the natural and the spiritual, the
mortal and Immortality, man and God at
length the long rejected stone. needed TO
unite the great temple of humanity with
that grand temple not made with hands
that stone, God on the'one side, man on the
other, was by the incarnation of Christ set
INTO its place, and now in all the universe
there Is but one perfect, complete. glorious
temple.
For this unspeakable good we can but
greet this Amas day by echoing the angels
words: Glory to God in the highest -
May that thought enthuse US and make us
strong for the life work which lies before
US AS heaven has so blessed US as to leave
God with us' for awhile, let us imitate
TINS divine example at this Xmas time ana
soar into thoughts and feelings which viii
purify US as gold is purified in the fire and
tAuS prepared, let us 60 forth on our mis-
SION OF usefulness to cheer and brighten and
bless some who from sickness. or Sorrow nr
poverty, feel that life presses upon them as
aheavy burden and arc plaintivelv moaning
III Ihelr wretchness where is God nv
maker, who giveth songs in the night"