Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-09-25

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national moral srd religious exposition
mammoth distribution Of sacred literature.
let The leading ministers OF religion from
England. Scotland, Ireland, France, ter
many and the world take the pulpits OF all
these cities and tell what they know OF him
,ybose birth we celebrate. At those conyo-
cations let vast sums Of moneybe raised for
churches. for asylums, for schools, for col
iepes. an OF which institutions were born
IN The heart Of Christ. On that day and In
that season when Christ gave himself TO
the world, let the world give itself to him.
WHY AMERioAi
WHY do l propose America as the coun-
try for this convocationi Because most
other lands have state religion, and while
! all forms Of religion may be tolerated In
many lands America is the only country
/ on earth where all evangelical denomina-
lions stand on an even footing, and all
/ would have equal hearing in such an inter
national exposition. Why do select this
cluster Of seacosst citiesi Answer-By that
time--Dec. %, lgO0-these four cities of New
York, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Hoboken,
by bridges and tunnels, will be practically
one. and with an aggregate population OF
about 6,0oo,O00. Consequently no other
part OF America will have such immensely
Of population.
Why do now make this nomination Of
time and placer Answer-Because such
stupendous movement cannot be extern
ported. 1t will take seven years to get
ready for such an overtowering celebra-
ton, and the work ought TO begin speedily
In churches, in colleges, in legislatures, in
congresses, In parliAments, in all styles Of
national asseInblages, and we have no
time TO lose. 1t would take three years to
make programme worthy of such com
ing together.
Why do take It upon myself to make
such a nomination of time and placei An
swer-Becausc it 80 happens that In the
mysterious providence OF God, born in a
farmhouse and OF no royal or princely de
scent, the doors OF communication are open
TO me every week by the secular and reli
gious printing presses and have been open
to me every week for many years, with all
the cities and towns and neighborhoods OF
Chrlstendom, and indeed I'm lands outside
of Christendom, where printing presses
have been established, and I feel that II
there is anything worthy in this PROPOSE
ton 1t will be needed and adopted.
On the other hand, II it be too sanguine
or too hopeful or too impractical am
sure 1t will do no harm that have ex-
pressed my wish for such an international
jubilee, celebrative Of the birth Of our I'm
manuel. Ny friends, such birthday cele-
bration at the close OF one century and
reaching into o new century would be
something In which heaven and Garth
could Join. 1t would not only DO interna-
tional, but interplanetary, interstellar, in
decentralization. II you remember what
occurred on the first Christmas night, you
= know that 1t was not joy confined to our
world.
The choir above Bethlehem was import
ed from another world, and when the star
left its usual sphere to designate the birth
place all astronomy felt the thrill Ifthere be
anything true about our religion, 1t is that
other worlds are sympathetic with this
world and In communication with IL. The
glori1ed Of heaven would Join in such cele-
bration. The generations that tOiled TO have
the world for Christ would take part in such
jubilation aud prolonged assemblage. The
upper galleries Of Gods universe would ap-
plaud the scene, whether we heard the clap
OF their wings and the shout OF their voices
or did not hear them.
Prophets who predicted the Messiah. and
apostles who talked with him, and martyrs
who died for him would take part In the
scene though to our poor eyesight they
might be invisible. The old missionaries
who died in the malarial swamps OF Africa,
orwere struck down by Egyptian typhus,
or were butchered at Lucknow, or were
slain by Bornesian cannibals, would come
down from their thrones to rejoice that at
last Christ had been heard Of, and so speed
lily in all nations. At the first roll OF the
first overture of the first day Of that meet
ing all heaven would cry; Heart Hearp
NIGHT HASTEN TIE LORDS COMING.
Ayel ayel bethink myself such vast
procedure as that might hasten our Lords
coming, and that the expectation of many
millions OF Christians, who believe in the
second advent, might realize then at that
conjunction of the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries. do not say 1t would
be, yet who knows but that our blessed
and edorcd Master, pleased with such a
plan OF worldwide observance, might say
concerning this wandering and rebellious
planet, THAT world at last shows dispo-
sition to appreciate what have done Tor
it, and with one wave Of my SCARED hand |
will bless and reclaim and save it.n
That such celebration of our Lords
birth, kept up for days and months. would
please all the good Of the earth and might
lily speed on the gospel chariot and please
all the heavens, saintly, cherubic, seraphic
archungelic and divine, is beyond question
oh, get ready fol the worlds greatest fes.
tiyityl Tune your voices for the worlds
greatest antheml Lift the arches for the
worlds mightiast processionl Let the nd.
yanclng standard OF the array OF wears
which has inscribed on one side OF IL 'lO1Di
and on the other side 1901, have also in.
serlbed ON 1t the most charming name Of
all the uniyerse-the name of Jesus.
Whether this suggestion VI a worlds
celebration OF the nativity be taken or NOT
it has allowed me an opportunity In n
somewhat unusual way OF expressing INV
love for the great central character OF ali
time and all eternity He is IN, infinite
nonesueh. The armies OF heaven drop on
thtAr knees before him. After Bouriaione
before overwhelmed audience. hAa preached
| him, and Milton In immortal blank vc,se
has sung him, and Michael Angelo bas
| glorhed the ceiling Of the Vatican With
his second coming, and martyrs vbile
girdled and canopied with the flames ~
the stake have with burning Inns kissed
bis memory, and In the hundred and fortr
and four thousand" of heaven, with feot on
seas of glass interahot with sunrise. have
( with nplifted and down swung baton. And
bounding oornstt, and waving banners. and
heaven capturing doxologies, Celebrated
hin, the story OF his lovcliness, and M