Democratic messenger., 1893-09-30

world, and when the star left ITS usual
sphere to designate the birthplace all
astronomy felt the thrill. If there he
anything true about our religion, it is
that other worlds are sympathetic with
this world and in communication with
il. The glorified of heaven would ioin
in such a celebration. The generations
that toile1 10 have the world FOR Christ
would take part in such jubilation and
prolonged asScmblage.
The upper galleries Of Gods universe
would applaud the scene, whether we
heard the clap Of their wings and the
shout of their voices or did not hear
their. Prophets who predicted the Mes
s;ah, ami apostles who talked with him,
and martyrs who died for him would
take part in the scene. though to our
poor cycsight they might bc invisible.
The old missionaries who died III the
malarial swamps Of Africa, or were
struck down by Egyptian typhus, or
We're 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
speedily i'll all nations. At the first roll
OF the first overture of the first day of
that meeting all heaven would cry:
"He:r! Hear!''
Aye! Aye! | think myself such vast
procedure as that might hasten our
Lords coming. and that the expectation
Of many millions of Christians who be-
lieve in the second advent might be
realized then ut that conjunction of the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
do not say il would be. yet who knows
but that our blessed and adored Master,
pleased with such plan of worldwide
observance. might say concerning this
wandering and rebellious planet, That
world at last shows disposition to ap-
preciatc what have done fer it, and
with ono wave of my SCARED hand will
bless and reclaim and save it,
That such 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
6nd please all tho heavens. sanity,
cherubic. seraphic. archangelic and di-
vine. is beyond question. Oh. get ready
for the worlds greatest festivity. Tune
your voices for the worlds greatest an
them. Lift the arches for the worlds
mightiest procession. Let the advancing
standard of the army of years. which
has inscribed on one side of it .i900'
and on the other side 1901" have also
inscribed on it the most charming name
Of all the universe-thc name of Jesus.
Whether this suggestion of worlds
celebration Of the nativity be taken or
not. it has allowed me an opportunity in
q somcwha. unusual way of expressing
my love for the great central charac er
of all tiine AMI all eternity. He is Tho
infinite noresuch. Tho armies of heaven
drop on their knees before him. After
Bourdalouc. before overwhelmed au-
dicnces, has preached him, and Milton
in immortal blank verse has sung him,
and Michael Angelo has glorified the cell
ing of the Vatican with his second COM
ing, and martyrs while girdled and
caEopied with the flames of the stake
have with burning lips kissed his mem
ory. and in the hundred AID forty and
four Thousand" Of heaven with feet on
seas of glass intcrshot with sunrise, have
with upliftcl and dovnswung baton.
End sounding corncts, and waving ban
ners. and heaven capturing dOxologies
celebrated him, the story of his lowell
ness. and his rnight. and his beauty, and
his grandeur. and his grace, and his IN
terccS,ion. and his sacrifice. and of his
birth, and his death will remain untold.
Be his na'nc on our lirs 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 Dec. 81. 1900. and tho
ist of January. 1901. many of us will be
gone. Some of you Will hear the clock
strike II of one C-atury and an hour
after it hear it strike of anoth:r CEN
tury, but many Of You will not that
midnigh: hear either tho stroke of the
old city cloc.; or Of the old timepieco in
the hallway OF tho homestead. Seven
years cut wide swaih through tho
churches and communities and nations.
But those who cross from world to
world bcfo.n Old Time in this world
crosses tiia: midnight from century 10
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 will know Of
tho coming Of that celebration, that will
fill the earthly nations with JOY and
help auglnc,.t tie nations .. heaven.
But whether here or there we will take
part i'll the music and the banqueiing if
We have made the Lord our portion.
OH, how | would like 10 stand ut my
front door sc:na morning or noon or
night and see tie sky part and the blessed
Lord descend III person. not rs he will
come in the last Judgment. with fire and
hail and earthquake. but i'll sweet ten
dcrncSs II pardon all sin. and heal all
wounds, and wipe a.:ay all tear, and
feed al hun.-r. and right all wrongs.
end illumine all darkness. and break all
bondage. and harmonizc all discords.
Some think Ec will thus come, but about
that coming make 10 prophecy, for
am not gh learned in the Scriptures.
us some of my friends are. To announce
. very positive opinion.
Eut this do know. that it would bo
well for US To have an int irrational and
an intcrworld celebration of the ami
versary of hi birthday about the time OF
the birth OK the new century, and that it
will be wise beyond all others wisdom
for us to take him rs our present and
everlasting coadjutor, and If that Gar
ling of earth and heaven viii only acc ccpt
you and Inc after all our .tciimc of un-
worihncss aui sin we an never pay
him what we owe. thouri through all
the c,. nifty to come we md every hour
new song and every Enmcnt new
asc.ipiion Of homage and praise. for you