The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-25
A SERMON ON CHRISTMAS.
TaImage breaches on the Star Of
Bethlehem.

1s the Morning Star Reralds the
Coming OF the Day so Christ Heralds
the Natural and Spiritual Dawn.
The Star of Jesus as Seen From the
Bed of the Dying.
Brooklyn, Dec. 24-In the Brooklyn tab
tguacle to-day a great audience assembled
10 participate in the Christmas services.
fltanding before the organ, festooned with
christmas greens, this sermon was deliv-
trei by Rev DR. Talmage, after the
throngs had sung: ''The Star Of Bethle-
lem" Text, Rev. %: IS, Il am the
bright and the morning star"
This is Christmas eve Our attention
and the attention Of the world is drawn
to the star that pointed down to the cara
vansary where Christ was born. But do
rot let US forget that Christ himself was
a star. To that luminous fact my text
calls Us.
Il seems as if the natural world were
anxious 10 make up for the damage il did
our race in furnishing the forbidden fruit.
II that fruit wrought death among the
nations, now all the natural products
shall become a symbol of blessing. The
showering down Of the wealth Of the
orchard will make US think of him whom
Solomon describes as the apple tree
among the trees Of the wood and the
towers of tangled glen and cultured par
tsrre shall be the dewglinted garland for
the brow Of the Lord Jesus. Yea, even
the night shall be taxed, and its brightest
star shall be set as a gem in the cOronet
CT our holy religion.
Have you ever seen the morning star
adyantageouslyl If it was on your way
home from a nights carousal, you saw
none of its beauty. If you merely turned
over on your pillow in the darkness,
glancing out of the window. you know
nothing about the cheerful influence of
that star. But there are many in this
house tonight who in great passes of
their life some of them far out at sea.
have gazed at that star and been thrilled
through with indescribable gladness.
That star comes trembling as though with
the perils of the darkness, and yet bright
with the anticipation of the day. II
seems emotional with all tenderness, its
eyes filled with the tears Of many sorrows.
1T is the gem on the hand of the morning
thrust up to signal its coming Other
stars are dim, like holy candles in a cathe-
dral, OF silver beads counted in super
stitious litany; but this is a living star, a
speaking star, an historic star, an evan
gelistic star bright, and brilliant and
triumphant symbol Of the great Redeemer.
The Geographic operator puts his finger
on the silver key of the electric iustru-
ment, and the tidings fly across the con-
tinent and 50 it seems to me that the finger
of inspiration is placed upon this silver
point in the heavens, and it thrills through
al the earth: Behold, bring you good
tidings Of great joy which shall be TO all
people. Behold | am the bright and morn
ing star" The meaning Of my text is
this: as the morning star precedes and
promises the coming Of the day, so Christ
heralds the natural and spiritual dawn
In the first place Christ heralded the
coming of the creation. There was a time
when there was no order, no sound of
beauty. No wind stirred. No word was
uttered. No light sped. As far as God
could look up, as far down, as far out,
there was nothing. Immeasurable soil
tude. Highth and depth. and length and
breadth of nothingness. Did Christ then
existl Oh, yes. "By him were all things
made that are made; things in heaven
and things in earth, and things under the
earth" Yes, he antedated the creation
He led forth Arcturus and his sons He
shone before the first morning. His voice
was heard in the concert when the morn
ing stars serenaded the advent Of our
infant earth, when wrapped in swadding
clothes of light, il lay in the arms of the
great Jehovah. He saw the first fountain
laid. He saw the first light kindled
That hand which was afterward crushed
upon the cross was thrust into chaos
and IL brought out one world and swung
It in that orbit; and brought out an
other world and swung il in another
orbit; and brought out all the worlds, and
swung them in their particular orbits
They came like sheep at the call of
shepherd. They knew his voice, and he
called them all by their names oh, it is
an interesting thought TO me to know that
Christ had something TO do with the crea-
ton. / see now why it was so easy for
him TO change water into VINE; he first
created the water. / see now why il was
so easy for him to cure the maniac; he
first created the intellect. / see now why
1t was so easy for him to hush the tenn
pest; he sank Gennesaret. / see now why
1t was so easy for him to swing fish into
Simon's net; he made the fish. / see now
why 1t was so easy for him to give sight
TO the blind man; he created the optic
nerve. see now why it was so easy for
him TO raise Lazarus from the dead he
created the body of Lazarus, and the rock
that shut him in. Some suppose that
Christ came stranger to Bethlehem
On, no. He created the shepherds.
and the fiocks they watched,
and the hills on which they pastured, and
the heavens that overarched their heads
eA-Aa VIC AAAlEbAo tAAeb CAldLbtu buG chorus
on that Christmas night That hand
which was afterward nariled to the cross,
was an omnipotent and creative hand,
and the whole universe was poised on the
tip Of one of his fingers. Before the world
was, Christ was All the worlds came
trooping up out of the darkness, and be
greeted them, as father greets his chill
dren, with 'good-morning =" or good
night" Hail, Lord Jesus, morning star
Of the first creation.
Again. Christ heralds the dawn of COM
fort in Christian soul. Sometimes we
come to passes in life where all kinds of
tribulations meet US. You are building
up some great enterprise. You have
built the foundation-the wall-you are
just about TO put on the capstone, when
everything is demolished. You have
harp all strung for sweetest ac-
cord, and some great agony brushes t.
There is a little voice hushed in the
household. Blue eye closed. Color
dashed out of the cheek The foot
still Instead Of the quick feet in
the hall, the heavy tread of those
who march to the grave. Oh, what
are people 10 do amid all these sorrowsl
Some sit down and mourn Some bite
their lip until the blood comes Some
wiring their pale hands Some fall on
their faces. Some lie on their backs
helpless, and look up into what seems TO
them an IMPLYING heaven. Some pull