Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-12-26
CHRISTMAS SERMON.
The TABERNACLE PULPIT FEsTooN.
ED WITH HOLIDAY GREEN.


,star-A Living. Speaking, Historic an,
.Eyangelistic Star "A Discourse Tha
CLOVIS with Eloquence.
BROOKLYN, Dec. 24.-In the Brook
En Tabernacle today a great audienc,
assembled to participate in the Christ
mas services. Standing before the or
ran, festooDod with Christmas greens
this sermon was delivered by Rev. DR.
Talmage, after the throngs had sunl
Tho Star OF Bethlehem. Text, Rev
elation xxi, l6, II 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 car
ayansary where Christ was born. But
do not let us forget that Christ himself
was a star. To that luminous fact my
text calls us.
II seems as if the natural world were
anxious to make up for the damage it
did our race in furnishing the forbid
den fruit. II that fruit wrought death
among the nations, now all the natural
product shall become a symbol of bless
ing. The showering down of the wealth
of the orchard will make us think of
him whom Solomon describes as the ap-
pie tree among the trees OF the wood, and
the flowers of tangled glen and cultured
parte1re shall be the dew glinted gar
land for the brow of the Lord Jesus.
Yea, even the night shall be taxed, and
its brightest star shall be set as gem
in the coronet of our holy religion.
Have you ever seen the morning star
advantageously? If it was on your way
homo from a nights carousal, you saw
none of its loauty. If you merely turn
ed oyer on your pillow in the darkness
glancing ont 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 thrill
cd through with indescribable gladness.
That star comes trembling as though
with the perils of the darkness, and yet
bright with the anticipations Of the day.
1t seems emotional with all tenderness,
its eyes filled with the tears OF many
sorrows. 1t is tine gem on the hand OF
the morning thrust up to signal Its COM
ing. Other stars are dim, like holy can
dies in a cathedral or silver beads count
ed in superstitious litany, but this is a
living star, speaking star, historic
star, an evangelistic star-bright and
brilliant and triumphant symbol OF tne
great Redeemer. The telegraphic oper-
ator puts his finger on the silver key OF
tbe electric instrument, and the tldlngs
fly across the continent. And 80 1t seems
to me that the finger of inspiration is
pIaced upon this silver point in the
heavens, and its thrill through h all the
earth. Behold, bring you good It'd
ines Of great Joy which shall be to all
neople. Behold, / am the bright and
morning star" The meaning OF my
text is this: AS the morning star pre-
cedes and promises the coming OF the
day. so Christ heralds the natural ana
spiritual dawn. >,
In the first place, Christ heralded the
coming, of the creation. There was
time when there was no order, no souno
or beauty. No wing stirred. No word
was uttered. No light sped. AS far as
God could look up, as far down, as iar
out. there was nothing. ImmeasureaDie
solitude. Height and depth and lengtn
and breadth of nothingness. DID chris.
then existp Oh, yes. by him were an
things made that are made; Things IN
heaven and things in earth and things
under the earth" Yes, he antedateo
the creation. He led forth Arcturus ana
bis sons. He shonc bCfore thetirst morn
ing. His voice was heard IN tne con,
cert when the morning stars serenadeo
the advent of our infant earth' Wnen'
wrapped in swaddling clothes OF hgn'
II Law in the arms of the great JenoVah
He saw the first fountain laid' heSaS oS
the first light kindled. That mana wniol me-
was afterward crushed upon tne cioS
was thrust into chaos, and II oroueh
ont one world and swung it in tnat OF
hit and brought out another worlu any
SWING il in another orbit, and brouen d
ont ali the worlds and swung them y
their particuIar orbits. They came y, llA
sheen at the call of shepherd. lne
knew his voice, and he called theln a. :.
by their names. Oh, it is an lnteiestIn -
thoppht to me to know that Christ I'D
something to do with the creation.
see now why it was so easy tor nm 49,
change water into wine. He nrst cl'
ated fbe water. see now why II W, va
40 easy for him to cure the maniac : :
frst created the intellect. l see no
-ubv IL was so easy for him to husn u y
tempest. He sank Gennesaret. D,
now why it was SO easy ior mn .,
swing fish into Simon's net NO ln"'
the Ash | see now why it was :,
easy for him to give sisht 10 -. =
Hind man. He created the oP'
nerve. see now why II was was 4.
sssv for him to raise Lazarus from =
dead. He created the body OF LaSai Sar
and the rock that shut him ID. ~. oOA
sunnose that Christ came a stranger |.
Bethlehem. Oh. no. He creaIeu ~ :
Shepherds, and the fiocks they wa.ure .,,ro
and the hills on which they pAs.uaI 4hoi I
and the heavens that overarched lnel
NHN ..oIs that clanteQ