The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-12-21

III 'iFlN ilnhSlnallOn brought the
nderful scene before us, and what
ehablo thrills of joy and surprise
.ngled with fear have we realized.
we bave drawn, in our hot,
ldish fancy, u dim, Judean land
lpe unrolled and slumbcring in
10 soft, oriental night, with hcccv
,'.0mps of feeding and reclining
h"rds revealed here and there in the
r"e sta' light with the shepherds
He"c and there, heavy with slumhrr,
T. ''>~ ~, ~-'.~.--, -. ,.,c,;,. nn
= ..' i. :. .,.. the
..'E' ..yr. and
- ..." ....I D u.. hen
- i...H s.. iavc
; 'on the heavens blaze with an un
L." thly burst of angelic wings and
',' ard them with their sweet, hcav,
~ faces turned downward upon
80 astonished watchers, Lcein their
autiful song which goes on cch"ing
t. wn the ages, we have felt like
y ling upon the earth with m ovc,-
}}"wt wtring wonder which could not
Er defined. Oh, blessed, cioudlc<s
orning of guilelcss, crcduluus
childhood, We shall never return to
thy enchanted sanctuary---wc shall
never hear again from Il sweet moth
"rs lips on the glad Christmas morn
tie story IF the angel announcement
"l the birth of Jesus; but all its
- auty and joy and al the immortal
pes kindled by it are with us to
S day--a heavenly heritage which
- ne can deprcciatc or DESTROY
mid all the trarsiturinrss of ifr's
goo r,%' nnd unsdbstnntial things, the
, '' VI our hafPitN... ""l hope has !
40 III, and 1t now IS, in maintaining
Z 1t childnindc,lncss which hangs
l." earth aud skies on the happy
rlstmas morning with TIE tapes
i IS of love and hope and joy and !
81. ich listens in faith to the angels ;,
they sing: q
''All glory tc to God on high, (
And to lhr earth be peace;
Goodwill heIccforh from heaven to
Begin ard never Cc:sc.' .
It WAS nothing n)re than natural L
bat the shepherd, should have been q
ed aTiC::-s' rsatccrrcu 10y such an unearth-
display Of heavenly forms and Il
es and voiceR--it was no more than |
should realize if we should sud.
Ny find ourselves in the midst of c
III surroundings but it has always =
o.a"ed strange to us that such t
, )u.d be the case-thnt man who is J
r. the object of Divine love and So |
;tudc, should shrink and shudder y
4 faint Mt the approach of heaven |
messengers. whose very natures ,
ahame with love for us, and WHO |
'nys cry as they come, 'Fcar not, !
behold, we bring yDu glad tidings I
great JOY" We profess to believe ;
God and that there is Il heaven j
"vo filed with angelic and spiritr. |
intclligcnccs-- how the whole uni >
rse would hr drnped with the pnIl {
despair without such a faith--and !
9: SO nItle do we meditnt'. upon suci 4.
inEs. SO unreal are they to us in {
II iOGding within the dull Dounda |
es Of natural earthly things, that if l
Supernatural light should suddenly q
,aZe about US and heavenly forms !
veal Themselves ard sorgs nrticu, '
ted from angel tongues burst upon
II ears, we, too, would shake with y
and fear and fall dawn J
, dead men With our faces in the :
lst. So nightly do our carnal na. |
lrcs bear us down and bind US in i
40, II ,If T.. nj Il &
,imcs. God of wonder and grace, |
g bless thee and thank thee, not t
outstanding orr low estate, That thou f
a%t created us for higher things and a
lat Thou shalt yet fit us for com- $
nninnahip, without fear, with Thy a
'ori"us far.ily in heaven. f
But this heavenly visitation did Il
Dt necessarily burst unhtralded up v
] ti:han eyes and ears. The com r
y ft iim "wno was foreordained be- C
re the fonnaatio, Of the world" has l
sen proclaimed through all the ages S
all the sacrifices offered since the il
'omise that the seed of the woman c
ould bruise tho serpent's head, s
ON the blood Of Abel to the close of S
O sacrfcial dispcnsation, had their O
Ily real significance in and pointed. a
with a flaming index finger, 10 the o
'al coming of the Lamb of God. o
the beautiful histories Of Alba q
ms Moses and Joshua, of Joseph g "
d David, and all the Kings and L
ophets, were intended us prepara- o
v to the final revelation and work t,
God in the coming of Jesus Christ. Il
is great purpose of God, running u
,ough al the opening ages, is plain o.
Jecn, like an unbrolen golden cord, IL
as