Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1894-01-13

- l;i:D ,aLYN OWN IS Sun
DAY SERMON.

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nr."-ReyeIation xii, Is.
This is Christmas Eve. Our attention AMI
the attention Of the world ia drawn To tho
| star that pointed down to the caraTanssry
where Christ wa. born. By, do not let us
| forget that Chris. himself was Il ssa-. To
that luminous fact ny text calls u3-
II seems "a il the natural! Wor,'i were
nnxious to naaeu p for the danage il Il. our
race in furnishing the forbidden fruit. II
that fruit wrought death among the Nations;
now all the natural FRO 'rrt shaft beco ne a
symbol ri blessing The sho1er.ng dG |n OF
the wealth NJ the orchard will maxi ustnink
Of h.m whom Solomon describes As the apple
tree among the trees Of the wood. and tine
flowers Of tangled glen and cultured par;~rre
shall be the dew :lintcd yarlan! for The row
Of tn. Lord jesus. lea, event. the night shall
tefaxed. AMI its brightest star shall he set
as n gem III the coronet Of our holy religion.
Have you ever seen the morning star adj
~vantageously? II It was on your way home
from "A nights carousai. you saw none Of its
beauty. II you merely turned over on yout
pillow In the darkness, glancing out Of the
window. yol know nothing about tho
+! cheerful influence otthat star. But ther- ara
many i'll this honsc tonight who in great
pass.s of their life. Somc Of them far out at
sen. have gaze1 AT that star and been thrilled
I through with unacceptable gladness. That
star comes trembling IA though with the
per7is OF the darknesS. and Yet bright with
the anticipations Of the day. II seems emo
fionai with all tenderness. its eyes fill with
the tears Of many sorroys. 1t is the gem On
the hands OF the morning thrust up to signal
its coming. Others stats are dim. like holy
candles in n cathedral or silver beads count
ed in supcrstitious litany, but this is n living
stars, a speaking star. "A historic star, an
evangelistic siar-bright and brilliant and
triumphant symbol Of the great Redeemer.
photographic operator puts his finger on the
Z ali ypr ppx nf hp, ..tectr rio ipaf and tho
tidlngs fly across tiis continent And so it
seems to me that the lnyer Of inspiration is
placed upon this silver point in the heavens.
and its thrill through all the earth. APE
hold | bring you cool tidings OF great JOY
to all people. Behold. | am the bright and
morning star. The meaning Of my text -
this As the morning star precedes and
promises the coming of the day, 20 Christ
heralds the natural AMI spiritual lawn.
In the first place. Christ heralded the COM
ing Of the creation. There was q time when
there was no order. no sound or beauty. No
wing stirred. No word was uttered. Nc
light sped. As far as Tod could look up, 40
far out, there was nothing. Immeasu reabie
solitude. Height and depth and length and
breadth OF nbthingness. Did Christ then
exist! Oh, YES. "By him were all things
made that are made things in heaven and
things in earth AMI things under the earth"
Yes, he antetiated the creation. He led forth
ArcturIs and his sons. He shone before the
Hrst mornin-. His voice was heard in tho
concert when the morning stars serenaded
the adyen, Of our infant earth, when, wrapped
in swadtlinc clothes OF light. it Law in tho
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 it
brought out one world and swung it in that
orbit. and brought out another world and
swung it in another orbit, and brought out
ai fha yvnrl1S md ~ than In <h.;.
particular orbits. They came like sheep
at the call a. a shepherd. They knew
his voice, and he called them all by
their names. Oh, it is an interesting
thought to ime to know that Christ had some
thing TO do with the creation. l see now
why 1t was so easy for Him to change water
into wine. He first created the water. I
see now why il was so easy for Him to cure
the maniac. He first created the intellect. I
see now why it was 50 easy for Him to hush
the tempest. He sank Gennesaret. l see
now why 1t was SO easy for Him to swing fish
into Simon net. He made the fish. / see
now why it was so easy for Him to give sight
to the blind man. He created the optic nerve.
l see now why 1t 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 supposathat Christ came a stranger
to Bethlehem. oh. no. He created tho
shepherds. and the hocks they watched, and
the hills on which they Dastured, and the
heavens that overarched their heads, and the
angels that chanted the chorus on that Christ
mas night. That hand which was afterward
nailed to the ross. was an omnipotent and
creative hand and the whole universe was
poised on the tip of one Of His fingers. BE,
fore the world was Christ was. All tho
world came trooping 10 OF. OF the darkness,
and He greeted rh.In. rs y father yreets his
children, with Il good morning. OF a good
night." Hail. Lord Jesus, morning cte: O.
the first creation.
Again, Christ ~neraiis the uawnc O. .omfors
in a Christian soul. Sometimes we come tn
passes i'll life where all kinds OF tribulations
meet uG. lou are building up some great
enterprise. You have built the ioundation-
the wall-yol axe Just about to put on the
capstone. when everything is demolished.
You have 4 harp all strung for sweetest a.-
sord. ana some great agony brushes I.
There Is Il little voice hush ii IN the hoIse-
hotd. Blue eve closed. toior dashed oIt o.
the cheek. The loot still Instead q. the
quick feet III the nal. the heavy tread o.
those who march 10 tn, grave. Ga. what
are people TO do amid all these sorrow i,
Some sit down and mourn. Some bite theil
hip 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 a. Implying heaven.
Som" pull their hair down over their eyes
AM look through with a nend's glare. Some
with both hands. press their hot brain and
want 10 die and cry. 20 God. O God :.
Lon: night. bitter night. stupendous night
OF the worlds suffering Some know no,
which way to turn. But not so the Christian
man. He looks up toward the heavens. He
sees 4 bright appearance in the heavens.
Can = he only a flashing meteor? Can il, h,
only falling star Can il be only a ,ielu-
sion Nay. nay. The Aon4er he looks the
NOR distinct II becomes. until after
awnlIa ha rries out. A star morn
In star, n star of comfort. a star
Of grace. a star of peace. rhe star ri
the Eetf.atner - Peace tor nil trouble
Ban FOR all wounds. Life for all d.si.
Non ieSls. the great heart healer. comes
int otl- home. Peace Peace that pa-ssti
all understanding. We look up through olr
'ea-~.q Wear comforted. L; IS the mora
.nE star of the ReieenIer. who tioaa on
thar flower said one servant in the garden
% another. Who broke of that flower.
Anita" otaar servant said. The ni4>t--
Nothing mora was SAID, for II the master ua
n. Z -lcrt II break Of a fiower 70 wear oqe.
hls aeaT Or - set In the. vase Of his manson
WHO mas q right 10 touch the flower: Ans
when Christ comes dowu into sur gart..n Il
gather hii-S. shalt " fSht Him back Shat
Sc talk As though He had no right 10 COTE.
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