The Newtown bee., 1895-01-04
as His diyhe uuraI1s S - Ssusor'

not, ands HAen Sfie times were fully ripe, Child King came into this world. and more people bow today in grateful adoration before Him than ever before in the long roll of Christian centuries. Our text introduces party of worship pers at the feet of this Infant King.
 THE WISE MEN HAD TRAVELLED VERY FAR. iect of their search was found! How gladly they opened to Him of their treas- ures! How glad they were! but who could express their joy, if their eyes had been opened to see what you and see to-day! They saw child in a manager i; we see king upon his throne. They knew nothing of what this Child was to do; we know that He ushered in king dom which is the greatest kingdom the world can ever know, inasmuch as for it all other kingdoms were made. Could those wise men but have seen what Christianity was to do; the asylums for the relief of the unfortunate it would build, the colleges and academies it would found, the poor it would make glad, the sorrowful it would make re- joice, the tears it would wipe, the laugh ter it would awaken, the hopes it would nourish, the dropping spirits it would revive, the homes of peace and plenty it would make possible, everything it would do in all ages and everywhere to make | this round world more beautiful and l fiji In hQ thn vEa y>l of sfp King, these wise men but have seen with the eye of faith all this, how much greater their rejoicing would have been!
 The wise men presented gifts to the Child-King; and their custom has been repeating itself ever since. Christmas is day of goodwill and good cheer Christmas is itself 8 gift to the world. Christmas is wild rose that grows by a duDghill; Christmas is pearl that is found in the muddy slime. Whatever may be the discords and dissentions of the world, we expect them to mellow and soften on Christmas day. That home is indeed dark and cheerless which then feels no thrill of light, that heart cold and scared which feels no touch ot kindness, that life unspeakably forlorn and dismal which catches no message of hope and cheer. Christmas is time for idealization of ourselves and those around us. Most men for many days ot the year are out of sorts with themselves and everybody else. The contrast is all the time so tremendous between what they wish and what
 THEY DISCOVER THINGS TO BE. 1 The pillow of down becomes a stone. the lines of friendship the front of 8 hostile army. There is always a stu. pendous distance between our desires and the answer of the actual world Christmas puts the real and the ideal to- gether. Christmas emphasizes the truth that into this changing discord a new element has come, the trumphing prin ciple of love. Christmas brings to mind the thought of soul wholly pure in s world wholly beautiful. Take lessor from the moving of the year; this day will be longer than yesterday was, anG 1 this night will be shorter than the last night has been. My friends, the great est gift this world can receive is Christ
 His natal day is token to you and te me that the world is growing better There is less darkness and ignorance anC hatred and sin in the world to-day thar there was yesterday, and far less thar there was year ago. Christmas is g prophecy of tbe eternal reign of the Prince of Peace. Christmas is a mile
 stone along the pathway of the world tt righteousness and God.
 They presented unto Him gifts.'
 Briefly, what were those gifts? Gold ! Gold is the standard of value; it repre- sents material prosperity. A paper bill is worthless without somewhere there is | deposited in the vaults of the bank the equivalent of it's face value in gold. Gold stands for dollar marks, it is the symbol of property; when we bring to Jesus oul gold, we bring Him what we have. But notice! the visit. of the wise mer ] was not first; it was preceded by the visit of the shepherds, and they had ne gold to bring. They probably left even ! their shepherds crooks behind and just brought themselves. That is the natur. al order, that is Christ's order, first our. selves and then our gold, first what we are and then what we have. ..Untc you is born this day Saviour"-that was 1 the first title given to Jesus by the angel | choir; that is the office which endears Him to sin-cursed world. The shep. herds brought themselves to a Saviour, the Magi brought themselves to King. That is what Christ wants; first your sin, your souls curse, your prison, your darkness, and then your gifts for conse- cration to His service. First be a sup l pliant, then be subject: first, come to l be saved; then, lay down your gifts at your Saviour's feet. Conservation is not the cause of salvation, it is the result of salvation.
 But gifts are not to be omitted, and | they are to be of pure gold. I some ! times think that the widows giving of two mites has been overemphasized; re- 1 member that bottle containing most precious spikenard was poured at Si- mons house on Jesus head, and the Master approved of that. We want the small gifts in the Kings treasury, even to the merest mite; but we want, too, gifts of thousands and thousands of dol lars-we want the worlds gold.
 The giving of gold means the giving of our best. Nothing is too good to be given to Jesus. The best of our time is not too good, the morning hours of life with all
 THEIR FRESHNESS, yIyACITY AND FUN !;