The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-12-27

doned, and sorrows comforted, and
battles triumphant!
Some of your children have already
gone. and Though people passing along
the street and seeing white crane on
the door bell may have said, l. is
only a child" yet when the broKen-
hearted father came to solicit nv serv-
ice he said. Come around and comfort
us, for we loved her so much
What Christmas morning it viii,
make when those with whom you used
to keep the holidays are all around
you in Heavenl Silver haired old faith
err young again, and mother who had
so many aches and pains and decrepi-
tudes well again, and all your brothers
and sisters and the little ones. How
glad they will be to see youl They
have been waiting. The last time they
saw your face it was covered with tears
and distress. and pallid from long
watching, and one of them l can i'm
agine to-day, with one hand holding
fast the shining gate, and the other
hand swung out toward you saving:
| Steer this way. father. steer stra ght for me.
Here safe in Heaven 1 am waiting for thee
| Oh, those Bethlehem angels, wneD
they went back after the concert that
night over the hills, forgot to shut the
door All the secret is out No more
use of trying to hide from US the glo-
ries to come. 1t is too'late to shut the
gate 1t is blocked wide open with
hosannss marching this way and halle
lujshs marching that way. In the
splendor of the anticipation feel as if
was dying-not physically, for J
never was more well-but in the trans
port of the Christmas transfgura-
| ton.
| What almost humans me is the
thought that it is provided for such
sinners as you and l have been. II it
had been provided only for those who
had always thought right, and spoken
right, and acted right, you and }
would have had no interest in it. had
no share in it You and 1 would have
stuck to the raft midocean and let the
ship sail by carrying perfect passen~
gers from a perfect life on earth to
perfect life in heaven. But l have
heard the commander of that ship ls
the same great and GLORIOUS and sym
pathetic one who hushed the tempest
around the boat on Galilee, and | have
heard that all the passengers on the
ship are sinners saved by grace. And
so we hail the ship, and it bears down
this way, and we come by the side o.
it aud ask the captain two questions
"Who art thou? And whence" And
he says: II am captain of salvation,
and am from the manger." Oh, bright
Christmas morning of my souls de
light. Chime all the bells. Merry
/ Christmasi
Merry with the thought of sins for
given, merry with the idea of sorrows
comfOrted, merry with the raptures to
come. Oh, lift that Christ from the
manager and lay him down in all our
heartsi We may not bring to him as
costly present as the Magi brought,
but we bring to his feet and to the
Manager to-day the frankiucense OF our
Joy, the prostration of our worship.
Down at His feet, all churches, all
ares. all earth, all Heaven. Down at His
feet, the four and twenty elders on
their faces Down, the great multi
tude that no man can number" Down,
Michael, the archange! Down, all
worlds at His feet and worship. "Glo'
nv TO God in the highest, and on earth
pa1ce. GOOD will to men,