The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-12-27
pardoned and sorrows comforted and
battles triumphant

pardoned and sorrows comforted and
battles triumphant
Some of your children have already
gone, and though people passing along
the street and seeing white Grape on the
doorbell may have said, "It is only
child" yet when the broken hearted
father cames to solicit my service, he
said, "Come around and comfort us, for
we loved her so much.
Sins Forgiven.
What Christmas morning it will
make when those with whom you used
to keep the holidays are all around you
in heaven Silver haired old father
young again, and mother who had SO
many aches and pains and decrepitudes
we'll again, and all your brothers and
sisters and the little ones. How glad
they will be to see you They have been
waiting. The last time they saw your
face it was covered with tears and dis
tress, and pallid from long watching,
and one Of them can imagine today,
with one hand holding fast the shining
gate, and the other hand swung out to-
ward you, saying
"Steer this way father, steer straight for me;
Here safe in heaven am waiting for thee"
Oh, those Bethlehem angels, when
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 glories
to come 1t is too late to shut the gate.
1t is blocked wide open with hosannas
marching this way, and halleluiahs
marching that way. In the splendor of
the anticipation feel as if was dying
not physically, for never was more
well-but in the transport of the Christ
mas TRANSPORTATION.
What almost humans me is the thought
that it is provided for such sinners as
you and have been. If it had been pro-
vided 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 have heard
the commander of that ship is the same
great and glorious and sympathetic 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 of it and ask the
captain two questions, 'Who are thou?'
and "Whence?" And he says, II am cap
tain Of Salvation, and | am from the
Manager - Oh bright Christmas morn
ing of my SOULS delight Chime all the
bells. Merry Christmas
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
manger and lay him down in all our
hearts! We may not bring to him as
costly present as the magi brought,
but we bring to his feet and to the man
ger today the frankincense of our JOY
the prostration of our worship.
Down at his feet all churches, all
ages, all earth, all heaven. Down athss
feet the four and twenty elders Oh their
faces. Down the great multitude that
no man can number. Down Michael
the archangel! Down all worlds at his
feet and worship. sc lory to God in tho
highest, and ON earth peace, good will to
mem ~