The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-22
A CHRISTMAS SERMON.
(Centinuso from Page 81


silent for moment and then asks, "will
the sheriff sell you. will the sherff cell
me Then do not say that We have lost
every thing. All that IL most valuable
remains to US, manhood, womanhood,
childhood. We have lost but the results
OF our skiii and industry. We bavs our
hearts and our hands and the disposition
to abor. we can make another fortune"
We oil feel that that woman spoke the
truth. But when Christ came, IL . man
lost his money, reoplo felt that hs had
lost all. When Christ came, money was
most :aen are poor now, bur not one felt
that labor was hon orable. All felt that
1t wss a disgrace. In Rome, only three
empioyments, medicine commerce, archi-
lecture, were considered respectable.
Christ taught . new doctrine. He, him
self was a carpenter ana wrought at his
humble trade. Four OF his disciples were
fishermen, all leai ned their, own living.
Wherever Christ has gone, he has taught
that man can be rich wlthout money.
He has taught thst the richest treasures
are the treasures of the heart, piety, tenn
perance, seft control. Wherever he has
gone no has taught the rich and the great
that 1t is only Bobls to be good. "Kind
hearts are more than coroneis, and sim
pie faith than Norman blood"
The coming of Christ was glad tidinRs
to the family. sitting In . hotel in
October 1890 listened to words Of liquid
gold as they dropped from tho lips OF
the gifted Grady. The most beautiful
passage was this, 81 went to Warrington
the other day and l stood on the Capt.
tol Hill. My heart beat quickly a. l
looked at the towering marble of my
country's capitol. And a mist gathered
in my eyes as thought Of the judges, the
President and ell that are gathered there.
And felt that the sun In all IL, course
could not look down on Q better state
than that home OF the Republic. Two
days afterwsrd went to visit q friend
in the country. A modest man with q
quiet country home. 1t was unpreten.
tious set about with great big trees.
Meadow and field were rich with the
promise OF harvest. Inside were quiet
cleanliness and thrift. There was the old
clock that had licked the 10 emn req quiem
of the dead. And the old family bible
-thnmhed- xith-the- -dn9ers-af-han
long since still and wet with tbe tears of
eyes long since closed. Outside there
stood my friend, the master. q simple, up.
right man with no mortgage on his roof,
master Of his land, master of himself.
There Was his old father an sged trcm-
bling man but happy in the heart and
home of his son. The old mother came
with the sunset falling there on her face
while her lips trembling with the rich
music of her heart she bid us welcome
home.
"And the old man taking the old bible
from the table--tho little baby hiding in
the folds OF its mother dress--callipg
down Gods benediction on that family
and tina, home. And as gszed, the mar
BILE capitol faded, forgotten with its treas
ure and its Legislature. And 1 said,
'Ab, surely, here In the homes OF the
people is lodged the responsibility of
this government, the hope OF the
Republic.
But when Christ came there was no
home. The sweetness OF domestic afYec-
tion, the power Of tho mother mad no
place In the thoughts Of men. Wives
were to be- sold. or to bc kept, they wsrS
mere property. Poliesmy was practiccd,
one man having many wives. Christ
taught that man should leave even father
and mother and clesve 10 his wife. And
that marriage was a symbol Of the myst-
icai union between GOD and man.
Wherever Christ hss gone, there has come
crlturs ana refinement, the elevation OF
woman, OF the family and OF the home.
Wherever Chris, has gone, woman hiss
come into her kingom. Woman power
makes better schools, better churches.
better nations.
The song Of the angels ON that Christ
mas morning vas glorious song. II
struck the snsckiss from hir who wss
maneclsd' IL wipsd the tear drops fr nm
th- brow Of Tia iaborer. GIaddest day
Of all the year. glsGdest dsy of all the
.~e'. bay when Angels came TO esrth.
iysy v..en angels Gang, bring you good
tioipgs Of great JOY.