The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-22
A CHRISTMAS SERMON.
Delivered by Rev. Wills r.. Smcdlcy
mt Academy Avenue Church.


At Academy Avenue Congregational
Church Sunday forenoon the pastor, Rev.
Willis Il. Smedley made bis Christniss
sermon from the text (Luke III, 10, "Be-
hold Biing TO you Good 1idings OF
Great JOY" Following is an abstract
thereof:Wo are sitting in the gathering
twilight OF another year. The run OF
1895 has almost Disappeared amid the nor
iron OF tae day. A few more hours, and
Is last Joy will have bean felt, its last
tsar shed, its last smile given, its last
sigh heaved, its last ours, uttered. A
few more hours and the great clock in
the sky will stake. few moro hours
OF tolling kRells will tell us that the old
year is dead. A few hours and ringing
bells will tell Us that the new year, rich
with promise, radiant With hope, smiling
with Joy, Is horn.
sitting thus in the presence OF death,
surely We are all serious ana solemn. As
Christians we like TO place heaven by our
hearts telescope, fsith. We like to sweep
the dome Of the invisib bic wo, Id and
look for the faces of our dear ones. We
like to look at the cheruhim and seraphim,
VS. like to besr the songs of the sweet
Tipped choir. Tnis is inspiring.
Ii Is not wiso for Us TO think so much
OF heaven that we forget this world.
have seen Americans who know much OF
the old world. Tney could talk enter
tainingly OF the Alpine peaks they have
nj inn hod Of G,ss
seen. But we have scenery at home. We
have the Hudson, Niagara, Colorado.
We have inland oceans for lakes. We
have Pixies Peak. the Three Brot hers,
Clouds Rest. So il is well for MS ID
study America. II is well for us to know
our own gloii;s, ss well as the glori,s
OF Europe.
Christians should know the good and
the grand Of earth, as we'll es the good
and the grand of heaven. Lst Us today
then think Of the bittn OF Christ. Let
us today then go tn Bet 4lehem. Oar
be oil SWEET character. Our conversl-
ton o, the street should be about Him.
There is no day that Great ed such stir,
no day so rich with blessing, so radiant
with hope.
Then this morning we go 10 Bethl lehem,
and We ask, what has Christ done?
answer ne has brought good tidings OF
great Joy, first. to the children. 1t has
been my fortune to hear some Of the
greatest soloists that have ever liced. As
1 have listened / have been so moved
and touched, that / have felt as the dis
oiples felt when Jesus was with them in
the upper room. There is no mutic writ
ten CT unwIitton, silent or sung, that
can match for one moment ine laughter
OF a happy child. 1t has been my fer
tune to see some of the finest paintings
thar have ever been put on canvas, and in
them have read great sermons and /
have thought il could only speak to the
artist l would fall at bis feet and
would say, "we preachers are not worthy
stoop down and unloose your shoe
lntchets."
When Christ was born In Bet hIehem,
was disnonorcd. II one was a
cripple he was put TO death, II delicate
be vas left to perish. In artistic Greece
his wants were unnoticed. But Jesus
Christ brought childho glad tidiugs of |
great joy. In him every child has
Irvine Friend and Saviour. The Son OF
sod takes up the poorest and the mean
st In his arms and biesses him. Glad |
idings inoeed, glad tidinas Indeed was |
be coming OF Christ TO childhood.
The coming OF Christ was glad tidings |
o the slave. You and love to talk of |
manhood. Man lives on bread and salt,
nd writes the Ilisd. Man discovers
he telescope, first, sees the heavens, and
Toes to the dungeon. Mau invenis the
nicroscops, first, secs the earth, dies
rom starvation. Manhood is king
'ood, the greatest summit on earth.
,ut my friends when Jesus Christ
ame most men were chittels, brought
nd sold like sheep In the sham bies.
Ihen Christ came, under the sky OF
'lestine, under the very shadow OF that
emple dedicated to the Most High, even
here, children were torn from their
lother's arms and sold. Man AZ a rule
NJ ~ 30 ilo tOulu Oe 4
eaten.s spit upon, scourged, put to death,
nd no question asked. The angel choir
a the skies sang glory TO God and their
lnginz was the funeral hymn to slavery.
he great Liperstorhad come. The great
,mancipator WAS abroad. Beautiful
nd blessed has been his work. Wherever
Q has gone liberty has come wherever he
as gone darkness has disappeared.
Follow the cross, and you win follow
be pations who recognize tho tstherhood
God. Follow the cross. and you will
'avel in countries where the golden rule
planted. Follow the cross, and yon
Ill follow those who believe in the new
The coming OF Christ was glad tidings
} the laborer. When say that ull honest
Dor Is noble, and that the honest poor
an is just as good as the honest rich man
ou believe me. When / say that / can
3 rich without money, you agree.
A bankrupt merchant says to lis wife.
Xe a rp ruined ovarvth hin0 tvo havo ;a a, |