The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-27

indeed! Thou art indeed well named the
woGderfuli But most of all was he wonder
full for the object of His coming. The world
has seen ambitious and grasping avarice and
self-seeking intellect everywhere. 1t saw IN
Christ no trace of these. His object was one
that lofty minds may have dreamed OF, but
it lowered above all that they could ever hope
to realize as the mountain above the mole
hill. When we try to discover the subtle,
mysterious. inexplicable something which
separates Jesus Christ from all other men.
formers or martyrs. we find it in the sub
lime conception embodied in His own won
drous declarations ''The Son of Man is
come to seek and to save the lost" 81 came
not to Judge the world, but to save the
world" 1.-THE Son of Man is come
not to t destroy pd mems lives but
light you choose, there is no other
idea that can compare with this in point Of
sublimity of goodness. If we had met it in
any heather writer we should have been con-
strained to point it out as the most mar
velous conception of the human mind. The
father says: Save the family" The citizen
says: Save the city The patriot says:
Save the country" Yet when these voices
the world; save the world. 1 am come to
do It," Here is the conception l say which
lifts Jesus out Of the succession Of merely
great men. and gives to Him place of His
own, in which He stands alone in sublime
and unapproachable grandeur. And to make
this conception reality was the great pur-
pose Of His coming. His teaching and His
example, His doctrine and His life were all
subordinated to this. the saving Of the world.
He came to shed His blood for the remis-
sion OF sins. Your sins and mine. the sins
of the word; He came to take upon Him
self the iniquties of us all, that by His
stripes we may be healed. Therefore, wonder
full as He seems to US as He goes about
doing good, wonderful as He seems to US as
He speaks words Of wisdom and gracious
ness which the world shall never let die
oil 9
it becomes little; bring all that Is glorious
and it is eclipsed and lost; and the one word
that can in any way express our emotions
as we stand in His presence and contemplate
His nefable love is: Wonderful, wonder
full" 1t is possible to plunge jar into
mid-Atlantic deeper than ever soundings de-
scended and to bring it UP ON deck as dry
inside as if it had been lying in an oven.
And it is likewise possible for men and
women, and l have them listening to me at
this moment, to live and move and nave
their being in the OF Christ's boundless
love and never to have let one drop OF It's
richest gifts into their hearts or lives. 1t
is possible amid all the joys Of this festive
season to forget the love and the gift OF
which it is the memorial. Amid all our CIV
ing and receiving. we may still reject that
gift which means life. Therefore do l preach
to you this day Jesus Christ. the friend. the
Redeemer. the wonderful. Therefore do
beseech of you to add to the JOY OF christmas
tide by receiving Him as He comes to you
in the fullness of His love and grace, and
that you give to Him the gift He most de-
sres of a loving heart and devoted Iite'
saying once and forever 81 choose Him as
my good; henceforth look to Him as my
wealth. and my content here and hereafter
And when your affections thus move. ana
you stretch your empty hand toward Him. lie
answers back, ~ am yours" And while >.
angels sing glory to the newborn King:
Your own glad soul shall answer back the
response: ~,
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinner reconciled.