The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1897-12-16
ACHRISTMAS SERMG.
LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE BIRTH c
CHRIST.

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/ CHRIST.
The Duty of Charity and the Nobility oil
Self Sacrifice-How Art Has Paid Its
Tribute to the Nativity.
TWAS the distinctive glory Of Christs
evangel not that it introduced new
code Of morals or of social ethics, but
rather that it emphasized the force and
broadened the scope Of those existing
and gave them higher sanctions and in
finitely greater Importance from being
exemplified in the perfect life of Christ
himself. There were people who had
been just, true and God fearing before
Moses brought down the tables of the
law from Mount Sinai, and men acted
the role of the good Samaritan, ami
mated by the purest benevolence, thou
sands Of years before Christ taught by
precept and example the duty of chart
ty and the nobility Of self sacrifice.
Even the sermon on the mount only
presented in concrete form rules of con-
duct which regulated the lives of many
in all ages, not with the force of law,
Of which there might be none, but as a
result Of self originated conviction and
feeling.
Love in Christ's code of ethics was
both the soul and body, the animating
principle, as we'll as the performing
agent It was no longer be true, kind
and pure because it is duty so to
be, but be all that because you love
to be so. No mere formal acquiescence
or compliance will meet the REQUIRE
ments Of this new presentation of the
moral law. 1t demands absolute obedi-
ence, but as the outcome of love, not as
the result of authority or the claims of
duty.
Has the Christian church (assigning
to this term it's widest and most COM
prehensive meaning) ever come within
measurable distance of realizing the ex-
allied Christ ideal? Yes, possibly, in the
apostolic age and for a short time sub
sequent, but it would be absurd to
claim that the Christian churches Of to-
day, great as is their influence for good,
are animated by the spirit of the early
Christians or inspired by that divine
enthusiasm which made each one Of
them center of light and largely trans
formed society throughout the known
world within century after the birth
of Christ.
We are now like Moses on Mount
Nebo-we see the promised land, but it
is still in the dim distance, and we are
apparently getting no nearer to it's
haven of rest-but how soon would the
prospect change were the gospel of love
and humanity, preached and lived Ivy
Christ, to become distinctive feature Of
our civilization instead Of the material
istic and selfish motives which largely
sway modern life and determine con-
duct!
The Saviour was born under the hum
blest possible circumstances, as if to
show how low in the estimation Of God
are all the pomp and magnificence of
that wealth and power which men
prize so highly. His Virgin mother was
poor, his foster father was mechanic,
and he himself dignifed labor by earn
ing his bread by the sweat Of his brow.
Christ was emphatically the Saviour
of the poor, and those who bear his
name best show the sincerity of their
professions by initiating him in his low
ing kindness and benevolence. Charity
is a duty incumbent upon Christians at
all times, but even the most humane
will feel prompted to be kinder and
more sympathetic while celebrating the
advent Of one who displayed during his
whole lifetime upon earth divine COM
passion and pity for the poor and the
suffering.
Not the least Of the lessons taught us
by the birth Of Christ is not to despise
the humblest or be hopeless of the most
depraved Of that species so honored by
Deity that he came and took it's form
and assumed it's nature with all it's i'm
projections. However low in the scale
of being persons may be, there is spark
Of the divine in them still, trace Of
that promethean fire breathed into man
by the source Of all life and all con-
seriousness which constituted him liv-
ing soul.
The story Of the advent ana Of it's
climax-that amazing act Of self sacri-
fice-has been the solace of the weary
and heavy laden in all the intervening
centuries. The song Of the angel Choir
listers chanted over the lowly place Of
his birth, conveying heavens message
of deliverance for man, has sounded
throughout the centuries, like an under
tone of hope, above the discords of life
and the mutterings of despair.
Philip James Bailey in "Festus'
writes:
We live in deeds. not years; in thoughts. not
breaths;
In feelings, not in figures on dial.
We should count time by heart throbs. He most
| lives
Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the
| best.
The stupendous mystery Of the advent
md the nerfect life that followed il