The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-21

les on the sands of the arena. But, to-day, all Of that is
changed for one has come and taken upon Himself our
humanity, and redeemed it by joining it to His Divine Ma
ture. And because He thus came, to-day human lite IS
sacred and inviolable; sacred in the common humane teel-
ings of mankind, sacred in the eyes of the laws of ourland
which give expression to that sentiment. One came IN
great humility to find a resting place in the Manager at
Bethlehem; and today that event, and the life and rell-
gion that have sprung from that event, stand around the
cradle of the poorest and lowllest born IN all this land, to
guard from all harm and wrong-hover over 1t to bless
and dignity. And, too, how has ChrIsts taking our nature
upon Himself lighted up and transformed in our thought
all weakness and feebleness. We are prone to think
meanly of these sometimes, perhaps, to despse them.
How gladly we worship strength and might. We recog-
nize our duty towards weakness perhaps we are willing to
do our duty towards it, towards helping to bear its burdens.
But at the same time do we not often desplse it or at best
merely pity it, or bestow our compassion on it? But IN
Him who was the Babe Of Bethlehem we see feebleness
and weakness and having beheld them in Him, somehow
ever afterward they are not the same they are lighted up
and beautiied because He was weak and feeble. We feel
that not strength only and proves have a place in this
world but immaturity and weakness also. We feel that
these too are true, and worthy of our loving care and aid.
They shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us. y
He is Emmanuel, God with us a Divine Saviour and we
need such a Saviour, a divine Saviour. We have needs
that no other Saviour could supply. We have wants tor
whose satisfaction we would look in vain to any other:
We have sins from which a human deliverer would be pow
.erless to deliver US sins in the years that are gone that
yet rise unbidden to mock and terrify. We feel the need
for some satisfaction beng rendered tor these we want
them blotted out. Only a divine Saviour could do this.
And, too, we have sins in the present that have fastened
upon us, and that hold US in their relentless grasp. We
need to be saved not in them, but out of, and from them
and only a divine Saviour could do this. And so we, to-
day, are thanking God for the gift of Emmanuel, God with
US He is also God with us, in US God having taken our
humanity into Himself a human as We'll as a divine Saw
Jour. And humanity needs such a Saviour, one who is hu-
man as we'll as divine. Men of flesh and blood, talter1ng
and daily falling, need a Saviour who also Himself likewise
was a partaker of the same flesh and blood. Men tossed here
and there by divers temptations and trials, torn and distract
ed by the fierce onset of appetite and passion, need a mer-
ciful and sympathizing High Priest. 'Who in that He HIM
self hath suffered, being tempted, is able to succor them
that are tempted" That sthe Saviour we need, Himself
having suffered, Himself having been tempted; and SO one
who can be touched with the feeling of our ntlrmlty'
One of the gems of ancient classic literature is the pas
sage in Virgil in which the African queen Dido declares to
the worn Hneas and his temPest-tossed followers IL my
self not ignorant of evil, have learned to succor the un-
fortunate" And so we come to a Saviour who is not lgno-
rant of the stress and conflict of life we come to a Say
Jour who was made like unto us His brethren, that He might
be our merciful and faithful High Priest.
Finally, what a defence there ought to be IN TINS
thought, Emmanuel, God with us" A defence to protect
us against all that would deface and degrade this humanity
which God has thought worthy to be joined to His dlVine
nature. What motive-power in it to oppose that sin wnlcn
contronts US everywhere to-day, sin strong and cruel ana
destroying. What inspiration in this thought, God with u.s.
God taking to Himself our nature, to live and labour Tor
this humanity, all Sustained and impaired as it is. What
hope in this thought that we shall yet see humanity be-
come a temple fit for the indweiling of Deity.