Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-12-23
NUMBER 20
ACHRISTMAS SERMON
LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE BIRTH OF
CHRIST.

The Duty of Charity and the Nobility of
Self Sacrffce-How Art Has Paid Its
Tribute to the Nativity.
Itwas the distinctive glory of Christ's
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
fnitely greater importance from being
exemplified in the perfect life of Christ
himself. 3here were people who had
been just, true and God fearing before
Moses brought down the tkDles 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 chari-
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. 1t 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 aequiescenee
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 its widest and most COM
prehensive meaning) ever come within
measurable distance of realizing the ex-
alted Christ ideal? Yes, possibly, in the
apostolic age and for 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 its
haven of rest-but how soon would the
prospect change were the gospel of love
and humanity, preached and lived by.
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 magnifcence 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 70
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 its form
and assumed its nature with all its inn
perfections However low in the scale
of being persons may be, therefs 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 a hv-
ing soul.
The story of the advent and of its
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 i'll "Festus'
.. writes:
We live in deeds, not years. in thoughts, not
breaths;
! We should count time by heart throbs. He most
Who thinks most. feels the nobIest, acts the
best.
The stupendous mystery Of the advent
and the perfect life that followed il
made it possible for mankind to attain
; the high state Of perfection so beautiful
ly illustrated by the poet Precepts were
not wanting before, but henceforth
there was perfect life as model foI
all ages.
Doubtless all events, however impos.
r sible it may be to perceive their trend,
! contribute to
That faroff divine event
Toward which the whole creation moves.
The poets have sung of that day. phi
losophers have written of it from the
earliest times and optimists think they
see it's near approach, but it must be
confessed that the signs of its coming
are not promising Education and cul-
ture, art and science, while they may
prepare the way for it, are at best emily
subsidiary That day will never dawn
until human society is permeated by
that spirit of love and unselfshnesS
which characterized the life of Christ
NEII. MACDONALD.
The Same Old Christmas.
A description two centuries ago of
! the festivities of Christmas shows little
J variation from present customs:
Families take it by turns to enter
} TAIN their friends They meet early. the