The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-12-26
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS GIFT
IN a Little Eastern Village Nineteen
Centuries AGO.
WHEN HEAVEN CAME DOWN TO EARTH.
The old. old story Re-ioid by DR. feil--
No Wardrobe for fhc Little stranger
Words That Pierce Like Poniards--
a song Worth singing

y song W orth 'i"-''n
She was FAR away from home, out OF
reach OF tender hands and LOVING alieh-
,ions And because there was no wardrobe
for the little stranger she wrapped Him
I'm strips Of cloth and laid Him III man
ger-for there was no room Tor them IN
the inn" No roOmi These "OIu7 pierce
like poniards. Not because there was
no room for Him I'm Bethlehem nineteen
hundred years ago. but because 'neIe is
en- little room for Him mere ana now
Tho trouble with the world is u mas no
room for Jesus. our homes are so crowd
ed with Idols that no place can DE lo'll"
Tor an altar % the true COO. Out So w.
ing rooms are so cr0W9ed 49, 49, t6are is
Christ cannot enter 10 -''i..'. ara
M, room even for the itii.sou D- i
namc-try 10 and see. In p"blt' .-,..s....
hsrllv room even for those VINO profess
i@And there were iu the same cpuntry
ebcnheros abiding in the neid- h.etlHs
watch over their hock lF ,iHt7n,,r ma,
doubt they were just ana s',l'
ton OF Israel And they were Door PC
was fitting that the glad news 7u'tiu ~
given first 20 the poor. W. ,,'',
reaches down 20 the h.nl"'o 81
e emo o 10 80 nri1ileecd merely because
tbev wore noor. when God weighs T. man,
lie does not weigh his, p3 ,,et.t,1
a VISIT FROM ANHLl5. ~
And fbev we're at their post. They
were not waiting for son. llA'.s o." 'u ,
uD They were not Wal''h5 'Yi ~
portuuity 10 do someihih si.-' No.
were not asleep while on oul5. IH,F
v,ere NOT engaged boz anything which the
world regards as uapoi yam, 80. o
Nous They were not trying 90 attract
attention They were NOV on ui,-T p9-
r9do Thcv were simply ooins theI
~ and therefor. they were in o. po-
sfff.n to receive "a blessing. TT ihrE ltu
not been at their post, lhcE Nouu NOV
have been honoled hy N.-i. rom an
cells The reason why 20 many OF ua brl
Gu few, biossincs ls because we are so
often away from our post-ihe place
blessings are used To come. ,.
But although ihey were In " lo9l,i,.ii
a. receive angels. they were not eQudl
~ ,-,sior They were "sOre
t,,td r when heaven comes down To
earth few are found heavenly minced
ononoh 10 feel al home. he tllhpr' vl
a.. eternal world is o. little more IMAM
III ~ ''' can endure-much as We may
,,-.-f strn Cd glimpse. IL ln lpl tti'
eigbf of angels that terrnes us' bul .,l-
sipht oil our own sinful hearts pm VIZ
uStt tllt tho angels bring. ''od lr VIZ
..hi,.lic,I ~, giving 90 500 many OF Ills
tr.n,l,i.,,o saints. days and nights OF SUI
ferine bv which their eyes anu H'"' -
NAV become used 10 the nsi.t,... toer
WHAT TREMBLING SAINTS 80. -.
u was just Ike an , lD5, ,.,I Ail heaven
mo-. " Rather. 30 was ike COO. an n, ~,
by i,t.rested I'm reassu,ing tfemDiiHs
mon Tho Bible S. full of rear no.
And heavenly reinsurance Ied- 800
may sometimes try in VAN TO con w..
"a frightened child. but Whet 'o" 49, 49,.
opc9co." even the winds and seas oD,'
Him The shepherds were NOS I'D "a
diOon 10 hear The glad news 20 lohE
thev were terrified. they Wonld no. nave
heard "a note of fhe angels SONG i.i"
bling saints here below lose haii '.'
glimpse of heaven and nearly di l''
NJ disinterested angels folt that 10 was
Good news and rcioiced TO tell d. What
must 40 have been 20 those 10 Whnm W.
tidiues camel True 10 was for at tue
world. but that did not make Do "ill
less pracious. Gods gifts are never l'7-
sened by divlsiOn-rather, uy So ih1
There IS more comfort lu A1oWN3 tlt5
Gods gift IS for many than lheie 0ouiu
ba fu knowing that DO is for % rev. even
If we nave some reason io icrl lhdi W,
are among the few. Mr. SpurteoM ON.
said that hc was glad Che blnle ulu hot
nrntion him bv name. because there
might be more than one q. ~. spur
eeon: he preferred I'D be included ln 'he
whatsoever wills. -
NOT a SENTIMENTAL DlTTN.
To was peculiarly appropriate lh tlNiHr
fhe message to the world that l'caN
should chow its heart in the matter. anl
| 'eo lam angelic choir followed Win n SOUS
of low ard praise 10 BIS o. sonS worm
singng-and studying. IL Is hoI H. o, ~
tbeoio0v IL teaches us that Gods glory
| rs the first thing; that in the comint q
Christ Gods name ls siolineu, may NV,
manifosts Gods goodwill TOWARD hTI
that lie comes 10 bring peace, LOT H'
| win make peace tween GoI anu HlaIi'
| and when man is 40 peace WIN hou tiIi
| will be az peace with his own HedI1 anu
40 sooner did the shepherds near OF
| Christ than they set about 10 ma INN.
/ Here is a text for waiting sinners, Le-'
MS now 60" They We're not sclolal 70
| or thev would have first gone 90 JeIu3d-
] lem TO search the fecords. Inc ~" W.
| not critics or they would nay a'.l,p 10
| TO investigate the composite ch"I"'.l.i 0t
| the song Of the anscr. ~ - $3.50
| osfr,oouers. or they would nave looA,u
| for a star They did not nave an Ssr '19
| business. or they would ha q Mdlleu ~, N.Y. ..
! the pasturing season was oN's.la -.
| were not Pharlsees, or theN WouiI ~ ii-,
| called m council 20 decide ON a plaioi lll
| Thev were not looking IQI sa'F , a,'g'
! through society. or they Woulg IA q P 49,
| poned their visit until they hta all , ~
! themselves I'm better appIl0 49, ma
| not indifferent or they woulo nave I".
| il OF until tomorrow. IA'L VIZ ~
| unbcleVers. or they wouu ltut H.. ,roi,5Ied
| nj AMI They were plain. slEpie-inlliu =,
! honest men who wanted a saHlout' an an
| VINO could take God Al lis WoIu' az"
Mo had nothing to do but go on me
| s WIo i'f of that word. When q man say
| 10 ,,onfs TO ind Christ, and refuses 10
| move ont of his tracks. nobody Inls"n-
u'AiT And ,i''i they came with haste-the King
| bnsiness requires haste--and they iounu
il even as the angel had said. ana t me,
| II was their turn 10 praise. ~ ls tNoi
| ~ ~ - No man ever went to Christ who
! di liS moi go ont into tho world giorifyms
| ullI NV - - md .nraadlng ADrOAd