The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-12-30
JOYS OF CHRISTMAS.
What the Holy Babes Escape Means
to Humanity.
An Eloquent Holiday Sermon by Or.
Taimage from the Lessons OF
Herod's Efforts to Destroy
the Christ Child.
Washington. Dec a5.-ccopyright 1881.

course; text Matthew 2, 10: "Herod
will seek the young child to destroy
him." The cradle Of the infant Jesus
had no rockers, for 1t was not to be
soothed by oscilating motion, as are
the cradles of other princes, 1t had no
canopy, for IL was not TO be lowered
over by anything so exquisite. 1t had
no embroidered pillow, for the young
head was not to have such luxurious
comfort. Though a meteor--ordinarily
the most erratic and seemingly ungov-
ernable OF all skyey appearances-had
been sent to designate the place where
that cradle stood and choir had been
sent from the heavenly temple to sere-
made its illustrious occupant with an
epic, yet that cradle was the target for
all earthly and diabolical hostilities.
Indeed l give you as my opinion that
1t was the narrowest and most wonder
full escape of the ages that the child
was not slain before he had taken his
first step or spoken his first word. Her
cd could not afford to have him born.
The Caesars could not afford to have
him born. The gigantic expressions
and denominations of the world could
not afford to have him born.
The Herod who led the attack was
treachery, vengeance and sensuality
impersonated. AS a sort of pastime he
slew Hyrcanus, the grandfather of his
wife. Then he slew Marianne, his wife.
Then he butchered her two sors, Alex
ander and Aristobulus. Then he slew
Antipater, his Oldest son. Then he or
dered burned alive 40 people who had
pulled down the eagle of his authority.
He ordered the mobiles who had attend
ed upon his dying bed to be slain, so
that there might be universal mourning
after his decease. From that same
deathbed he ordered the slaughter of
all the children in Bethlehem under two
years of age, feeling sure that IL he
massacred the en,..e infantile popula-
tion that would include the destruction
Of the child whose birthplace astron-
omy had pointed out with its finger of
light What were the slaughtered babes
TO him, and as many frenzied and be-
reft mothers? II he had been we'll
enough to leave his bed, he would have
enjoyed seeing the mothers wildly
struggling to keep their babes, and
holding them so tightly that they could
not be separated until the sword took
both lives at one stroke, and others,
mother and child, hurled from roofs Of
houses into the street until that village
of horseshoe shape on the hillside be-
came one great butcher shop. To have
such man, with associates just as
cruel, and an army at his command, at
h. - ia
does there seem any chance for His es-
capeP Then that fight southwark for
so many miles, across deserts and amid
bandits and wild beasts (my friend. the
late missionary and scientist DIR. Lam
sing, who took the same Journey, said
il was enough to kill both the Madonna
and the Child, and poor residence in
Cairo, Egypt. You know how difficult
II is TO take an ordinary child success
fully through the disorders that are
sure TO assail it even in comfortable
homes and with all delicate ministries.
and then think of the exposure of that
famous babe in villages and lands
where all sanitary laws were put at de-
fance, His first hours on earth spent
in room without any doors, and oft
times swept by chilled night winds;
then afterward riding many days I'M
der hot tropical sun. and part of many
nights, lest the avenger overtake the
fugitive before he could be hidden in
another landl
The sanhedrin also were afironted at
the report of this mysterious arrival
OF child that might upset all conven-
finnalitiae anA fhpaafap ha tbropa g
the natio7. shut the door and bolt it
and double bar it against him." cried
all political and ecclesiastical power.
Christ on a retreat when only few
days Of age, with all the privations and
hardships and sufferings of retreat
When the glad news came that Herod
was dead, and the Madonna was pack
ing up and taking her Child home, bad
news also came, that Archelaus, the
son, had taken the throne-another
crowned infamy. What chance for the
babes life? win not some short grave
hold the wondrous infant2"
Put him to DEATH" was the order all
up and down Palestine and all up and
down the desert between Bethlehem and
Cairo. The cry was: Here comes an
iconoclast Of all established order!
Here comes an aspirant for the crown
of Augustusl If found on the streets
of Bethlehem, dash him TO death on the
pavement! II found on hill, hurl him
down the rocksl Away with himl"
But the Babe got home in safety and
passed up from infancy TO youth and
from youth to manhood and from car
Denter shon 10 Messia hshin and from
Messiahship to enforcement, until
the mightlest name on earth is Jesus,
and there is no mightier name in
Heaven.
What want TO call your attention to
10 your narrow escape and mine and
the worlds narrow escape. Suppose
that attempt on the young child's life
Ind heen snncessf1lll S1lnnnse that dol