The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-26
THE LESSONS OF THE DA,
INFINITE LOVE OF GOD TT
CENTRAL THOUGHT.
Christmas Kindles In Midwipr a
Holy Fire of Love and Grstude.
and breaches In the Ihgest
Night the Glory of the Lo-The
Scene at Bethlehem.


decorated and a large congsation en-
joyed the musical feature consisting
of d solo by Mrs Plummefnd several
selections by the choir an,an eloquent
sermon by Rev. Henry, II pastor.
on Christmas eve, chiren's exer-
clses were held, the storiof the Christ
child being illustrated T stereopticon
views The Sunday scbol received a
treat, and its members rought gifts TO
De distributed among e poor today.
DR.. Henry took for b text yesterday
morning: Psalms, x9T; Luke ii, LOO,
and Luke ii, 10. He stke substantially
as follows:
The Christmas stCy has been told
you so often that 70 are each familiar
with its slightest etail; and yet it
never loses its chm. It is not its
novelty that comps attention 1t IS
simple, straightforward, quickly told.
1t is not cUriositi that urges US to
listen to its repetipn-we do not antlcl-
pate a new VersiQ- The passing OF the
centuries has bIught very little to
light that was Ut known to the first
evangelists. An yet we love to linger
over the scene f that first Christmas
night, for our fections are engaged
our very life md hope are strangely
wrapped up il ii. 1t is story that
challenges thefaith Of the world: it is
destined to trill the heart of distant
ages For IL humble manger of the
infant Jesus gas the first resting place
of the Saviol of the world.
Christmascan never fail to be the
object of altOSt universal interest 1T
is cOncernd with the event which
forms the enter and turhing-p point of
the history of the world" The light of
history coles TO a focus on the manger
Of Bethlaem. Mighty
of this cild, sleeping peacefully in the
arms ofhis mother; forces that should
triumph over power of Rome; that
should iominate human life and human
passion that should overcome mans
SelfishYeSS and fear; FORCES OF sufficient
vitalit' to survive all change and the
passaJe of the years; forces that are
persistent in our day, in spite of inf
delits in spite of practical materialiSm,
in site of our bent toward SelfiShnesS,
they are destined to conquer and pre-
vail
Ct all festivals, Christmas is the one
mc5t intimately connected with the
family life of all the people. Every
Were it is a day Of good cheer and
10y. Christmas day is at the head Of
tie great feasts of the church year. The
foul of Christmas is the Christ In
millions Of homes the sweet story of
Jesus birth is reverently told. Let
early memories of this day make your
heart tender. Every language HIS at
least the semblance of Christmas carol
In many places singing bands of child
ren chant praises of the Christ.
Throughout the world Christmas is
the children's jubilee day. Christs
teachings have made childhood sacred
and the home a sanctuary. On this
day innumerable gifts celebrate the in
finite love of God in the gift of his only
beSotten son. Every true Christmas
day is a sermon on the text: John iii. IS.
What makes a gift valuable? Not
money value, but love and sympathy.
Gods gift to the human race was an
expression of love and of understand
ing of our deepest need.
For three reasons Christmas day Will
never lose its interest. 1t kindles in
midWinter holy fire of love and graf
itude and breaches in the longest night
the rising Of the sun of life and the
glory of the Lord. II denotes the ad-
vent of the true golden age, of the
freedom and equality of all the redeem
ed before God. No one can measure
the joy and blessing which flow like a
river from the worlds loving contemp-
lation OF the holy child Jesus in his
heavenly innocence and divine humility.
Let us look at this scene, first from
the standpoint of the shepherds. They
are watching their fioczs, talking to-
gether, slowly. stolidly. about their
flocks. about their homes. One topic
would interest them especially. There
was unusual stir in Bethlehem. They
knew the cause of this assemblage.
They thought Of the spread OF the Ro-
man power. of their lost liberties. They
remember of the uprising of the Macca-
bees, their thought would naturally go
to traditions of past greatness-to the
hope of the Messiah.
when viii he come" They are sim
Pile and unlettered men, but they share
in the hope of their nation. Their talk
may have been about these things.
Around them the beauty of the night,
calm and stiil-so still that the slight
est sounds are heard at a distance.
They hearlen to the movement of the
sheep. They listen to the noises from
the crowded village. Their own voices
are subdued. Above them the stars
resting in eternal calm.
Suddenly they are startled by light
y in the heavens. A heavenly visitor APP
pears. The glory of the Lord shines
around. They are sore afraid-and
then a voice of reaSSuring sweetness:
Fear not. for. behold, [ bring you good
tidings of great joy which shall be to
all people. For unto you is born this
dav in the city of David Savior,
shall be sign unto you've shall find
the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
lying in a manger.'
And suddenly there was with the an
gel a multitude Of the heavenly host
praising God and saying: Glory to
God in the highest and on earth peace
and good viii TO men.
What a chorusi 1t has thrilled the
heart of the ages. 1t will ring down
the centuries till the end of time. The
shepherds wonder greatly. But they
believe. and hasten to the city to tell
what they have seen and heard, and TO
look upon the face of the holy child.
I love to think OF these shepherds as
they make the first visit to our Savior
It reminds US how he began his life
No rank, TO make them conscious and
timid; no state, 10 bring into sharp
contrast their own rudeness and pow
erty; no appointments of luxury. to
dazzle. The shepherds feel perfectly al
home They go 10 stable. They find
the child in a mangef
We hear now and then an insinuation
that Christianity is a religion for the
rich, invented, perhaps by the rich
to keep down the poor But would a
Savior imagined by the rich be born OF
a poor woman in a stable? Would he
associate, not only with the sons OF
the SOIL" but even be kith and kin OF
theirs, follow a trade, dwell among
them his whole life long2 No. indeed.
And here comes in. very much to the
purpose. the Credo quia impossible OF
old TeTtullian- / believe the story OF
Christ, not only because it is reason
ably proved from history, but because
it is impossible that they who tell il
should have made up out of their OWL
fancy such a birth and such a career
for the Son OF God. No, my friends