The San Francisco call., 1898-12-18
w. H. MORELENO,
 Bishop Sacramento Diocese. ?. E. Church.

"aERE is a tendency at Christ
 mas to dwell upon externals and
 to miss the true, deep meaning
 of the day. We look upon it as a
 holiday, as time for giving and receiving presents. Christmas is the great festival of the home, and Il this aspect it is observed by Jews and non-believers and thousands of others besides Christians. This one of the indirect and beneficent effects of Christ mas-that it leavens the ertire commit nity with the spirit of love and good will. You see the throngs upon the streets, the crus in the great stores, the people planning glad surprises Tor one another, and bearing mysterious parcels whose unwrapping is to bring a glow of joy into some felloW-crea- ture's heart, or cause the merry shouts of children to rise on Christmas morn ing. Multitudes are blessed by Christ mas who are not yet ready to acknoWI- edge Him from whom all the blessings come. There is this danger: To be ab- sorbed in the outward splendor and merrymaking of Christmas ana not to penetrate to the great truth which gives an eternal meaning to all the festivities of this day.
 Also, when we think Of 1t as a rellg- ious festival our thoughts are occupied with it's externals. We picture the manager and the Virgin mother; we sing of the angels and the shepherds watch ing their flocks by night We join in the hymns or listen to the great Christ mas anthem and say How sweet! How beautiful.' and pay little heed to the meaning of the words we use Now, leaving externals alone, going down deeper than Christmas trees and music and present-making and home reunions and grand anthems. what IS the great truth of Christmas?
 It is the incarnation. We stand face to face with this sublime fact that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Man had known something about God; by the incarnation he knew God. In the incarnation God himself came and dwelt with man. God revealed himself to man in the person or Jesus Christ.
 Look upon the infant Jesus cradled in the Virgins arms. He is the link between earth and heaven. In him God and man are joined in one
 This is the meaning Of Christmas: Did not the angels rightly call It glad tidings of great joy? Hear the good news. then Listen to the glad tidings! You are the child of God; you are not left to perish here in this world of death and sin. You are destined for immortality. Carry the news to the heartsck and the suffering.
 Christmas also means that God has spoken. His tone and final word has been uttered in Jesus Christ. Is not this great news? From the beginning God has been revealing himself to man as fast as man could receive him. All truth is from God. as all light is from the sun. He spoke through Con- fucfus, Socrates. Zoroaster. in broken utterances. Now he has uttered him. self once for all in his son. Every word and deed of Jesus Christ is the infallible revelation of the eternal God. Therefore we cry Good news!" The tabernacle of God is with men. Good newsi God is saving the world and blessing men whether they acknowl- edge him or not. Good news! God has not left any soul in perfect darkness. Good news! God is light, God is life, God is love Good news!
 Gods in his heaven
 AIS right with the world