Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-25

stockings. I sprang out Of bed. darted
out of the door. and with a bounding
heart made for my treasure. Sure enough
my stocking was full, full 10 the top-tull
Of snowi That was my first Christmas
that L remember, and to this day IL looks
10 me more like Christmas IL IL SHOWS.
Young az ] was, / learned more than
one lesson from that stocking, which in
after years have proved of more value to
me than all the gifts hat might be de-
sired.
l. Don't be too credulous-don't believe
everything you hear. Though but a
child. concluded then that Santa Claus
was tricky and unreliable-in fact, l have
never had any faith in him at ali since.
2. DisappOintments Will come. Even
when we have done smartest. and our
hopes are highest. be ready for failure,
and call no bird your own until you nave
IL in land.
3. Expect nothing from unknown parties.
A little bag OF candy from poor old
grandma Is worth more than a stocking
full Of promises from one you have never
seen.
4. The gifts Of the Lord are pure.
Every good gift and every perfect gift
is from above" That little stocking Of
pure white snow was the best gift / ever
receiver III NY NAAliNllO0ht anu RAOfIH %
blessing 10 me ali my life long.
3. The benevolence of the Lord is bound
less. He filled up my little stocking, but
at the same time He covered the face OF
the earth. His tender mercieS are over
all His works" He gave His Son for
me. for my small and worthless soul, but
at the same time He gave Him for the
souls Of all. God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son, that
v.L-~lI.-a I.1Farrnth L., Him ghnFl1 NOT
perish, but have everlasting life"
Thanks be unto God for his unspeak-
able gift" j. y. HUTSON.
"Tbe Mystery of GodIiness./
What a mystery! We need no theologi-
cal definition Of the word; we look at the
thing and must say: What a mystery
There is the babe in the manger. and the
angel OF the Lord declares it is the Sa-
viour. Christ, the Lord. Ii IS not a mere
human baba It is the Jehovah. the Lord
Of Heaven and earth. y mystery or a
farce. The prophet Isaiah, in the light
OF inspiration, saw this and decided what
it is: 9TH Lord Himself shall give you
a sign: behold a virgin shall conceive and
bear a Son, and shall call His name I'M
manuel" II is a sign. a wonderful act
of God. a mystery-one Of the things"
Of the Gospel, which the angels desire TO
look into This mystery Of God mani
tested In the flesh is akin to and CO.
ordinate with the mystery Of inspiration,
I'm which human language Is endowed and
filed with divine truth and power. In a
very significant a~llusion 10 this fact, the
evangelist says: THE Word was made
flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld
His glory, the glory as OF the only be-
gotten of the Father, full Of grace and
truth" SO the Bible, the Word OF God,
is the only inspired of the Father All
Scripture was given by inspiration or
Cod" The written Word Is God mani
Tested In una language; the personal
Word is God manifested in the flesh, In
humanity itself. And, as the written
Word was inspired by the Holy Ghost,
so the personal Word was conceived By
the Holy Ghost. A full acceptance OF the
one. therefore. always includes a fun ac-
ceptance OF the other; II a denial OF
the one always includes a denial OF the
other. We here also need no theological
definition Of the causes; We only need to
look al the facts, and we must say, so
II Is.
without controversy great is this mys-
terry. SO great. indeed. that many stumble
at II, and cannot get over Il. But as
many as receive Il by faith. ito them
giveth He the power 10 become the sons
OF God. which are born, not OF blood. nor
of the will OF the flesh. nor Of the will Of
man, but Of God" SO little is this mystery
OF the incarnation Of the Son Of God a
development out Of the thought
and will OF man. that all who receive II
BY faith receive something which is not
In man by his natural birth; nor is II
awakened or born out OF mans intellect
or will, something directly and exclusive
ly from God. something d~ivine-the power
OF a new birth unto spiritual and eternal
life. Oh, the blessed gift OF God. God
so loved the world that He gave His only
begOtten Son, that whosoever believeth
Him, should not perish. but have ever
life"
Now we understand why the mystery
OF Bethlehem is called the mystery OF
1t is the source OF godliness;
Il Is the only power IN the world 10 make
man godly. IL effects more than a refor-
IL effects a regeneration. Here
again we need no theological definition
Of the causes; we need only TO look az
tho facts, and we must say. so 1t is.
this mystery is preached and
believed. there Is sung the new song OF
GLORY 10 God in the highest, peace on
earth and good will toward men," from
hearts which reflect that glory. taste
hat peace and exercise that good will.
c.. J. OEHLSCHLAEGER