The Mena star., 1898-12-21

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 for those who accept the tidings; the Christ day, heralded by the entire angelic choir and signalized by the Bethlehem star that guided the wise men to the place where the Infant lay. Day or memories of bright days in the sunshine oI uncouded youth, when the plastic heart was nodded to enduring affection because or the thoughtful love of the loved. Day of home gathering, of unselfish regard for others, or pTesent-laden trees, of well-tlled stockings, of tables grooming beneath their burdens or toothsome edibles, of tender expressions, of song and laughter and mirth and inno- cent games. Where in all the world may there be found such another anniversary, one so laden with the fragrance of love, or so abounding in thought that ennobles!
 Here we have a Chrst-child in the stable et Bethlehem, scene that appeals to the sympathy and regard of the young; and the mother holding the Babe to her nurturing breast, warming heart-touch to every mother loved the world over; and the angel promise: "He shall save His people from their sins;" thought that lifts the soul to the heights of the Infinite.
 What care we whether He came in the day named and commemorated by the church, when the air of Judah was chilled by the snowy breaths of Hermon; or Tn the kpringtime, as many teach, when the birds tTilled heavenly music and the valleys were llecked with myriad flowers, whose perfumes were as incense from the upper temple ot God? The Christ-work is universal and the Christ-day belongs to all the people ot the whole world. Here the Christmas day dawns upon scenes of ice and snow there upon wealth of tropical foliage, but every where it is day of heart warming, and gift bearing, and glad carols of praise for Him who first opened His eyes in manager and whose love has given a new name and lcftier purpose to advancing civilization. The time of the event counts as nothing be- fore the majesty of the glory of the event itself
 Bethlehem was an insignificant village clinging to the outer skirt of majestic Jeru- salem; yet greatest of all the cities of the world did it become in that it was the birth place of the Christ. Here the King of Kings appeared in the helplessness of initial infan- cy, watched and nursed, as other helpless children of all ages, by His youthful and adoring mother, honored above all women who have lived or who shall live. Joseph and Mary had their home in a wretehed village of despsed Galilee; yet the name of Nazareth shines as the brightness of the stars and shall be as enduring as the tirma- ment.
 Christmas day, the first Christmas, was the beginning of a promise old as the fall of man, the Christmas of to-day shows the fulfllment in large degree of the prophetic assurance of mans redemption. The light of the Star of Jacob has spread until it's rays have reached the darkest corners of the earth, and where they have penetrated they have blessed always. Christ in the heart, ( hrist in the life, Christ in the home, Christ in the world that is to be; such the influence of Him whom the Magi worshiped in the manager and of whom the angels sang in their song to the shepherds on the plains.
 Gladdest of the festal days, indissolubly linked with Good Friday and Resurrection day and Ascension, 1t IS an ever-present les son of the sureness of all the promises Of Cod. As the first Christmas day told of the hope of Israel, so each succeeding one declared the development of the God thought in the incarnate God, until the eli max of Divine goodness was reached on Cal vary. And afterward, as the Gospel spread over the earth, it's peaceful fruits, the de- velopment of the Christ spirit in man, fore shadowed and do foreshadow in steadily in- creasing strength and beauty the final cul- imitation when the Babe of Bethlehem shall be in all and all in all among the children of men. Then shall every day be full of the gladness that makes Christmas day the brightest, cheeriest and happiest of all the days of the year.
 WILLIAM ROSSER COBBE.