Connecticut western news., 1899-12-28
CRADLE OF CHRIST.
SHADOWS AND SUNSHINE ON THAT
 LOWlY BED.

HeV. DFs AhA"18e, An fths ChFhstmas
 Sermon, Tells the story of the In
 carnation In n New Way-PracticaI I Uses of the Festival.
 [Copyright, Louis Klopsch, 1s9o.l
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-The story of the incarnation Is here told by Dr. Tal- mage In & new way, and practical use Is made of these days of festivity; text, Matthew 1, IT, "So all the generations from Abraham to David are II genera tions, and from David until the carry ing away into Babylon are 14 genera tons, and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are IA genera tions."
 From what many consider the dullest and most unimportant chapter of the New Testament I take my text and find 1t full of practical, startling and eternal interest. This chapter Is the front door of the New Testament, through which all the splendors of evangelism and apostolicity enter. Three time 14 generations are spoken of in my text-that Is, AZ generations reaching down to Christ. They all had relation to him, and at least 42 genera tions past affect us. If they were good, we feel the result of the goodness. If they were bad, we feel the result of their wickedness. If some were good and some were bad, it is an intermin- ghng influence that puts it's mighty hand upon us. And as we feel the ef- feet of at least 42 generations past we will in turn influence at least 42 gen erations to come, If the world shall last a thousand years. So, you see, the cradle is more important than the grave.
 I propose to show you some of the shadows upon the Christie cradle of Bethlehem and then the sunshine that poured in upon the pillow of straw. Notice among the shadows on that in- fant's, bed that there was here and there specimen of dissolute ancestry. Beautiful Ruth his ancestress? Oh, yesl Devout Asa one of his forefa- thers? Oh, yes! Honest Joseph his father? Oh, yes! Holy Mary his moth err Oh, yes! But in that genealogical table were idolatrous and cruel Am mon and oppressive Rehoboam and some men whose abominations may not be particularized. So you see bad men may have good descendants. One of the most consecrated men l ever knew was the son of man who lived and died a blasphemer. In the line of an oppressive Rehoboam comes a gra- cious and merciful and glorious Christ. Great encouragement for those who had in the A generations that preced- ed them, however close by or however far back, some instances of pernicious and baleful and corrupt ancestry.
 Effects of Ancestry.
 To my amazement, I found in those parts of Australia to which many years ago felons were transported from Eng land that the percentage of crime was less than in those parts of Australia settled by honest men and good women. Some who are now on judicial benches in Australia, and In high governmental positions, and in learned and useful professions, and leaders in social life, are the grandsons and granddaughters of men and wom- en who were exiled from Great Britain to Australia for arson and theft and and fraud and murder. So you see 1t Is possible for the descendants of those who do wrong to do right.
 Since we are all more or less affected by our ancestry, we ought to be patient with those who go wrong, remember ing that they may be the victims of un- happy antecedents. How lenient it ought to make us in our judgments of the fallen! Perhaps they had 42 gen. erations back of them pushing them the wrong way. Five hundred years before they were born there may have been a percentage of iniquity augment ed by a corrupt percentage POO years ago. Do not blame a man because he cannot swim up the rapids of Niagara. Do not blame ship captain because he cannot outride Caribbean whirl- wind. The father of this man who does wrong may have been all right and his mother all right, but away back in the centuries there may have started bad which he now feels. One of the Ten Commandments given on Mount Sinai recognizes the fact that evil may skip a generation when the commandment speaks of visiting "the of the fathers upon the chill dren unto the third and fourth genera tion," but says nothing about the sec ond generation, and If evil may skip one generation why not two and three and four and five generations, making a mighty leap and alighting very hard upon the head and the heart of some poor victim? Better be little merci- full toward the culprit, lest after awhile some hereditary evil born In the year 1900 or 1700, having skipped the cen turies, alight just as heavy upon you.
 Meanwhile keep carefully your fam lily records. The old place for the fam lily record in the Bible, between the Old and New Testaments, Is a most ap- place. That record, put in such impressive surroundings of chap ter, bounded on one side by the prophe- cies of Malachi and on the other side by the gospel of Matthew, will receive stress and sanctity from its position. That record is appropriately bound up with the eternities. Do not simply say In your family record, Born at such a time and died at such a time," but if there has been among your ancestors some man or woman especially conse- crated and useful make note of 1t for the encouragement of the following Two family records of the Bible-the one in Matthew reach ing from Abraham to Christ and the one in Luke beginning with Joseph and reaching back to the garden of Eden with the sublime statement (which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God" charge you to this duty sf keeping the family record by the AZ generations which are past and the 42 generations which are to come. It Is B good thing-the new habit abroad of seeking for one's pedigree.
 Shadows on the Cradle.
 Another shadow on the Christie era dle was that 1t stood under depraved king. Herod was at that time ruler and the complete imnersonation of all