The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-25
ANACONDA NEWS.
JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Yesterday on the Streets and in
the Sanctuaries.
I'm SHOPS AND CHURCHES
Some OF the Features OF Quiet Day That
Betrayed the Presencs OF Christ
mas-Holiday Sermons
- Preached.
I'm SHOPS AND CHURCHES

s4r Preached,
g Save for the half dozen open shops and
the unwonted air of holiday observ-
ance in the churches-two indications
as noticeable as they are opposite--it
was hard to realize that yesterday was
the day before Christmas in Anacon-
4 da. Being Sabbath, the streets were
typically quiet and at times almost de-
serted, save when groups of tardy
shoppers issued forth from stores bear
ing packages of many shapes and sizes,
!. and leisurely betook themselves home.
The weather, so mild and balmy that
even old-timers remarked it rather sug-
I, Eested Easter than Christmas, so that
one was caught wishing for some inch
es or hard-packed snow, with the crisp
air and musical rhythme Of the sleigh
bells to merrily insist that this was
! not spring, but December-and the oath
of December, for sure.
4 But turning off from the quiet streets
and entering almost any one of the
several churches, the Christmas spirit
was easier to breathe. Specially pre-
pared sermons and the melody of
Christmas music characterized most Of
the services, both morning and even
ing, while clusters of holiday greens
framed pulpit and chancel and twined
orlghtly ABOUT chandeliers and filled
the window hooks.
AT the Episcopal church the cele-
bration of the last Sabbath in Advent
was observed both morning and even
ing. At the morning service the rec
tor, the Rev. Alfred Brown, preached
on The Coming of Jesus" and at the
evening service chose for the theme
of his discourse THE Angels Song"
Christmas hymns were sung. In his
sermon of the evening the rector spoke
from the text st. Luke ii.-14: GLORY to
God in the Highest: and on Earth
Peace, Good Will Toward men" He
spoke in part as follows:
The Angels Song.
Have you ever tried to realize what
is the real significance of Christmas
teaching?
"Anciently it was said that contra
dictories mutually excluded one an
other. Christmas day is the negation of
that axiom: it teaches the Cancellation
Of contradictory propositions. For
Christ in One Person unites and recon-
Giles the finite and the infinite, NOR
tality and Immortality, the limited and
the unlimited. He is at once omni-
present and in the crib at Bethlehem.
almighty and a feeble infant, eternal
and brief-lived-n word, He is God
and Man.
Why was Christ incarnate? The
angels answer: GLORY to God in the
highest Yes, for the glory of God,
God took flesh; for the glory of God
is the happiness of His creatures. What
is it that angels seek? The glory of
\ God For what was man made? For
the Glory of God. What was the Fall?
) Man seeking himself instead of God
knowing that mans happiness is alone
Tn ha in u1n ifS,ir r@l
was God incarnate? To lead man back
to God, to bring him out of self-seek-
ing into self-devotion to God, and in
such self-devotion to the glory of God
to find his happiness once more.
Festivals lose half their joyousness
and half their significance when we
regard than merely from a selfish
> point of view, as: what benefit we
can derive from them, what moral les
sons do they convey to US? They are
chiefly instituted to glorify God, to
make us forget ourselves in seeking
the honor of our all in all. Do you
think angels in heaven praise God be-
cause they get something by it? that
the elders offer their odors calculat-
ing what profit will accrue to them?
that the saints strike their harps hop
ing to be paid by the hour? No, no;
the motive of action in heaven is the
glory of God, and such should be our
motive on earth for keeping festival
How can We seek Gods glory? By
self-forgetfulness. The god and tyr
ant of this world is not Satan. He has
retired of life into the background and
left the field open for one who does his
work great deal more thoroughly and
not half so clumsily-the great god
Self Self dethrones God, self makes
us acovet everything and grudge God
3 all Why was not this ointment
) sold, etc.?
Goods glory is to be sought in the
utter destruction of self, by giving up
self for God, by dethroning self from
it's niche in the altar: religion too often
is only sanctifed selfishness. Christ
sought our happiness; let us seek His
glory, and in seeking His glory We
shall find perfect happiness.
"How bounteous is Christ. how mig
gard are we! He gives us all, we are
reluctant to surrender to Him any
thing: He is full of love, we are cold;
He humble, we proud. Let us seek the
glory of God, and we shall find peace
on earth and good will extended to us"
Mr.. Cleland's Sermon.
A feature of the Sabbath in the
Presbyterian church was the Christ
mas music rendered by the choir under
the direction of Miss Macdougal at
both the morning and evening services.
Especially fine was the rendering by
Miss Macdougal of 1.-THE Heavenly
Messenger" with violin obligato by
Miss Morgan. The pastor, the Rev.
Mr.. Cleland, chose for his morning