The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-06

a ne died I'm Bethlehem or i'm Gallo
or ir the desert oct ween. not q church
would ever have been built not a nos-
pital ever opened. not q nation ever
freed. not a civilization ever fnaugurased.
not a soul saved oh. what a crisis that
was In She worlds history. What "a crisis
In the eternitiesi / think that the angels
who composed the choir for the Christ
mas caHtata above Bethlehem were not
the only angels around that night. / think
there were some who. instead of holding
Iibrettos OF celestial music. stood all up
and down the sleeps of heaven with
drawn swords. Keen and two edged That
cradle must be defended. n fight into
Egypt Eust be lowered over by winged
cohort. That humble stopping place in
Cairo must be watched by celestial bands
descending amid the Egyptian pyramids
and the sphinx which had already stood
there for ages celebrating kings. none
Of whom ever had such glory as Will be
won by that Prince sleeping in MS moth
er's arms under their long shadows.
Hear IL, ali We people-in that babes sur
vival our heaven was involved. And
shall we not add TO our usual Christmas
congratulation at a Sayiour's birth the
JOY at the babe's rescue?
THE WORLDS CHRISTMAS GIFT.
Now let h Christmas table De spread.
Let il be an extension table mad up of
the tables Of your households. and added
TO them the tables OF celestial festivity,
to reach across a hemlsphere-yes. long
enough to reach from, earth to heaven.
send out the lnvftattonSato all the guests
whom We would like ID nave come and
dine. Come all the ransomed OF earth
and all rs crowned of heaven. As at an
cient banquets the king. who was TO
preside, came in after all the guests had
aiken their places at the table. So per-
haps il may be now. Let the old folks
who sat at either end OF your Christ
mas table 10 or 20 or 20 years ago be
seated. their aches and pains all gone.
Behold, they sit down in the exhiliaration
of everlasting youth! Come brothers AMI
on Christmas eve so that the mysteries
of bestowed gifts might be kept secret,
and who rose with us early on Christ
mass morn to see was TO be re-
vealed. Come all the cd neighbors OF
our boyhood and girlhood days who used
TO happen in toward the close OF this
day to wish US a merry time. Come al
the ministers of Christ who have in pull
pits for many a year been telling the
story of the star that pointed to abe
worlds first Christmas gift and at che
same time Herod's apprehen-
sions. Come and sit down, ye he-alds OF
the glad tidinRs." whether you were
sprinkled or plunged. whether your
thank today be offered in liturgy of ages
or prayers spontaneous, whether you be
gOwned in ~canonicals or wearing plain
coat of backwoods meeting house. Come
those vino have bowed at the manger
in whatever world you now live:
Part of the host have crossed the flood,
And part are crossing now.
Yea, come and sit at this Christmas
table. all heaveni Archangel at that end
of the table, and all the angels under him
adjoining. Come down, come in and take
your places at this Christmas banquet.
The table is spread, and the King who
Will preside is about to enter. He comes!
Him of Bethlehem. him of Cavalry, him
of Olivet. him of the throne, Rise and
greet him. Fill all your chalices with the
wine pressed from the heavenly Eschol,
and drink at this Christmas banquet TO
the memory of the babes rescue from
Herodic pursuit, and the memory of those
astronomers of the east who defeated
the malice, and sarcasm and irony and
Internal Stratagem of the monsters man.
ifesto: Go and search diligently for the
young Child, and when We have found
him bring me word again. that ] may
come and worship him also" Given At
the palace. Herod the Great"