The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-12-21

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, GOOD WILL TOWARD
-; :,:;,;as&,4y, MEN,
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'HO""| which marked the
dawn of hope for humanity, the day when
man saw the ultimate victory over death and
the triumph of the immortal over the mortal.
Through the darkness the watchers under
peath the midnight skies saw the rising OF
+ glorious star, and its light is still shining
upon the world to be beacon amid the
storm, to lead generations yet unborn to the
humble manger sanctihcd by infinite love
and compassion, and made holy by the birth
of hope that should lift the lowliest man to
the divine heights where he could look un-
afraid upon the face Of his God.
Peace on earth, goodwill to men, sang
the heavenly hosts, and the warvexed world
thrilled to the anthem, for in it was heard
the thanksgiving of the slave, whose chains
were to be made light by the love of the
Christ, whose stripes were to be soothed by
the hand that touched the leper and
eeansed him Of his foulness, whose shame
was made glorious by brotherhood with
the carpenters Son Of Nazareth, who came
10 preach the Gospel to the poor. Peace
on EARTH" the Christmas bells to-day ring
out the message that was flung to the wind,
Of night by the angel voices on the plains of
Bethlehem, and from the uttermost ends OF
the earth men come to bow down and offer
their gifts of frankincense and myrrh, the
incense Of grateful and loving faith, at the
feet of the infant Jesus who was born King
of the jews" but who reigns Lord OF the
earth, proclaiming now, as in the hour when
He took upon Himself the likeness of man,
that goodwill that endureth from genera
,ion to generation, and that pties the short
eomings and failures of men with a bound
less tenderness.
What bring ye, who come to-day to look
upon the holy mystery of the Christ-birth,
as an Offering acceptable to the Saviour Of
Mcn, what treasure lIal hildIl not ptIlSl {,
what incense that shall be of goodly SAVIOR?
No longer do men don armor of proof, and
bucking on their swords bid farewell to
home and friends, seeking far.away lands
that they may slay the heather who believe
not in Him, and rescue from impious hands
the sepulcher in which His mortal part lay
& few brief hours. Christ has revealed Him.
self as the Saviour of those who know Him
ha nf N
wars The captains and the kings depart"
the stiffness Of death bushes the shouting
Of the multitude, the laurel wthers upon
the brow OF the conqueror, the gold rusts in
the Golfer of the miser. What are honor,
reEown, riches, as a sacrifice to the King
who had nowhere to lay His head, to the
conqueror who vanqushed death, to the
Creator OF the world and the fullness
thereof?
Oh ye who seek the Christ that We may
bow down and worship Him, remember:
"Still stands the ancient sacrifice:
An humble and contrite heart"
II Christ be truly born unto your souls,
let your lives proclaim the message that the
bells ring out this Christmas day. The
alteration which strengthens your soul anew
for the conflict Of hfe should be like a
glorious flower, shedding its perfume on the
winds that sweep around the world, puri-
flying influence and beauty which even the
most careless eye can see. Gather up some
wandering ray from the star shining over
the manger, and bear it into the dark places
Of the earth, that it may light some soul i'll
the midnight of despair, and lead it to the
source of immortal radiance. Catch some
wandering tone of the angelic song, and re-
peat the strain above the pillow where Pain
wards off the tender. hand of Sleep, where
Regret sounds the dirge over wasted hours,
where Sorrow means in come haunted
chamber in which the ghosts Of lost days
walk wailing for the sweet sin that left such
deep and singing wounds. He who bore
the griefs of men yearns over the wandering
sheep, and you who have seen His face, who
have read the tender message of His love,
who have trodden with Him the road from
Bethlehem to Calvary, remember on this
Christmas day that again He is born unto
you and unto the world. You are the mes
sengers who are to bear abroad the peace
Rnd goodwill that the Heavenly choir
proclaimed on that first Christmas night,
You are to interpret the meaning of God be-
come Man, you are to vindicate the martyr
dom that bought the highest good with in
earnate Virtue, for unto you is born this
day a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
LOU V. CHAPLIN.
The Bachelor.
,yIth q Sp,iIa that is mOCking.