The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-26
POWERFUL
CHRISTMAS
!. DISCOURSE.
Yesterday Morning ut st,sLuke's P.
3. Church by the Rector.
Rev. Birmingham.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DAY.
Impressed Upon His Hearers by the
Minister--services at Other
Churches. s'

{ ID = V 4 q az.
Notable Christmas services were held;
yesterday morning at the Eplscopallan
and Catholic churches Of Wheeling and
neighboring towns. AT st. Luke's P.
D. Church, Island, communion was held
at7 a. M, followed by special Christi
mas observance at 1850, when the rec
I tor. Rev. Jacob Brittingham. delivered
al thoughtful and Interesting discourse
on the Significance Of Christmas, talk.
I Ing for his text these words from St.
Luke, 2-t4: GLORY to God in the
Highest"
( Mr.. Brlttinghom said:
God spoke to men in early days
through the mediums with which they
we're most eonversant. The Light
4 OF a star heralded the rising of the
Sun OF Righteousness" and was the
means OF leading the eastern astrolo-
8 gers to the manser throne In Bethle-.
{ hem y. ii
w 1t was through the instrumentality
Of angels that God spoke frequently 70
the Jewish world. Angels went forth
sometimes as messengers of wrath. and
! sometimes as messengers Of mercy, but
: always as messengers Of God. When
God drove Adam out of the Garden Of
Eden on account OF his dlsobedience He
placed in It Cherubim with drawn
and flaming sword ''to keep the way Of
the Tree of Life
Angels were sent to Abraham TO tell
!; him Of the doom OF Sodom; angels
7 went, to Sodom, and led Lot and his
daughters to place Of safety before
fire fell upon the wicked cities Of the
plain and consumed them. An angel
+ Wrestled with Jacob. and was overcome
by the power Of persistency. An angel
/ saved Daniel from the feroclty OF
the lions. All through the Old Testa-
ment we read Of angels, who were sent
to perform the behests OF their Creator.
An Angel Appeared.
And SO when the New Testament dis
lpensa ton began to dawn an angel ap-
peared to Zacharias. informing him Of
the birth of son. who would 90 forth
in the power Of Elias to proclaim the
advent Of the Prince of Peace. To the
most blessed OF women, the Angel Ga
! .briel was sent to tell her of the birth
of SHIm.who would be called great. and
the son OF the Highest, Finally,
while shepherds watched their focks
by night,
All seated on the ground.
The angel OF the Lord came down,
And glory shone around
Fear not" said He, for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind:
Glad tldings of great Joy bring
To you and all mankind"
ITO you, in David's town. this day
- Is born OF David's line,
Tho Savior, who is Christ. the Lord.
And this shall be the sign:"
The Heavenly babe you there shall
~ find,
81, To human view displayd,
.tAll meanly wrapped in swaddl.ng
~ bands,
And in manger laid"
THUS spoke the seraph. and forthwith
Appeared shining throng
OF angels, praising God. who thus
ADDRESSED their joyful song"
"All glory be to God on High, 7
And to the Earth be peace:
Goodwill, henceforth. from Heaven to
men, as
Begin and never cease"
Il But what did these angels mean by
this gladstone praise they sent down
/ from Heaven to Earth on that first
Christmas morning? What has the
world meant by trying to send back
Ito Heaven this "Gloria In Excelsis"
which cheer and gladden. the hearts and
lives OF millions every Christmas day?
We know not what you may mean In
ldivlduaiiy or collectively when you
Chant this angelic song to-day-you
may mean as much as the angels
meant. or no more than the heather
who chants his crude music to his idol
god.
The Truth Of Christ.
But whatever may be your aporecIa-
ton OF this hymn. and OF the events
this day celebrates. the truth OF the
coming OF Christ Is the game Us It was
In the beginning. The tIdings are no
longer new. They have become history.
Time has become Gods great commen-
tator. The ages have rolled away. ma
IONS and kingdoms have changed. but
This truth OF the coming OF Christ has
not been rolled away.and 1t has changed
Z only to grow.
hTlt5 Is still teeming with interest
everywhere. and the event MS well rs
me truth Is growing in favor with even
those who NJ one time ignored II. And
why should It not grow In favor? for
IL IS intended for US ali-for the Gentle
as well as the Jew-for the heather as
well as for Tie Chrls,lan-for the sinner
as well as the saint: the man who
stands In the darkness OF unbelIef rs
well as the man whose heart glows with
Z the consciousness OF truth. God per-
fnitted the song OF angels to be heard
by mortal enrs for the first and only