El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-24

sad Christmas in poor China where |
thousands of Christian Cinnamon and
women have won the crown of myrtry-
dom, none surrendering their faith.
Thousands of heather Cinnamon have
gone down in blood and today the gun
crowned fortress frown over the Ce-
lestial empire and the iron tramp of
war is heard in the land. War may be
necessary at certain stages of the
worlds history, but it is far from this
ideal Christ came to set up. In South
Africa and England however, this
Christmas will see mourning for loved
ones who have given their lives in bat
tie. Our armies are still in the Philip
pines and mourning for the dead killed
in battle will be heard in our own land.
Jesus gospel aims at something higher
than this. We all believe in the final
triumph of Christianity, but surely it
has not come yet. The other day I
saw a picture of one of the great
worlds artist. 1t represented battle
field covered with blood and dismant-
led cannon and scattered rifles. Here
and there and everywhere lay the dead
soldiers and with white upturned faces
with twisted bodies just as they fell in
middle of the battlefield stood Christ
with his hands up to his eyes as though
in tears and under the picture were
these words: The Broken Command
ment-Love one another" Yes this is
the aim of Christ's gospel. God hasten
the day when all swords shall be beat
en- into plowshears, and spears into
pruning hooks.
when the common sense of most,
Shall hold a fretful realm in awe,
And the kindly earth shall slumber
Lapt in universal law"
When the war drum throbs no longer,
And the battle flags are furled.
In the parliament of man,
The federation of the world
The day is coming! Already we can
hear the first notes of the glorious
chorus of universal peace. Yes what
the world wants is peace. Peace on
Earth and Good Will to Men" 1t was
just after the war of 1912 and another
war with Great Britain seemed immi-
nent. Our great country was almost
impoverished by the war of the revolt
ton. The great question of the hour
was whether lie United States would
plunge into another bloody war. Com
missioners went across the ocean to
see whether is meant war or peace. It
was before the days Of submarine
cables and the people had to wait the
return of the commissioners to find
out the news. One evening the noble
ship that bore the returning commits
sioners sailed into New York harbor.
with every rope strained and every sail
filed. She was gaily decked from spar
to deck. Thousands went to the wharf
to hear the news. At last one man
leaned far over the PROV of the boat
and cried out one word that threw New
York into commissions of joy. That
one word was peace. The news spread
like wild fire over every street of the
great city and there was no sleep for
New York that night People en-
braced for they knew from what they
had been delivered. The bells of the city
began to ring and rolled the sweet
sound up to the very gates of God. And
that is what Christianity has yet to
do for the world, bring peace. 1t has
come to large part of the world
but in Gods own time the joy and
peace bell of the whole earth shall ring
Ri Iii
world has at last become tue kingdom
of our Lord and his Christ"
On this Christmas Sunday morning
let me ask you. What does Christ
mean to you? Has there been born to
you a saviour? Are you a Christian?
Have you ever been made to feel the
need of a divine saviour? Has there
been no immortality becoking to
you from the far of horizon or are al
your hopes on this side the tomb
Have you any hope or pardon in Christ
this morning. And you who bear the
name Christian. What is Christ really
to you? Is he your forgiving saviour?
Is he your precious soul comforter? Do
you feel this ChristmasSunday that you
are a child of God and an heir of heav-
en-? If any of you have become cold
and skeptical and Indifferent in your
lives, take down the old book today
and read again the sweet wondrous
story of the choiring angels in the
skies, the sweet babe in the manager
at Bethlehem. Read it till the silver
music awakens the old time love for
Christ in your own hearts. Sweetest