The Marshall republican., 1901-12-27
MARSHALL = REPUBLICAN,.

s; s:si ~, ssi. i', :s.; Ms ;: g Il s ssSsi! ss' s'"d ad''s' Of
Ny text auuouuces the. reason for flowers
Of love. kindly Sreesimys aud making Of pres
ents ct the yuIe tide. ChiiSendosn recognizes
this % being the time when Ovd gave His
son to bring 10Y aud glsduess TO the h0mes
end hearts Vi men.
The world 30 which this auuouucemeut
came was the Roman Empse, 5000 miles long
ana 5000 miles wide. Into Il were gathered
$50. 600. 600 people. aud Rome kept these joss.
liug nations quiet BY % army Of @0o.o 900 men.
While Il 10 true that the wUrld was Ia me.
chauical sort Of peace when Jesus was born.
and The door Of the temple Of the Roman var.
god IVES closed Tor the FIRST time In CENTURIES
because his legious were 10 camp, Il 10 by
no means true that real peace existed Dis.
content WAS widespread. Social conditions
could hardly Be w0'se; 60, 600. 900 Roman sub.
jects were slaves. while only ~, oco,oo were
citizens. We read Of feasls that cost the price
Of Q province at one extreme Of society, aud
crowded cities In rags and hunger At the other.
Out Of his soul Pliny cried. Civ. me needed
consolation, y y Of which I have never
heard or read. All I have heard or read
comes back 10 memory. but my sorrow 10 too
great" Government was scaudalousiy cor.
Tupt snd In the hands Of shvude politicians.
Said Tacitus: "Whst tormeuts 10 u NOT the
SStSkSoSS WV " O"VSS0s
The Greek language he'd reached Ito per.
lection and was the language Of the civilized
world.
In the domain Of religion. the religions Of
the world bad failed. Aud men had lost faith
In the gods Of mythology. Thus the soil was
prepared for the seed Of truth.
70 raise funds for the empty treasury. Al.
gustus ordered a census Of the world. IL r..
spouse 10 The imperial order Joseph aud Mary
went down to Bethlehem. to the houxe
OF their father. David: the house where Ruth
reigned o. wife Of Boax. where Jesse aud his
ten soms were born. where Samuel came 10
seek . king The town 10 day has over 5000
population. II dist,nctively Christian and while
under Turkish rule. tie crescent does not rival
the cross In the city to which came the good
iidings 0f great joy" TO oil people.
care 10 develop but two thoughts from this
text:
l.. That Christianity came with good lid.
ings Of great JOY"
Mr.. Imger~,i. 10 Q Christmas address, said:
christianity came not With good tidings Of
great joy but with . message Of eternal
grief" History In the Christian centuries il
a complete refuts.ioM Of this charge. The IN.
fueuce of Christianity upon civilization hes
been most bene6cent. II found government
. ~d~xpo,ism. Where the gospel has not gone
It Is despotic still. In LANDS proiesssdly Chris.
tiam II 10 liberal or despite accordingly o. u
has or has not breathed the spirit Of the Ros.
pei Liberty IN u boon 10 man beyond rubies.
Religious liberty was the pioneer Of civil I'D.
erty. Look into Esgland. A desperate sirng.
gle 10 on between King John and the people.
the latter clanoring foI their rights. The
first meeting was held in . church, addressed
by . bishop. and the chivalrous spirits gath
cred about the altar. and. with their hands
upon It. vowed a'leeiauce to each other and to
God ill their rights should be granted No
wonder the Magma Charta. the bulwark Of
English liberty. was the result.
Christianity has given great Impetus to sci