The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-12-26

browsing mere ana
i75sSn w. there on the Judean
061sne 1900 hillside. The still
ness and quiet OF
the soft night only broken by the musical
murmur OF conversation AZ the men talk
together of God and the hope Of Israel,
for God reveals Himself to man when
his heart is turned towards Him and
when his thought searches out the deep
things of Scripture. 1t Is quite In har-
mony with Scripture and the Divine
methods to suppose that these simple
but devout Jews were talking Of the
promises of God made to Israel OF q
Saviour and Deliverer Faith was
reaching up toward God In anticipation
and certainty of fulfillment, when 10,
che angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory Of the Lord shone round
about them" Heaven and earth seemed
to mingle and the outstanding glory
of the Lord enwrapped angel and shep-
herds as in a mantle Of light. "And they
were sore afraid" In the presence of the
supernatural, man always trembles, but
where the reverential spirit rules the
heart God speaks reassuredly-"and the
angel said unto them. Fear not; for, be-
hold, bring you good tidings OF great
Joy, which shall be to all people. For
unto you is born this day. in the city Of
David, Saviour, which is Christ the
Lord" And scarcely have the vibrant
tones Of the angel finished the thrilling
message when from out the vast blue Of
the starry heavens there floats into the
circle OF light multitude Of the heaven
ly host" whose voices the chorister Of
Heaven had been training through the
ages before to sing their wonderful song
of praise to God. And, says Edersheim,
-what the angels sang was but the reflex
of what had been announced 1t told In
the language Of praise the character, the
meaning, the result OF what had taken
place. Heaven took up the strain OF
glory Earth echoed 1t as peace II
fell on the ears and hearts Of men as
good pleasure:'
"Glory to God In the highest
And upon earth peace
Among men good pleasure!'
wHAT message that was! What
w song that was! Earth had
been waiting expectantly for GEN.
turies for that message and that song
Its sins needed cure. The judgment
OF death needed Saviour, Who would
bear that judgment and provide way
of escape for man. And so the angel
sent by the loving Lord came to earth
with the message Of a Saviour born,
and the angelic host caught up the
glad story and echoed 1t in song. And
since that first Christmas morning
Gods ministers have been echoing that
message until It has circled the globe
and found Judgment in almost every ma
ton and people under the sun. And
earthly choirs have been singing the
strains of the redemption song until
hearts everywhere have caught the
strains Of the heavenly music, and the
name Of Jesus is heard In every
tongue. 1t was but few Judean shep-
herds which heard the first Christmas
message. and felt the thrill of the first
Christmas Joy. All the rest Of the
world lay in darkness and ignorance
and sin. There was no response to the
Joy bells of Heaven and the angel
voices except in the hearts of the very
very few. But to-day the message and
the song Of Christmas have well-nigh
filled the earth. In Jesus day He was
forced to declare that ''the Kingdom
of Heaven suftereth violence, and tho
violent take II by storm" and how
much more Is 1t true to-day that the
things of God are secularized and ap-
propriated by the world. The mustard
seed has become the great spreading
tree In the branches of which the fowl,
of the air have come and lodged. Blu,
Christmas above all other events
connected with the Christ has beer
taken possession Of by the world TIL,
Joy of Christmas has filled the eartf
almost "as the waters cover tie sea-
d UT that Joy is Of material rather
II than q spiritual character. The 10,
and gladness of the worlds Christ
mas celebration are an expression O
the natural man, and not that OF tn,
spiritual. It is something which ap
peals to the physical senses. The da,
is filled with feasting and merrymak
ing. with giving and receiving gifts
and with all manner OF excuses nnt
fndulgences. The worlds thought o
and plan for Christmas Is wholly o
the earth earthly. The celebration o
the birthday Of the One Who came init
the world to redeem from sin and se
mp spiritual kingdom Is character
1zed BY everything which appeals 4
the physical and material nature o
man. Ruskin exclaims: Standing a
Il were astonished In the midst OF thi
gayety Of yours. will you tell--what !
- III aboutr' And well may vs ak