The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-20

duce the new and better chronology. 1t is
AS DR.. Deems says, not "a matter affecting
| any mans faith. but Is, mere question
| of historical inquiry Luke tells US that
in the fifteenth year of the reign Of
Tiberins Caesar, Herod was ''tetrarch in
Galilee," and at that time Jesus began
| to be about thirty years of age" DR..
Deems inquiries as to about" and the
time of ''the fifteenth year of the reign
of Tiberins" it was. The exanlln-
alton is elaborate. but / can not follow
| it here. There is much force in the pre-
sentation and would seem to Justify his
conclusion, that "the peares: approach we
can make to the date Of the birth of
Jesus" is the seventh day of August, B.
&c. 6. He thinks that within a fortnight
of that day this great event most probably
occurred He further states that in
reaching this date l have used the most
direct and most trustworthy mode of cal
culation, and yet find only "a probable con-
clusion, after having read an immense
amount of matter on this question.
Many learned men differ as to the time
before Christ (as ordinarily received) was
the actual birth of the Saviour For in
stance, Bengel, sWieseler and Greswell put
it at the four years B. c.: Usher and
Petavius put it at five years. Strong,
LAWN and Clark at six years, while
Ideler and Sanclemonte put it at seven
years. The student will find much to en-
gage his attention in DR.. Deems chapter
on the Birth of Jesus" We all know and
rejoice, that we have a Saviour who car
save us if we are faithful unto DEATH"
and that we can celebrate as grateful and
sincere believers in Him his birth. known
to the whole world almost now and that
the particular day is not essential. The
religious world now agrees rs to celebrat-
ing the 25th of December, and if properly
observed az true Christians should observe
it, it will bring to our hearts, peace, joy
and gratitude in believing. Each true
believer may say with Mary, the Mother
of Jesus, in what is now known as the
Magnifcat Luke 1.46). my soul magni-
f1es the Lord, and my spirit exults in God
nv Saviour
SOUL FOOD
l gather some thoughts that may inter
est, and be as food to the soul of the
earnest, reflective seeker after Christ on
this blessed day of rejoicing l have
written about: Thanks be unto Cod
the Joy of Heaven will not be hemisphere
cal, but spherical and full-orbed. "There
| the wicked cease from troubling, and the
weary are at Rest Rev. Daniel Steele,
| D. d.
Now rest, my long -divided heart;
Fixed on this blissful centre, rest
REST from worry and fear of future i'll.
| Why should / go about like tabled Atlas
carrying the world on my shoulders, since
| l have found the real Atlas. the Divine
Burden-bearer. Jesus Christ? Casting
all your care on him Rev. Daniel
Steele. D. D.
1.-THE discord in man is not Immediately
removed after his entering into the ele-
ment of the good For this reason the
Redeemer speaks also of yoke and a
burden which He himself imposes, which
| is only felt by man far as he is stlh
encountered by sin; his nobler nature feels
Christ's spirit and life to be a homogene-
Gus element; -Alstansen, the eminent
German Commentator.
1.-The yoke of Christ chafes when sin
still works in the Soul. Daniel Steel
''An old English divine taught good
moral philosophy when he said that soul
| that could not feel a righteous Indignation
in the presence of glazing injustice was as
defective as man who had WltneTed
muscle. Daniel Steele.
Many Christians do not enjoy religion
enough to be the subject of a downright
spiritual struggle. Daniel Steele.
There's a Wilderness in Gods mercy,
Like the Wilderness of the sea-
There's not craving inthe mind
Thou dost not meet and still:
There's not a wish the heart can have,
Which thou dost not fulfill"
Grace, not in rils, but in cataracts.
rolls.
Doubt has its root in an unwilling
heart Steele
'Why should it be deemed impossible
for God to keep the fully trusting soul?'
Steele.
"To allow yourself deliberately to sit
down satisfied with any imperfect attain
ments in religion, and to look upon
more confirmed and improved state of 1t
as what you do not desire-nay. what you
secretly resolve that you will not pursue
is one of the most fatal signs we can well
imagine. that you are an entire stranger
to the first principles of it."-Dr. Dodd-
ridges Rise and Fall.
THEODORE BRYANT KINGSBURY.
Wilmington, n. c., Dec Is. 1903.