Milford chronicle., 1903-12-11
TALMAGE
SERMON
By Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMAGE, DID,,
Pastor Of Jefferson Park Presby.
teriAn Church. Chicago


ting aside forever of all dissensions, in
accordance with the spirit and teach,
ings of the sacred season. The text is
Luke ii, IA, "On earth peace, good will
toward men,"
Christmas day has the manger for
its gem, with the home for setting.
From time immemorial the commemo-
ration of the birth Of Christ has had its
true and real celebration not so much
in public festivity and church cere-
monial as in the family gathering
around the domestic freside. Other
customs may change, new movements
may transform our social life, but the
Christmas family gathering maintains
its hold on society. The other day
convict was liberated from Sing Sing
penitentiary. He had been imprisoned
there for nearly thirty years. He was
pardoned, white haired old man of
siXty-four years. He went in a strong
imbed young man of thirty-fve. Up to
1908 lie had never ridden ON an electric
development OF the telephone; he had
never seen an automobile or the mar
velous development of doing business
through the typewriter. lie said that
he was coming into a strange and a
new world - not the world he left,
but another he lad never seen. But
though many customs may change
within a quarter of a century the Gus
toms of Christmas day neither change |
in generation or a century. Christ /
mas day always has been and we hope I
always will be a family day. 1t is |
well that at least once year the chill
dren and the grandchildren. the broth
ers and the sisters and the nephews and
the nieces, as well as the fathers and
mothers and grandparents. should be
gathered within lie four walls Of the
old homestead. and it is appropriate
that the season for such reunions should
be that ut which we celebrate the ad-
vent of our Lord.
A Family bay.
Christmas day is essentially a family
day. Would it not be possible in the
weeks before its dawn for you to ar
range your family differences so that
Oh that day the old quarrel may be set
tied and all the hard thoughts and hard ,
words it has engendered may be for
given and forgotten? | would suggest
TO you today some reasons why such I
reconciliation may be and should be /
effected. I would try. in the name of I
Jesus Christ, TO have over the mauger G
brother clasp hands with brother sis a
ter with sister. parent with child and C
child with parent. | would try to do +
this because when the Christmas bells a
are ringing their carol no man. no wO-
man. can so truly honor the newborn n
,hild called the Christ as by doing his i,
)r her part TO fulfill the angel message S
If Peace on earth and good will to- y
ward men" Il
Family dissensiOns should cease. and il
cease. Why? They have "
nearly all-aye. practically all-been |,
,aused by faults committed on both a
iides. They have been caused by the u
int calling the kettle black the ket- ii
Ie retaliating by calling the pot black, q
nd at the same time both are so
linded by the hot fires of domestic Of
issensions that they cannot see that II
ach is black 1t may not be clear who pl
tarted the family trouble. 1t is enough &c
D show that if both parties had not 81
rred there would not have been con- D,
nued domestic disturbance. ca
Peace on Earth. dc
Cannot the parents who are estrang- eI
d from their children realize that the en-
ears are very few in which it is pos tn
Ible for them to have Christmas rec W. ~,
nciliatiOns? When child despises n co
aren't. living or dead that child must BIZ
itfer the most awful agonies that can ,', o..
yer come to a human being this side so
the grave. Bear. forbear, forgive sti
nd be forgiven are the teachings. "on Is
nth peace, good will toward men,"
efore the next Christmas comes
'ound it viii be impossible for some tic
forgive or to be forgiven. The tio
sket maker is even now manufactur- , op
& a coffin. The gravedigger is even tn,
wv sharpening his pick and spade Law
he quarryman is even now cutting Gei
mbstone. The bellringer is even now for
ady to toll knell. Brothers and sis fed
rs. fathers and mothers, kith and lay
n. stop and attune your family rec an, llrv
ciliations to the notes Of the Christ pul
rs song. der
Christmas days have not always az lf''
ard the angels sing the song. son era
rth peace, good will to men," In nal
50 William the Conqueror. to COM "a" saH
tie his triumph over England. de- Re-
ed that all the country should be plo
7astated between York and Durham. ma
all that region every city, town or Me-
lage was razed to the ground. and 81
literally was the order executed that par
anime eAsued in which 100000 men. cry
men AMI children perlshed. So many Pow Pow
since 1863 have witnessed It
ir slau&hters of thousands upon Sta
usands. Not the slaughter Of life &C a g
ne, but be slaughter Of heart loves IT
heart directions bpfvapn hrof1,ore / detg