The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-20

n man. redemption! zA #tf5.tasl .t#l
}S11NSj Such Is in brief ths old,
GsaEEsSj old story. the story with whose
recital the Christian world never tires
IT is a story In two parts: the ON f} I ellis
OF joy yet privatlon; the other ofE sor-
row. yet triumph. ls,ss$a
Ours Is a message Of Joy, Ours 1t Is to
narrate the first chapter In the wondrous
story Of love. The cave, the manger, the
Infant God-man-these shall be our
theme.
The beautiful words OF tho learned
Able Fouard. In his admira BILE life Of
Christ, will enable US to appreciate and
i to approach In the proper spirit our holy
subject.
I'm the eimplc story OF the gospel"
Eays he there is no outward pon,p: all
4 tile glory OF the crib les In Its inherent
loveliness. It Is only the soul that IS IL
p Illuminated by 1t; It's to the heart alone
It speaks. Furthermore. We must not
forget that here by anything we add
to the majesty or Christ, we detract lust
SO much from His love The Word in
order to save us. has not disdained the
womb OF Virgin; why then should we
blush at the lowl.ness OF our Goh? The
more profound II appears. the more 1t
forces US to love Him"
10 the cry Of the impious A1arcion, In
the very first ages of Christianity. that
the Waiting bands and the mnnger were
erudite Tertullan replied: Nothing is
more worthy, OF God than that, IN
order to save man. Hc should tramp!e
under foot our perishable grandeur, and
SO adjudge earthly joys unworthy Of
Himself and His
Shepherds and Their Heavenly
Visitants.
But to our wondrous story. The priv.
lege OF anticipating the most joyous or
feast days itself Is ours.
IT'S the first Christmas morn. The
stars are still visible in the heavens.
The dawn has not yet appeared. In thar
far-of country. the scene of the redcmp-
ton, a group of owly shepherds ARE
keeping the watch over their nocks.
Suddenly they are seized with great
terror. An angel of the Lord appears
to them, and the glory Of the Lord shines
round about them. BE not affrighted.
says the heavenly messenger, Il am
come TO announce good tldings OF great
10y unto you and unto all your people.
To-day, In the city of David Is born to
you a Saviour the Christ, the Lord, anu
behold the sign by which you shall know
Him. You shall find an Infant wrap
ped In swaddllng clothes, and laid In a
manger.'
The inmost souls Of the humble shep-
herds are set on fire by these astounding
words, With fear dspelled, they look
up. Instead Of one, they now behold q
myriad of heavenly spirits The air re-
sounds with celestial harmony. In their
ears ring these words OF JOY and good
It'd 'ngs, words that for nearly two thou
sand years, have been echoed and re-
echoed throughout the centuries: Glory
to God In the highest, and peace on
earth TO men Of good VIII!
Pilgrimage With the Shepherds,
Let us to-day with the shepherds go
over to Bethlehem, and let US see this
word thathIs come to pass. which the
Lord has showed to US All! what do
we behold? There before us In the cave.
we enter and fall upon our knees. We
look around us, II Our eyes rest upon Two
dumb animals whose breath gives. tie
only warmth that exists In the place.
And there are the shepherds' the.r Knees
bent In alteration, their eyes rlveted upon
the one object of their admiration. a
venerable man standing revcrently, with
staff In hand, ana eyes turned heavens
ward, is wrapped In fervent thanksgiving.
A maiden mother, the purest OF tho
daughters of Evo, w.th clasped hands
and In silent adora ton. bonds over q
manger: and in that manger Is a little
child, bearing the likeness Of that fond
There is nothing to distinguish its tiny
body from that Of other infants, saSe
two things, One is us reharhap'e peuu'y'
for he is the most beautiful Of the sons
of men, The other Is the LOOK OF extra
ordinary Intelligence that flashes from
its eyes, And who is that tiny, that help
less-looklng Infant? 1t Is evident that
He is man Aye, man indeed; hut that
little Babe, horn In poverty and lying
II, chat exposed cavern Is more, than man
He Is God! The God Of Might The,
Cod If Majesty! The God OF Power!
irhe promised Redeemer Is come! Tho
Christ! The Anointer The Messiah!
!. And His name Is Jesus
Venite Adoremus Dominurn.
O! dear Jesus, It, is really Thou-our
Lord, our Master. our Loved one! We
hasten to adore Thee. our Infant God!
Z yen.te adoremus Domlnum! We gather
around Thy crib to-day with feelings
Of tsurpe ssing Joy that Thou hast come
l1ao the world TO save us! Our minds