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

asks the devout Ruskin. what Light
IL there. for your eyes. also. pauning
yet. over the place whore the Chjld
lsyf I will tell you. briefly. what
Light there should bev-what lessons
ana promise are In this story, It the
least There may be Infinitely more
than know. but there II certainly
this: Tho Child Il born to bring you
the promise of new life. Heaven
grant to you the vision Of that sacred
Light, and ordain that moro and moro
in each coming Christmas 1t may be
said of you: When they saw the star.
they rejoiced with exceeding great
joy"
A ND II the world knows not the true
n Joy OF Christmas. how may It come
into that realization and experience?
Is the true Joy of Christmas always to
be the possession Of the comparatively
few, while the great majority are un-
conscious Of Its meaning and indiffer-
emit to its blessing? It Is not Gods
purpose that 1t should be thus. Gods
gift OF Saviour was to all the world.
not 70 few In the world. The JOY
Of the angels would not have been COM
plete II they had not been sent with
the message OF good tidings to all
people" But earth's sin was not 80
great, nor earth's sinners SO many, that
sin could not be cleansed by Jesus
blood and every sinner saved. Jesus
began by curing the worst cases of
disease, by cleansing the foulest sim
ners. by raising those who were dead
and rotting In the grave. See His fol-
lowers: Despised Galilean fishermen.
publicans. harlots; Mary. out of whom
seven devils were cast; the man of
Gadara, who had been possessed Of
legion Of devils. the scarlet woman of
Samaria, the thief on the Cross. Think
of those whom Jesus gathered during
His earthly ministry as His followers,
and see IL 1t does not include all types
and grades and classes. There were
the proud and cultured Nicodemus and
the rich Zaccheus. The rich and
the poor. the cultured and the igno-
rant. found In Jesus deliverance from
sin. And few years later the chief
est OF sinners, Saul. was brought to the
feet of Jesus as he neared Damascus
gate. 1t is Gods will that oil should
know the true Joy of Christ and Christ
mas. And 1t may be known by that
act of faith and surrender which for
sakes self as a lost sinner, and ac-
cepts Christ as the only Saviour. Then
the first Christmas Joy is the present
Christmas Joy, or, as, Phillips Brooks
so beautifully says:
shall we not listen while they sing
This latest Christmas morn.
And music hear In everything,
And faithful lives In tribute bring
To the great song which greets the King
Who comes when Christ Is bornf'
MYTH the true Joy Of Christmas In
w. the heart, what should be the ex-
preston Of 1t in the life? 1t must find
expression. AS well try to dam up the
Niagara or turn the suns light into
the darkness Of night as to try to stifle
the Joy of the heart which IL rejoicing
in Saviour born. Heaven could not
contain the Son of God because of His
great love and the love Of His Father
for the lost human race. And the
heart cannot shut up the Joy of Christ
mas which vibrates and thrills with
the message OF a Saviour. 1t must find
expression. And how? Listen again
to the song of the angels:
''Glory to God in the highest
And upon earth peace
Among men good pleasure!'
A triple expression of that Joy: Praise
to God, the giver OF the Saviour! Peace
through the Saviour upon the earth!
Good pleasure among men by the OPP
Grafton Of that supreme spirit of love
and service which comes from fellow
ship with the Christ. II the world has
taken Christmas day by violence, and
filled its sacred hours with thought
less revelry, II 1t has crushed In the
mire of It's sin and pleasure its bless
ed memories, let the Christian be not
dismayed or disheartened, but let him
drink into his soul all the sacred. ten
der Joy Of the Christmas time, Of q Sa-
viour born, OF Saviour received, and
give expression to that Joy in way so
full and free that 1t must needs ex-
ert Its influence upon all about. How
shall we give? Give a. God gives to
thee. From Him come,
christmas gifts for thee.
Full and free!
Precious things from tho Heavenly store.
Filling thy casket more and more;
Golden love In Divinest chain,
That never can be untwined again:
Silvery carols Of joy that swell
| Sweetest OF all In the hearts lone cell: :
Pearls OF peace that were sought for thee
| In the terrible depths CT a nery sea;
Diamond promises sparkling bright.
Flashing In farthest reaching light.
christmas gifts for thee,
Grand and sfreel
Christmas gifts from the King Of love.
| Brought from His royal home above;
Brought to thee In the far on land.
Brought to thee by His own dear hand.
Promises held by Christ for thee.
Peace as river flowing free.
Joy that In His own Joy must 1--we.
And love that Infinite Love can give.
| Surely thy heart of hearts uplifts
Carols of praise for such Christmas giftsr'
Oh. how God gives. gives, givesl Shall
we only sing carols OF praise to Him a
/ ~..~ H. NH - k~<ssn