The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-12-28
CHRISTMAS GLADNBSS.
SERMON By REV MR.. HILER At
EPWoRTH CHURCH

Christ the Hope OF the worId-No Hope
of Permanent Peace Outside of the
Christian Life-some OF the Reasons
for Christmas Joy.
Notwithstanding the storm there was
a good attendance at Epworth M E.
church yesterday morning, and the pro-
gramme OF service was carried out in
a very pleasing way. The music was
very excellent and received many words
of marked commendation from many
delighted auditors after service. The
evening exercises were given according
TO the programme, the choir rendering
Adams cantata Holy Child"
The sermon BY the pastor. Rev. Mr..
Hitler, in the morning was based on the
text GLORY to God in the Highest"
Mr.. HiIer preached with much earnest
ness and power and all listened with
deep attention to the words of this loved
preacher and pastor. Mr.. Hitler, after
speaking of the joys which Christmas
week brings in family reunions congrat-
ulations, friendship, gifts of loving re-
membrance, all in keeping with the glad
spirit emenating from the birth of the
Saviour, spoke Of the divine goodness in
ordering the plan Of mans redemption
and of the glad acclaim the world over,
wherever Christ is worshipped. Pro-
ceeding the pastor said: ..4- H..
The only hope for permanent peace
Cor this world Is in Jesus Christ. Men
by nature are in state of hostility with
heaven and with each other. The carnal
mind is enmity against God. He who
sins wars against His Maker and s.
foe to God was ne'er true friend to
man. TX 5@as+ .s..-.:
But far down the ages the angels were
permitted to behold the achievements
of the blessed gospel of the worlds Re-
deemer, and foretell in song and coming
of the day when the peace of reconcilia-
tion and pardon should prevail between
God and man, and the peace of COM
mon love to Christ should bind in holy
friendship the many millions Of the hui
man family.
s'And on earth peace" the angels
sang. And it is to be such peace as
to include mans highest welfare and
blessing for the present and the future.
Even in our day this is strange song
to be heard amid the wars and strifes
of earth and the discordant tumults Of
the human soul. But we have substan-
tial reason to believe that Christ Is rap
idly bringing man into peace with His
creation. There is evidence in abundance
to show that man has been alienated
from God by wicked works. He feels
in the depths of his own nature that he
has done. that which is work in the
sight of God and lives in constant fear
that the wrath Of heaven will be poured
out upon him without measure. But
when the child was born who should
destroy the enmity in the heart Of man,
the love Of God began to flow freely.
forth to the sinner as it could not flow
before and there was peace. And then
in setting man at peace with God,
Christ began to bring them into peace
with themselves and their surroundings
by making them responsive to the di-
vine laws of righteousness which are
designed to prepare the human soul
for the larger enjoyment Of peace. Then
still further, In breaking down mans
enraity with God and with himself
Christ breaks down also mans enmity
with his brother. selfishness, more than
anything else, is the root Of all the di-
visions upon earth, from the trivial dis
turbance that destroys the peace of a
household to the mighty war that brings
desolation and death upon half a CONT
nent. But the Son OF God was made |
flesh to- uproot this self1shness in the
human heart and to plant love there in
its place and though the day may be at |
present far distant. it will vet arrive |
when the nations shall not learn war !
any more. Such. then, is the peace of |
God that is to prevail on this earth |
a peace that passeth all understanding
"a peace that the world can neither |
give nor take away. This peace be-
comes the fruit Of the gospel in each |
soul that receives it and is at last to be |
the ultimate result of the gospel |
throughout the world.
Good will toward men" The great |
est and best news on earth is that God |
has good will towards the whole human /
race. It was a fact well known on the |
earth long before the Messiah came,
even heather nations had come to see, |
that there was peace among those with /
whom God was well pleased. But what |
the world needed and was SO anxious to
hear was that God could have good will I
toward all men; that the just and right |
eous God who inhabits eternity can look
with compassion upon his sinful, rebel
lious and unworthy creatures lying in
darkness and the shadow of death; that /
the infinite Father can love each erring,
wandering prodigal, defiled with sin. L,o
bring to earth this sweet message to
publish the glad tidings that God SO /
loved the world that he gave His only |
begotten Son that whoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have ever
lasting life,', was a work for which
angel messengers alone were worthy. 4
u Our God issnot like the Hindu dietyI
Kali, represented as de1ighting in the
blood Of men slain on his affairs, nor like |
Buddha, who lies in eternal slumber, in
different to the welfare of the world;
nor like Jupiter, holding bachanal
Peasts on mount Olympus while nations |
were at war ON earth: but our God
IS kind and loving Father whose ten
Ter mercy and care make possible the
happiness of His obedient children.
In that manger-cradle at Bethlehem
God made known His good will toward
,ne another. and thus hasten the reign
If peace on earth. Whether it be called
u.