Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-11-13

his back upon the mighty waves OF the
Atlantic ocean, he turned his face to-
ward Marston moor and IslIp bridge
and Naseby and Preston until at last
Oliver Cromwell became the ruler of
England and King Charles head fell at
the stroke Of the public executioner's
/ AK. When a little child was born in the
Island OF Corsica. II did not, from a
worldly standpoint, seem to amount to
| much, and when that unknown and OBJ
scure young man, grown from that lit
tie boy. was for a long time i'm doubt
whether he would enter the Italian ar
my or not that did not seem to amount
TO much, but when that young man en-
tered the French army IL meant the
overthrow OF European thrones; II
meant the tragedy OF Moscow; IL meant
the booming guns of Wagram and Wa
terloo; 10 meant the changing of the ye-
ographical map of all Europe Infinite
iy more momentous was the apparently
Insignificant event of that birth i'm the
Bethlehem stable, for 1t was the start
ing OF forces which are revolutiopizing
the whole world. In your second birth,
D man, who can tell what forces may
have their beginning affecting all time
and all eternity?
The Manager Christ teaches that even
I'm the darkest days OF an earthly Chris
tian's life he is never out of sight OF an
omnipotent Fathers protecting care
AS we climb the rocky heights upon
which is builded the little village Of
Bethlehem and walk alsng the deserted
streets I'm the midnight hour of the first
Christmas day and see the little candle
light of stableman's lantern fitting
about the pale face Of Mary the Virgin
we might at first think that God the
Father had deserted and left alone Je-
sus the Divine Son. But did he? Could
Jesus during any time OF his earthly
life truly say that the Divine Father
had forsaken him, as he once I'm dying
agony asked upon the cross? Oh. no.
Weeks or perhaps months before the
nativity God had prepared a place by
which the infant Christ should be able
to escape the murderous sword Of the
bloody tyrant, Herod. Weeks or Der.
haps months before Jesus was born the
strange star appeared In the far east.
That star even then had guided the
three wise men over the mountains and
through the villages and over the long.
hot. thirsty desert that they should be
hble to kneel at the manger. II was
through the warnings Of these three
wise men that Jesus would be able to
escape into Egypt. In the darkness of
that Bethlehem night angel wings were
spread over that humble stable, angel
forms surrounded the virgin mother
n nh
Monarch of the ages with a heavenly
song. They sang so loud that the shep-
herds upon the hillsides fell down I'm q
swoon. And so I'm the darkest days of
our lives, when we feel that we are for
saken by God and man, Gods angels
are watching us. Gods eyes are seeing
Us, Gods ear Is hearing us, Gods pro-
tecting love Is all around us. We are
no more forsaken by God than the man.
ger of Bethlehem was celestially for
saken on the night that Jesus was born.
The God who Loves.
The omnipresent God will not for one
instant, even in the darkest of DAYS.
turn n deaf or an unheeding ear TO the
weakest and most helpless OF all his
children. One day the baby boy OF
distressed father and mother was very
sick. When their little girl was about
to be put to bed on the night OF the
crisis OF the disease she came to her
father. Then. I'm her sweet, girlish way.
she said: Papa, won't you pray to
God tonight that baby brother might
get well2 am only a wee little bit OF
n girl. and God might not be willing to
hear me pray. but God would always
have time to listen to you pray. for you
are great big. strong man." With
that the sobbing father took his little
girl into his arms as he said: ooh. my
darling. God will have time to hear
you pray for your baby brother. II
you will pray. my darling. for your
little brother, though you are n little
bit OF girl. God, II necessary, win
turn to the angels and say: Angels.
stop that singing. Stop that singing,
right away For way down on earth
there In wee little bit OF a girl who IA
praying for her baby brother, and I
want to lsten." And as that Chris
tan father spoke to his little girl I say
to you, I'm this Christmas sermon. no
matter, o man or woman, how hu-
manly helpless you may be; no matter
how dark your days may seem TO be,
God is always ready to listen to your
cry IL you will only call upon him for
help. God is always ready to protect
you with his love. even as his guardian
angels and the star Of the east lowered
over the mangcr on the night that
Jesus was born
Thus, my dear people, in this Christ
mas sermon l have tried to preach to
you manager of hope and OF good
cheer and OF gospel triumph. I have
tried to preach this kind Of q sermon
because I want this Christmas to be
the brightest and the happiest and the
merriest of all your lives. And now /
want to sum up all my parting advice
before we separate for the holiday fes-
tivities OF the coming week. want
you to carry into your homes two am
billions. The first Is to make this
Christmas the happiest day. In tenn
poral sense. Of your chiidren's lives.
Lift high your Christmas tree and light
the candles. Give as many presents az
you can afford to your loved ones, as
the wise men brought the gold and
frankincense and myrrh to Jesus.
Make the home merry with frolic and
fun. And. IL 1t must be. let your chill
dren eat as many good things as you
can for just once a year. But the sec.
ond advice is OF far greater impor-
lance In the evening hour of Christ
mas night when the tired limbs and
heavy eyes are about ready for bed tell
the little ones as well as the big ones
OF the family circle the great underly-
Ing principles OF the manger Lift the
cross as high as you can. Tell them
why Jesus was born and why Jesus
had to die. Then the Christmas day
will truly be a happy day and also a
holy day. And SO, one and all, bid
you farewell for the most sacred and
the best week Of the year. wish
you In true, pure, spiritual sense q
merry, merry Christmas!