The Grenada sentinel., 1903-12-26

pose OF accomplishing . great spirit
ual conquest over the hearts of men,
but through the influence of that spir-
itual conquest has been wrought great
transformation in material things. The
influence of the Christ is felt upon
every hand. Civil and religious lib
erty. the safeguarding of life and
property. the exaltation and protec-
ton of the home, and the elevation of
womanhood and the deepening sense
of responsibility towards childhood
have come as direct effects of the devel-
opment of Christianity in the world.
Practically all that the world possesses
of material progress and prosperity is
the result of Christ's advent into the
world. l do not wonder that the world
rejoices at Christmas time. even though
it does not realize the true message:
of Christmas and know it's true and
deepest JOY. 1t has received untold
material blessings from the Christ,
even though it has refused to receive
the spiritual, and it is truly signif-
cant, we say. that Christmas is so uni
versally observed. The world uncon-
sciously pays tribute to the One Who
has given it such great material bless
ing, and Who waits to become it's
Saviour and King.
\ ND if the world has missed the
~ true JOY of Christmas as pro-
claimed by the angels, what is that
joy? How may the world come to
know that joy? What will be the
0f hof -
all, what is that joy? The angel said:
Behold, bring you good tfdings of
great Joy" And all Heaven was filled
with the song of that joy on that
first Christmas morning. Never before
was such song heard. Never before
did Heaven pour forth her bright hosts
upon earth as it did upon the night
when Jesus was born. And what was
that joy which filled all the heavens
and was to become known unto men
and in time fill all the earth? 1t was
not that superficial joy which is de-
pendent upon the material senses for
realization. It was not that joy which
echoes and reechoes around the world
at Christmas time. What was that
joy, then? And to tell what that Joy
was, we must search out the source of
!. that joy. Joy does not exist solely
of itself. 1t is the manifestation of
something which lies behind it and
which gave it birth. To appreciate the
quality and degree of your joy one
must know the causes from which that
joy arose. To understand the true joy
of Christmas one must trace back to
it's source that joy and know the thing
upon which it depends "A Saviour
born" was the burden of the angels
message. Here was the reason for
the joy of Heaven. Here was why the
earth should rejoice. The JOY of
Heaven was great because the Christ
which it gave to earth was its
best gift to man. The joy of the
earth was to be great in proportion as
it received and appropriated the gift.
Christ was and is the source and in
spiration of true Christmas joy. First,
because of the supreme need of man
which brought Him to earth, and Sec
ond, because of His power to supply
and satisfy that need-the disease and
the remedy; man lost in sin, Jesus
mighty to save. A disease without a
remedy is pitiable and distressing and
ends in death. A remedy unbestowed
is powerless for good; it abideth alone.
But disease, be it ever SO desperate,
to which is applied a remedy which
is able to cure, issues in health and
brings unspeakable joy. Men of sci
ence search for a lifetime for the rem
edy for some distressing and fatal dis
ease and count 1t time we'll spent when
they have succeeded, and joyfully give
their discovery to suffering humanity.
Here is joy profound and deep, but
who can measure the joy which
Heaven felt when it bestowed its rem
edy for sin. There was rejoicing
among the angels, and man was called
to join in that song of JOY and praise
@HR1STMAS, then, reminds us of q
~ world lost in sin, and Of a Saviour
come to save, and the joy of Christ
mas is known when the Saviour's pow
er Isl tested and the sinners need sup
piled. Think Of the world to which
Jesus came-a world lost in the depths
of sin. No home ready to receive
Him; forced to lie in q manger. Few
hearts ready to welcome Him; shut
out with His handful of followers
from the nation whose King He had
come to be. Alone in the wilderness
to fight His battle with the devil: !:
alone at His trial when He is con-
demned; alone on the cross as He
cries In agony Of spirit as He bears
The sin Of the world Ny God! NY
God! Why hast Thou fOrsakAn Mo4n