The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-12-24

that Tnsy save vhssr prsssnte becausA
from 90 imn,ener1al IL eold, The
frankincense and the myrrh have al.
ways been suggestive symbols in wor-
ship. It is one act to bow at the man.
ger; It IL another act to give yourself
as an Offering to Christ. The motive
which prompts the Christmas gifts ID
Of more Importance than the intrinsic
value Of the gifts themselves.
Where did the wise men go after
they had seen the infant Christ and
rendered their homage at the mangerg
Why, the Bible tells us explicitly they
went back home. God spoke to them.
as he has spoken to the hearts Of many
who have bowed at the manger. and
they went back to their own country.
History Is silent about their later lives.
but we cannot think that they would
ever forget that strange experience.
No man comes In contact with Christ
without results. They probably thought
Of him as world conQueror and babe
their disciples expect to hear Of his
victories. Little could they have i'm
agined the extent Of his empire or un-
derstand how. through the cross, he
would attain his crown.
What is the simple deduction Of this
thought and lessonl Is II not this:
After you and I have worshiped at the
manger, In the fuller light Of our later
day, then We should everywhere, but
first among our own people. tell the
news, the glorious news. that Jesus,
the Son Of God. has been born. We
must tell II to our children. We must
tell II to our brothers and sisters. We
must tell II to our parents and to all eur
friends and neighbors. Behold, Jesus
has been born! Jesus. our Saviour has
been bornl He lives! He lives! Jesus,
the Son of Mary, lives! Jesus. the Son
Of God, livesr'
Thus our mission on this Christmas
day is to seek the Manager and while we
study it, lessons and mediate on its
humiliation to practice the sweet teach
ings OF Jssss Christ, which cannot bet.
ter be summed up than by briefly re-
peatihg ooa Of the most beautiful & all
Christmas stsries. II 10 that written
BY Henry Van Dyke. Il is appropriate.
ly called The Other Wise Man." Dr.
Van Dyke wrote the STORY In great
pain.
II We The year bis father Died and
year oe much physical suffering. One
night while lying awake, unab,s 10
sleep and tossing upoa Ais bed. h BE-
gan 10 think Of the legends clustering
about the ''three wise men," Then
there CAM 10 him q vision Of q fourth
wise man." who had the eeatle name
Of A1taban Tns abbrsviatiou Of the
whole stssy 10 this: When the star ap-
psared h IN east, four mael felt that
they NEST put their household, goods In
ogdee before they took their journey.
Thsy deesdsA to meet at certain place
at ssrAin tine lpon the sags Of the
gneat DESERT Artaban made yesdy for
his Journey By selling his house and
worldly goods and buying three beau
tlfl gems which he could carry-name-
ly. a sapphire. a ruby. ana 4 pearl. On
his way to meet his appointment Arta-
ban came across q poor beggar who
was dying, a beggar who had NO
friends, a beggar who was dying alone.
After nursing the poor beggay until he
died Artaban hurried on to meet his
appointment, but the three magi had
already gone. The other wise man had
to retrace his steps, sell one Of his
gems, his sapphire, and buy a train Of
camsls to make the journey alone.
The next scene in the story Of "The
Other Wise Man" is found In the vii
lage Of Bethlehem. Jesus had been
born, and the three nad had disap-
peared As Artaban entered the VII
lage he heard the tramp Of bloody
Herods troops. who had come to mas
sacre all the male children In Jud0a,
with the hope Of staying the infant
Christ. A poor woman rushes out
pleading for the rescue Of her child.
The young mothers face grew white
with terror at the cry: THE soldiers!
The soldiers Of Herod! They are kill
ing our children When a captain Of
Herod's troops wanted to enter this
woman's house to slay her child Arta-
ban stood In the doorway and offered
to the murderous soldier his second
gem, the beautiful ruby, II he would
save the child. Now two thirds Of Ar
taban's fortune was gone, and still he
had not found Christ.
Then Ataban started on journey
to Egypt to find Jesus. He hunted for
him everywhere until he was a very
old man. One day, in bis wandsrings
u find the Saviour. he headsd hack 70
the city Of Jerusalem. The capital Of
David was In great excitement. There
was to be a public crucin xion Of three
criminals-two thieves and one a p0-
lftical prisoner. Jesus BY name. A.
Artaban entered the city be saw Q
young g4rI in great distress. She was
to be sold as a slave for debt. She
broke loose from her capto1 and flung
herself at his feet, bsgSing for dehv.