Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-12-31

great joy that Jesus came to save.
shall not you and | on this glorious
Christmas Sabbath day start forth to
announce. as did the angelic messenger.
that Christ has come Ia save all who
will believe on him ard he saved: Can
any man hear this good news and not
want To spread il abroad: Can we
fully realize that through Christ we
shall live and yet not want To 20 forth
to herald the tidings that Christ has
come 10 save our neishbors as well as
ourselves:
Shall we not he as anxious To spread
abroad the news that our Saviour is
porn as were our ancestors To scatter
the news. July 1. l716, that the birth
of IL new government had taken place
In old Independence hall of Ihladel-
pha: When the Declaration of indie
pendence was about TO be signed
couriers We're waiting upon the edge
OF the city 10 carry the news 10 every
part of the new nation. The signal
was to he given to these messengers
by the ringing of the old Liberty bell.
The aged sexton stood in the belfry.
his trembling hands upon the rope.
When the last member had put his
name 10 the immortal document the
grandson of the sexton ran up the
rickety stairs. crying. Ring. grand
father. ring" The old bell. worth to
American sentiment more than its
weight in gold. rang so loud that its
heart broke. The couriers dug their
spurs into the horses TANKS and rode
from town To town. from village TO
village and from city TO city. They
rode as fast ms Paul Revere did when
he carried the news of the British
marching into Lexington and Concord.
They rode carrying the news, the glad
news. that IL new nation was born.
Shall not we do as did the joyful pa
triots: Shall not we carry the news
of Christ's birth not only to our
friends but to the distant islands of
the seas:
World Has Changed Since Then.
The civilized world has grown larger
than it was on that first Christmas
morn The geographical map has I'M
dergOne many changes. Great eXplor-
ing parties have discovered new CONT
nents. The farthermost lands have been
found to be inhabited. During the life
of the ancient wise men and the Shep-
herds there We're comparatively few of
the inhabitants of the world who heard
of Christ's name. Millions of the inhab-
itants of the world today have never
heard of Christ's name y large part of
the remainder is entirely Indifferent TO
the teachings of the gospel. Therefore
to the Christians Christmas day ought
TO be the most OppOrtune of all days
for proclaiming the Saviour's mission.
Every home every street corner. every
family gathering. should he place
where the deeper. holier purposes of
Christ's life are to he explained by
those who have felt the love and the
mercy and the tenderness and the hope
that have come to the believing hearts
that have gathered about the manger.
So may this Christmas day find the
love which binds mans heart to man
as well as mans heart to God. May
God save us all not only on account of
the love Christ bears us. but also on
account of the saving Christian love
We bear our fellow men. In Brahman
mythology there is beautiful legend
told that in the beginning God created
man and woman and placed them in
the center of an island. This island
was called Paradise. Every tree
branch of that island was an aeolian
harp with thousand strings: every
wind was many fingered musician,
thumbing the sweetest of music. Ev-
cry day went arm in arm with two
other days. for there was no night
there. not even Il star. Brahma told
this bride and groom whom he had
created not To leave this island. for if
they did they would surely perish. But
one morning-all the days there had
mornings and evenings. but no night
one morning beautiful mirage off in
the distance began to beckon the young
man. The cataracts waved their white
skirts of foam, crying: Come. Come"
There the deer. with great eyes of Won
dermcnt. watched as the birds sang:
Come. Come. Why don't you Gomez"
So the young man called for his bride.
and they started forth ont of the is
land. No sooner did they pass over
the little neck of land separating them
from the mainland than this beautiful
mirage vanished. The rocks began to
grOan and crack. the vapor was licked
up. the mountains closed in. and they
We're in prison.
When the eXecutioner of Brahma
came TO lead them forth to eternal
death the young man cried out: 'Oh.
executiOner. kill me- but not my loved
one 1t was my fault. not hers"
Then" answered Brahma. Il will
Stay thee and not thy wife" Nay"
answered the wife. IF thou wilt not
save my husband then let me die for
/ would sooner be with my loved one
in death than live in Paradise alone"
Then" says the legend. Ion account
of this wondrous love for each other
Brahma saved them both
This is heather legend But is Il
heather legend to have more Christian
love in it than we have? On this
syIoriouc Christmas Sabbath morninp