Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-12-24


hands together in rapture, she ex-
claimed, again and again: "Ahi that
Is beautiful" And ali. how many there
are who, like the little blind girl before
the show window in Berlin, where the
scene-of Jesus birth was depicted. stand
beholding the Christmas celebration
and yet because Of blindness Of heart
they do not see and realize its hidden
beauty and meaningl All how we
would love to throw our arms about
such and try and tell them all the Won
derful story Of Gods love and Gods gift!
How we long to bring such to open the
heart and make room for the Christ
Who has come into the world to seek
and to save the lostl Why stay in the
inn, away from the Christ, when we
may enter into His very presence and
realize. as did the shepherds that night,
that unto US is born In the city of
David, Saviour, Which is Christ the
Lord?" Between the experience OF the
Inn and the stable there is the same diff
ference as that which marked the blind
girl and her little friends. God grant
that you may be as willing and as
eager to hear the message as the blind
child wasi
| WHAT is the message Of the stable?
w What is the message Of the inn?
One stands for cooperation with God,
the other rejection and indifference to
His claims. One becomes the recipient
OF blessing, and the medium Of exalted
service, while the other in narrow
selfshness loses both blessing and the
privilege of service. The characteristics
of the stable and the inn are still to be
marked in the world to-day. There are
those who are willing to receive the
Christ, and who thus become instru-
ments in Gods hands of great service
and blessing. On the other hand, there
are those who typify the inn and refuse
the Christ admittance, and maintain an
attitude of supreme Indifference to His
claims upon them. At the glad Christ
mas time what more fitting occasion on
which to consider this supreme ques-
ton? With you and me 1t Is either the
stable or the inn. There is no neutral
ground. The Christ child, the Christ
mas gift of God to men. comes to every
heart and seeks for admission. Shall
the rejection of the inn, or the welcome
OF the stable, mark our attitude?
"'Tfs not enough that Christ was born
Beneath the star that shone,
And earth was set that morn
Within a golden zone
He must be born within the heart
Before He finds His throne,
And brings the day of 1--we and good
The reign Of Christ-like brotherhood"
Il HE stable typifies open-hearted re-
l. ception of the Christ, willing sur
render Of the best we have to the Christ,
and acceptable service rendered for the
Christ The first essential need is the
making room for Jesus. The crowded
condition of the inn may find it's coun-
terpart in our lives where the cares and
activities of this life would crowd out
| the claims of God upon us, and make us
prone to turn the Christ away with the
excuse that there is no room, that we are
busy providing for the present guests
who have found lodgment with us. To
reject Christ does not require that we
show open enmity and hatred towards
Him. Christ was not driven from the
door of that inn at Bethlehem in cruel
hatred. 1t was enough that Mary and
Joseph should be told, perhaps ever so
politely and regretfully, that there was
no room. 1t served the same purpose Of
shutting out the Christ, and so with you
and me. We may know of no bitter OPP
position or hatred ruling in the heart
which keeps the Christ out. All that is
necessary is to be so filled and crowded
with other things as to lead us to turn
Him politely away, and say: Some
day, when we are not so pressed for
room and time, we will be glad to well
come you" But Jesus does not wait on
such invitation. The opportunity OF
sheltering the Christ came to the inn
but once, and that opportunity lost was
lost forever, and so it may be with you
Jesus comes at this Christmas time. He
seeks for room and shelter in your heart.
Will you not make place for Him there
at once. even though every other thing
has to be turned out and given up?
A ND once within, let the Saviour have
IA the best the place affords. The man
ger was not much. 1t was a rude, rough
place, and yet as 1t was surrendered 1t
became the cradle Of the newborn King.
What you have may seem mean and poor
and unusable. But If 1t is surrendered
to the Christ, He will find use for 1t.
He will glorffy and honor it with His
presence. He will make it the medium
of blessing to others. II that humble
manger had had the power Of speech and
had the spirit of some who have admit
ted the Christ to their lives and hearts,
imagine can hear it speaking on this
wise: 81 would so like to do something
for this Christ. Oh, if were only like