The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-26
ENTERING INTO THE
SPIRIT OF CHRISTIANS.
Reverend John -. Pcrrin Says Many
DO Not See Real Significance
of the Event.

At the West End Church of New
Thought yesterday morning the Reverend
John y. Perrin spoke on the Living
Christ" He said. in part:
The atmosphere vibratcs to-day with
the Joyous. happy greeting of Merry
Christmas Millions of hearts rejoice
Brothers. sisters, friends greet each other
with Il sweet saiutation, and life, mani
Testing Itself in love, il seen and felt on
every side. The heart of the child Is made
glad with new toy: the elder children.
too. are happy as they give and receive
gifts. Chris hrinSlc holds sway and deep
indeed in the Hire of ignorance and de-
spaii must be the one whose soul does
hot yibratC IN harmony with the every
wherc-preSent spirit of love.
Amongst The many millions who to-day
are celebrating the Christmas time are
there any VINO do not see beneath the let
Have we those who do not perceive the
real significance OF the event commence
rated? If We are permitted to judge from
that which is seen in manifestation during
SN.tE these questions in the affirmative,
for we find many who delight in affirming
that Christmas comes but once u year
The letter kiileth, but the spirit max
eth alive. farCeiving no deeper than the
letter, We allow ourselves to li-e in reali-
ty but one out of the Sbo days in the year.
Those who mus perceive commemorate
only the historical event which took place
in the far-off city of Bethlehem ZOO years
ego. and have not rs yet seen the star in
the East To such ;hc Christmas time
has no deeper Significance than that of
giving ana receiving cittS in accordance
with custom. TrE., the custom is Il no.
bic and good Onf. and 10 get into the
snirit OF il is to enter into a consciousness
of real life and consequently reveal the
principle which found such perfect mani
festation in The EaZarine.
ITO read Z. 5ooE and understand what
we read is TO get into the thought and at
titUde of the autho.-, aud to truly COM
mcmoratc the Christmas season ii is nee
essary 10 free ourselves from the customs
which obtain. and by getting into the
spirit. the life. of the Christ. of God. put
into ali Of our gifts the life of the Christ
Observing custom because others do ard
for the sake OF custom itself. We too often
turn backward to the man of GItlilce TO
find the Christ instead Of looking for the
sGrc within our own souls.
Tic Son of God manifested in Jesus
Christ Taught that the true shepherd
would give his lif" for the sheep and it is
th" fulfilling Of This truth by dernunstrl-
ticn which enable; one to &c; into tho
spirit Of the Sulc-tidC. The value of A rift
to the Eiver is that of the degree of the
sell embodied in II, and the value TO
the recipient depends ur0n his ability to
appropriate what is embodied 1t Is not
how many dollars the gift represents. but
what degree of the self 1t contains If
'BllSt Is tDin In the individual! and IL
CeiEed not rs IN historical event. but as
an cv"r-pr"Sent principle. such individual
viii put the real self into his every act
that his word, his smile. or glad good
morning. may be the one chord that will
find 4 response in the soul OF another and
enable him to hear the angelic choir as
II sings Peace on Earth. Good VIII to
Man: II may penetrate the caiious of ma
terialStic beliefs and far cies. and point the
way to the manger of humility wnerc the
Christ ia always born.
Entering into the spirit of the occa-
sion it is possible for Us to give the self
to the world. not on one day, but every
day. every nour. every moment: in fact.
the filling of each word and act with the
life Of the Christ il a natural and COM
ception.
''Ye are the light of the world. but how
large is your world? is 1t pcoplci by
few or many: has it boundaries or Is it
limited? Whatever your sphere. however
broad or narrow your world fill il with
the light. life and love of the Son of God.
Thus will it vihrate always with 10Y and
G!adn9ss. and such as inhabit it will know
what II melns to be in tune with the In
finite Thus will you prove the Christ
here, ana now this proof will appear to
the world.
Beloved. new Christ is born in me
this day. or "atnef. l have I. more com
piote conception of the birth and the at
tendant possibilities. | see that what hui
manly rclches ont for is not clIstorr- and
fair conveItionalit!es: the human soul de-
mands that it find the Christ of God here.
today. now. Oh. if the millions who to-
day are following the custom of the sea
son only penetrated beneath the letter and
into the spirit there would be such an
awakening as has never before been
known: mel and women evarywberc
would be giving the self, the real life. the
Christ In them. to the world. and there
would be fulfilled in manifestation the
promises of Jesus Christ that greater love
hath no man than this. that "A man Law
down his life for his friend To lay down
ones life for the world does not mean to
pass out OF the body of flesh and bones.
but rather to give that life to all who can
and Will receive it."