The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-12-20

hands together In rapture, she ex-
claimed. again and again: "Ah! that
is beautiful" And ahi how many there
are who. like the little blind girl befor>
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 meaningi Ahi 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 losti 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. a 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 was!
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
selfishness 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 II 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?
"'Tis 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 love and good
The reign of Christ-like brotherhood"
uD HE stable typifies open-hearted re-
J. 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 its coun'
terpart in our lives where the cares and
activities of this life would crowd out
the claims OF God upon US, and make VI
prone to turn the Christ away with tn,
excuse that there is no room, that we ar,
busy providing for the present guests
who have found lodgment with US. tt
reject Christ does not require that w
show open enmity and hatred towards
Him. Christ was not driven from tn.
door of that inn at Bethlehem In crue
hatred. IL was enough that Mary ant
Joseph should be told. perhaps ever 81
politely and regretfully, that there wa
no room. II served the same purpose o
shutting out the Christ. and so with yo'
and me- We may know Of no bitter op
position or hatred ruling in the hear
which keeps the Christ out. All that 4
necessary is to be so filled and crowde,
with other things as to lead US to turI
Him politely away. and say: Som
day. when we are not so pressed 70
room and time. We will be glad to vel
come you" But Jesus does not wait ol
such invitation. The opportunity o
sheltering the Christ came to the inl
, but once. and that opportunity lost wa
lost forever. and so 1t may be with you
Jesus comes at this Christmas time. H
seeks for room and shelter In your heart
Will you not make place for Him ther
at once. even though every other thin
has to be turned out and given up?
ND once within, let the Saviour hav
, "A the best the place affords. The man
ger was not much. 1t was a rude, roug
, place. and yet as 1t was surrendered |
, became the cradle Of the newborn KIM
, What you have may seem mean and poo
, and unusable. But II it is surrendere
/, to the Christ, He will find use for 4
4