The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-12-24

4
| the almost uniVer-
sal recognition among the progressive
and enlightened nations Of the earth or
| the fact of Jesus advent into the
| world and His vicarious mission. We
| speak of the Christian nations, and
mean those nations which have been
dominated by the enlightened spirit OF
righteousness and truth Of which
| Jesus was the expression and expo
nent. The mustard seed has grown
| TIC be the great tree, spreading Its
| branches everywhere, and the nations
| the birds of the air-haYe found
EIodgment therein. To-day the Christ
mas bells ring round the earth, and
| peal forth their message of joy and
good cheer, even though the notes OF
| its truest Message often are not heard.
/ A large part Of the world to-day has
| its Christmas, but has il the Christ?
/ 1t celebrates the GROWING event OF the
ages, but does it appreciate all that
| that celebration should mean2 Is 1t
1 the stable where the Christ has been
| given place and welcome? or is it the
| inn crowded, and busy, and resting in
ease and comfort with no place or
| provision made for the Christi Our
text suggests contrasts so sharp and
| painful that we cannot but be Im-
| pressed by them as we mediate there
Oh. The stable and the inn. The one
| for the beast, the other for man.
| The one poor and cherries and COM
| fortress, the other fitted at least with
| the common comforts and conyeniences
which could minister to the needs of
ran. The one the only place where
| the Son of God could find shelter. the
| other the place which was SO crowded
| and filed that 1t shut out the Christ.
| DUT there is a brighter side to the
- contrast The stable, though poor
and bare of comforts, shone with the
holy light of Gods presence, and well
| coined the newborn King to the best
/ il could provide, while the inn had
only the feeble light of mans pro-
yiding and missed the glory of the Di-
vine presence. The stable became
,s5arked on the chart Of Gods pur-
poses, while the inn was indeIlbly
/ Stamped with the stigma of inhospital-
| ily. The stable became the center of
/ interest for the angelic hosts as they
sang OF the Saviour born, and told the
wondering shepherds where the Babe
was to be found, while the inn passes
| into the ohscurity Of oblivion. The
/ stable passes down into history gIori-
| fed and dignifed by the distinction OF
being the birthplace of the Lord and
| King. while the inn has no place of
Eenor on history's page, but stands out
| as the monument of missed opportu-
| nifty, in having turned the expeetant
| mother from its unfeeIing doorway.
| Such were the contrasts upon that first
I Christmas night Do the same con-
trasts exist to-day? Have we still the
| stable and the inn-the place that
makes room for the Saviour. and the
place that crowds Him out? Every
| where to-day we hear the song Of the
! angels caught up by man, we see the
| giadness and JOY OF the Christmas eel
ebTation, and amidst all the festivities
| may we not well ask ourselves: Is it
the stable or the inn?
| RI He fact that Christmas. the anniver-
| 4 sary Of the birth of Christ, is ceie-
brated is not enough. One may share
/ in all the activities and pleasures oil
the day, and still be an inmate of the
inn, and stranger to the true signifi-
canoe of the birth IN the stable One
may hear the wonderful Divine mystery
| whereby the Son Of God left Heaven and
became flesh through the operation OF
/ the Holy Spirit, and still be blind to the
/ Divine light that filled the stable re
cesses. Think you not that the inn was
astir next day with the news Of The
events which had transpfred IN the
stable? Think You not that every one
was talking of the Babe in TIE Iaanger
/ OF the story of the shepherds and their
visit in the early morning. Ere the
mornings sun had climbed the Beth
lehem hills and gilded the. distant noun
tain heights with its. golden spIendor
1 feel sure that the mighty secret of that
stable became known not only to all in
/ the inn, but to all in the little village
/ of Bethlehem. And SO to-day the story
of the birth of the Christ is known and
Tehearsed among men, they celebrate
| the event with eagerness and Joy. and
still the Christ is absent kept out By
! the crowded condition Of the inn. The
news OF the birth Of Jesus has reached
the inn and it freely joins in the ceIe-
bration Of the event, but the stable
where room is found for Jesus is the
aplace where the true celebration is held.
You may be content with the festivities
of the inn. and never care to enter into
the deeper joys Of the stable where
Jesus is. As Of old. It is the question
/ of the stable or the inn. 1Vhare are you
content TO celebrate the Christmas fes-
tiya1? verify believe the saddest day
in Heaven is Christmas day. because as
the angelic hosts look upon earth ffaev
behold all manner OF reveIry and fes.
/ tiVities in the name Of Jesus. while fhe
One Whose birthday it IS is shut out
No place for Him IN the inn. There Is
too much going On. There are too many
plans laid. There are too many othe,
friends to be entertained. And SO II Il
the inn instead Of the stable. The
Christ IS shut out,
/ ONE one has told the story of a ladJ
/ ~ who. one Christmas eve. was walk