The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-25
49, III MI - - n \ \ i,i v
S;;s1The sManger.'
Iaelcoted y ~ ~ y, N mines. 15ispatohI)t

HI the Inn, !,5I ST Luke, IL, 6 GS b
lis tt3not true to-day w hat e the as-
poet d ,our$b,sy and ,inbelevlns world?
Is itS not thu epeated picture OF that
Inn At ettlehem, In which was no room
for Jesus n Does not the pilot, Of the
Christ typify with strange q ace e
cllracys the way His Gospel is still ro n
ceivcd BY the world7 t A ~ IA c n
THE Gospel I'D, not fought against, nor
frankly met In any way. It is simply
out. Christ comes With 7 His Zig.
truth to the intellect, What e the an y,
swer? Every chamber, from garnet 70 70
cellar. Is pre-engaged. Science, morals 's
physics. politics, history, art--all n these l'
are with us. and must be royalty fed fed
ana lodged. For this new applicant there a't
Is no room In the linn J, ny
Christ comes with Ills work to he will,
but what chance for any entrance, when
all 4 the avenues Of the will IRE packed
to stagnat ton with little epfeneE'rrial plans N
OF great, absorbing schemes, which
have taken 81 Up their permanent abode a i Z
Tho inn Is full. Il ID
Christ comes with His love to the great,
roo,ny. hospitable heart But the he Il hos s'-
l.S.dity has been oil cad IF more than
wasted H on a host Or beggarly and sum !.
worthy claimants SO that when the
heart 8 Master appears there is no Dom
to. spare. Thus daily IS the scene Y Of
bethlehem repea ted. he comes ito d . fiis
own and HIS own receive Him not The
world is too full for Christ, the heart too too
crowded fort Saviour. 5G;sS 81
In the group gathered that night IN
bethlehem there may have We & BEEN the
stout Jewish farmers, with their money
bag to pay their taxes; q petty COVER yer,
nor Or two. great with the pride&Qf SINAI Il
official business; half a dozen Roman g man,
soldiers. brutal an The insolencte their heir
great citlzenship few travelling priest 8;
pertaps rabbit laying down the e aw.
and asfew idldE hanglng round the door r,
VA y, or 1ouingin ss ffby the fire--l oInpany.
dead md ten cent uries ago, crowd
Ing ana filling y I With hustle and heed led
less Il n1errilnent, while Emmanuel was
born, into the world Fl q came TO save,
and "laid In d manger Because there was as
no 70 ON for. them in tho inn $S
They would have FOUND room enough
II they lad had only KID wn. # they had
dreamed that THE only Saviour JeW
or Gentle was 50 near. And YOU too,5
dear az brother, would find room for Christ
TO be born in your own crowded heart
il you but felt that In &, His BIRTH eth,
lay your one chance Of goodness hero
orr Joy hereafter, Il
a BY long unspiritually, BY great world 'ltl 4
illness, Fl we reduce our; aims and cra n
tic life, until we make the soul small al!
and narrow. You may mako Tho room
50 ir.ssn that great truth cannot live In
there. But DON dare to think tina 7
this was God s aplan8I for YOU md 4 your
life! He drew its architecture on q lord
~ scale. Flo designed for you g 1y &
generous. capacious lives. } II built you
70 DO temples OF the HOLY g host T hen
all fair chambers III your turet walled He'd
up BY long obstlnacy, filled wit i the
rubbish OF long neglect, whlch were ere 4
shaped and garnished forgFi own holy
indwelllng and presence. sa
Man In the face Bof NIL his degraded g.
humanity was made q FOR the birth
place 3 { the Christ 7 he Gospel sta nd %
forever in the midst Of the little. pase
and degraded lives ana protests that hat this
is not the true exhibit OF the life e, that nat
we might live. WI /, II q "a
10 the sensual, who has turned Fll ss ms 1
soul into a homo iof LUST 70 the he poor s'al'
Inc bria te. whose life is sreeking with S the
fumes OF stale and sickl " h ablt; e the
trifler, who decorates his tent With g'it-
tering tinsel; to the mean maj we ms IS
been deliberately cramping up his s 'li
heart. wallIng up wlndo WIS. & shutting nj
doors; 10 each OF them the Gospel brings n
It's protest. God says TO each ;sYou may
make your lives foul and ta ;St a ara an
meagre: you may arve o. Or oY y
your soul. till there is no room o 7 for "a. 9
noble thought Or pure desire; but yo'u 90 ?.
II at your peril. ss.s # sS ]5s3
Many, nthe Christ child Offers lree
salvation, turnfrom IT feeling thelr5ow "
AZ .ls
But beware how YOU Yield % such g I
feeling It8may be humble. bu "a y Z, nos
trnly rcyerent, nor tho spirit Of tru il'' =
faith. God madc your heart ana Knows '
ii far better than you do. CHRIST knoW Y
whether there DO room there or not !,
only let lin In, ana He Will throw open
chambe,rss wholly new to You and you y
yourself shah be amazed when ne gre g 7
spiritual capacity of your nature I'M tt'-
folds 10 entertain It's spiritual guest, j.
nj this great carayansary, hen tray y. Z.
Oilers. are met middle way upon NOR ll71l
Journey from eternity to eternity t'leteo
has been room found for every interest
except religion, and for every friend but but
Jesus.
,rruths, which were to Ills truth p y
Il fire spark to n star, hopes, Wnlcf We're