Milford chronicle., 1904-12-30

OF ClrlSTS Dlflu uOI Ouly u OuL
friends, but to the distant islands of
the seas?
World Has Changed Since Then.
Tie civilized world has grown larger
than it was on that first Christmas
morn. The geographical map has un-
| dergOne many changes. Great eXplOr-
| ing parties have discovered new conti-
nents. The farthermost lands have been
found to be inhabited. During the life
of the ancient wise men and the shep-
herds there were comparatively few of
the inhabitants of the world who heard
of Christs name. Millions of the inhab-
itants of the world today have never
heard of Christs name. A large part of
the remainder is entirely Indifferent to
the teachings of the gospel. Therefore
to the Christians Christmas day ought
to be the most OppOrtune of all days
for proclaiming the SavioUr's mission.
Every home. every street corner, every
family gathering, should be a place
where the deeper, holier purposes of
Christ's life are to be explained by
those who have felt the love and the
mercy and the tenderness and the hope
that have come to the believing hearts
that have gathered about the manger
So may this Christmas day find the
love which binds mans heart to man
as well as mans heart to God. May
God save us all not only on account of
the love Christ bears us, but also on
account Of the saving Christian love
we bear our fellow men, In Brahman
mythology there is a beautiful legend
told that in the beginning God created
man and woman and placed them in
the center of an island. This island
was called Paradise. Every tree
branch of that island was an aeolian
harp with a thousand strings; every
wind was a many fingered musician,
thumbing the sweetest of music. Ev-
cry day went arm in arm with two
other days, for there was no night
there, not even Il star. Brahma told
this bride and groom whom he had
created not to leave this island, for if
they did they would surely perish But
one morning-all the days there had
mornings and evenings, but no night
one morning a beautiful mirage off in
the distance began to beckon the young
man. The cataracts waved their white
skirts of foam, crying: Come! Gomez
There the deer, with great eyes of Won
dermcnt. watched as the birds sang:
Come! Come! Why don't you come?'
Co g., III.
and they started forth out of the is
land. No sooner did they pass over
the little neck of land separating them
from the mainland than this beautiful
mirage vanished. The rocks began to
groan and crack, the yapor was licked
up, the mountains closed in, and they
were in prison.
When the executioner of Brahma
came to lead them forth to eternal
death the young man cried out: "Oh.
executiOner, kill me, but not my loved
one. 1t was my fault, not hers"
'Then," answered Brahma, 81 will
slay thee and not thy wife" "Nay,"
answered the wife, "if thou wilt not
save my husband then let me die. for
l would sooner be with my loved one
In death than live in Paradise alone"
'Then," says the legend, ION account
Of this wOndrous love for each other
Brahma saved them both"
THIS is a heathen legend. But is a
heathen legend to have more Christian
love in it than we have? On this |
glorious Christmas Sabbath morning
can we not feel the good tidings of
great joy means that Christ has saved
us? And then, with wondrous love for
our fellow men, cannot we, like the |
twain in the Brahman legend, be so
concerned for the welfare of others
that we are ready even to die that
they may be saved, ready at the risk |
Of health and life to carry the good |
news of salvation to those who have |
never heard it or in the home land to |
devote our means, our time and our
labor to the task of proclaiming the |
glad tidings of great joy which have
come to all people?
May this be the happiest and glad |