The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1904-12-28

While we do not celebrate h
day in fact. we may, and do in
large measure celebrate it in j
true spirit. 1t is and ought to
a day of great rejoicing.
"Joy to the world,
The Lord has come.
| Let earth receive her King,
Let every heart prepare hin
room
And Heaven and nature sing,
| The universal comprehensive
ness or these words of rejoicin
,issryes as the true key note t.
| Christmas observation. A day o
! 1I1iieioGy making--a day of hear
singing, it should be. Better ex
pressed it is a day of gladness an,
of making others glad. And VIII,
is it? For the best reason posi-
bic. 1t is the anniversary of the
greatest event of history. The
pages of history fairly blaze with
records of heroic deeds and mo
mentons events. Greece had hel
Morathon, Thermopyle, and Sal
amis; ROME her Rubicon Crossed
England had her Magma Charta
and Waterloo and Trafalgar; our
own Country her Fourth of July
and Yorktown. Greece may boast
Of the birthdays of Socrates, De-
mosthenes, Plato and Aristotle
Rome of her Caesars, Seneca, and
Cicero; England her Nelson and
Wellington, the United States Of
Washington, Jefferson and Clay /
but Palestine. alone can boast the
birth of world Savior And
what Jesus was to Palestine He is
TO the whole 'Tcrri.d, 0t;Ier events
however great fade before the
birth Of jesus. in insignificance as
the stars FACE before the rising sun.
1t wax not only of highest pos
sible spiritual import but also OF
Hottest portent to all humanity in
every principle of liberty and
equalization and guarantee of
equal opportunity. The Angels
song to the lonely Shepherds "Peace
on earth, good VIII to men" was
all comprehensive. 1t was an
augury or the meaning of Jesus
birth-It meant peace in mems
hearts, both now and evermore.
1t meant peace on the earth as an
inevitable and ultimate conse-
quence of the Saviour's command
$50 teach all nations" and the
firal witness of the prophets
words: Thou hast multiplied
the nations and increased the joy (;
they Joy before thee according to
the Joy in the harvest and as men
rejoice when they divide the spoil.
For unto us a child is born, unto
us son is given; and the govern
ment shall be upon his shoulders
and his name shall be called Won
derful, Counsellor, the Mighty
God, the Everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace-Of the increase
of his government and peace there
shall be no end upon the throne of
David and upon his Kingdom TO
order it, and to establish 1T with
Judgment and With justice from
henceforth even forever, A day
on which was ushered into the ex-
perience of man forces 80 emminent
and pre-emlnent, transcends all
Others in Importance, and since it
portends so much of good it is
justly day of feasting and joy
making. And does our gilt max
Ing and feasting partake none Of
revelry but rather of pure spiritual
rejoicing then we celebrate this
glad day in its true spirit. We our
selves are glad, and in our glad
ness strive to make others glad.
j esus intended JnaU mis- IRE and
death should make Others glad and
give them happiness both earthly
and eternal, and so sincere and
pathetic was His desire that He
tasted deepest sorrow that both
these might be guaranteed to us
henceforth. Nor must we think
that if we cannot feast as highly
as some we can not rejoice. Jesus
came that all might be happy.
The priceless boon of his coming
was not to be confined as gift TO
Lord and Prince. but was for every
man. And every man may rejoic-
for Jesus has sanctified the come
mon things of life and common
people of life and hidden all to
rejoice. Edwin Markham in a
recent poem expresses this senti
nent most lovely:
The hills that have been lone and lean
Were prckng with tender green.