The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-22
THE PRINCE OF PEACE
Christmas LESSON

JOhO, III pOlHJ Vi lille, Inc event
which he is describing, and speaks OF
1t as laying already occurred. He
takes the mantle of night to repre-
sent the moral state of the people.
They were cropping in a deathly
shadow. Leaders were as blind as the
led. All was rayless, cherries, hope
less. Suddenly, to the anointed vision
Of Israers noble seer, there bursts
through the leaden pail such light
as is never seen on land or sea. He is
ready to cry, 1t is
THE Star. the Star OF Bethlehem
The great darkness is matched by a
great light. 1t floods not the plains
alone, but penetrates the deepest
moral chasms of earth. How must
isaiah's heart have gIowed at such a
goodly sight! He was il a rapture.
Hallelujah was on his Inns.
He sees goodly company, an ever
increasing throng. who walk in this
new light. Kingdoms of earth, is
lands of sea, are steadily merged into
it. 1t spreads from the river to the
ends of the earth. And the joy of the
throng keeps pace with its ever-aug-
nenting proportions. 1t is joy like
that when, after all the heat and toll,
the harvest is shouted home; or like
that after battle when yictors divide
spoil.
And this deliverence from darkness
this lifting of the yoke Of sin, de-
spair, and death, is recognized by the
prophet as supernatural and Divine.
The earthly means of its accomplish
nent are as unequal as Gideon's
lamps and pitchers against the grass
hopper multitudes of Midianites and
Amalelites.
The earthly, historic means of vic
tory islalways through the'awful dim
and carnage of battle But here is a
weaponless victory in which the very
instruments of human warfare, so far
from being used, shall be turned up
or beaten into the implements of h us
Bandry.
And all this because the Babe it
born in Bethlehem. Born to us-to
humanity. The badge of universal
spiritual sovereignty shall lie upon
his shoulder. Kingdoms of earth,
without of necessity losing their iden-
tity, shall become His kingdoms.
The prophet-herald announces his
regal titles. How dim the appella-
tions of royalty grow in comparison
to his lustrous names. Wonderful
the mystery of whose nature is the
amazement of angels and men. Coun-
selor-the unerring, unfailing Guide
in truth and duty; not of the few, but
of the race. The Mighty God-the
very Person of the omnipotent Deity
The Father of Eternity, and the
peaceful and peace producing Prince.
The spiritual dominion of this love
ly and Divine Sovereign, and its
gracious concomitants of assurance to
the individual and quietness to the
multitude, shall increasingly cover
larger areas and include more people.
The pledge of this is the moral earn
estness of the glorious Being who
stopped TO the incarnation, the cross,
the tomb. Jesus is in dead earnest to
make His mediatorial work trium-
plant success. And all the armi es OF
sky are obedient at His slightest beck.
HOsaic from Commentaries.
Nevertheless ['But"l: With this
transitional word the prophet passes
from the dark picture of the gloom
and distress of those who are led
away into captivity to the brighter
enc of that new dawn which por-
tends the glorions consummation of
the Messianic era.-Peloubet.
Dimness: Accumulated darkness
Clark.
Land of Zebulum: Parts that first
and principally suffered in the Assyr-
ian invasion, first also to enjoy the
blessings of Christ spreaching.-Ibi
For it does not remain dark where
there is now distress: In the first time
he brought into disgrace the land of
Iebulum and the land of Naphtali
and in the last he brings to honor the
road by the sea the other side of Jor-
dan the circle of the Gentiles. Del
itch.
The development of definite ex-
pectation of a Messiah was gradual,
and greater distinction or scope
must not be attributed to it at any
given epoch of Jewish history than
had been actually attained.-Pelou-
bet.
The heighth of Qualification won Id
correspond to the depth of the dis
grace. Ibid.
These countries would be the very
first remembered when the morning
dawn of glory should break. Ibid.
The Messianic hopes of the Jewish
nation were really directed toward
Galilee.-Ibid.