The Tupelo journal., 1904-12-23

IL AN
| Sal recognition among the progressive
| and enlightened nations OF the eartn Oh
the fact of Jesus advent into the
world and His vicarious mission. we
| speak of the Christian nations, n
| mean those nations which have oeen
dominated by the enlightened spirit OF
righteousness and truth of when
Jesus was the expression and expo
nent. The mustard seed has grown
to be the great tree, spreading us
branches everywhere, and the nations
the birds of the air--haye found
Judgment therein. To-day the Christ
mas bells ring round the earth, n
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 a
its Christmas, but has it the Christ?
1t celebrates the browning event OF the
ages, but does it appreciate all that
that celebration should mean? Is 1t
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 Christ? Our
text suggests contrasts so sharp n
painful that We cannot but be M
pressed by them as We mediate there
on. 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 c~onveniences
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 filled that it shut out the Christ.
n Ut 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 a
only the feeble light of mans pro-
viding and missed the glory Of the Di-
vine presence. The stable became
rarked on the chart of Gods pur-
poses, while the inn was indelibly
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 obscurity of oblivion. The
stable passes down into history glori-
fed and dignified by the distinction OF
being the birthplace of the Lord and
King, while the inn has 40 place of
honor on history's page, but stands out
as the monument OF missed opportu-
nifty, in having turned the expectant
mother from its unfeeling doorway.
Such were the contrasts upon that first
Christmas night. Do the same o n
trasts exist to-day? Have we still the
stable and the inn-the place that
makes room for che 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
ebration, and amidst all the festivities
may we not we'll ask ourselves: Is it
the stable or the inn?
n HE fact that Christmas. the anniver-
i sary of the birth of Christ, is cele-
brated is not enough. One may share
in all the activities and pleasures OF
the day, and still be ar inmate of the
inn, and a 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 transpired in the
stable? Think you not that every one
was talking of the Babe in the manger,
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 s%plendor,
l 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
rehearsed 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 cele-
bration of the event, but the stable
where room is found for Jesus is the
place 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. Where are you
content to celebrate the Christmas fes-
tival? / verify believe the saddest day
in Heaven is Christmas day, because as
the angelic hosts look upon earth they
behold all manne Of revelry. and fes-
tivities in the name of Jesus, while the
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 other
friends to be entertained. And SO it is
the inn instead Of the stable. The
Christ is shut out!
q OME one has told the story Of a lady
~ who, n Christmas eve, was walk
rn& -