Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-12-26

from the beast of burden. Some one
kicks the oxen to make them arise be
cause they are taking too much room.
Even here space is at a premium. Aft
er the kind hearted bOstlers have
thrown some straw into the stone crypt
or manager Mary is placed in the hum
BILE couch among the bleating of the
sheep and the lowing of the cattle and
the neighing Of the horses whinnying
for their oats.
This il the most important Of all
nights. 1t il awfully solemn. All his
tory will hereafter date itself from or
toward this scene-A. ID. and 4. {.
Upon the Judaean hillsides the alright
ed sheep are running hither and thith
err. looking for their shepherds. AMI
mails intuitively know when something
unnatural is about to happen. The cat
tie can smell the blood long before they
are driven into the slaughter houses to
be killed. When the South Carolina
earthquake shook Charleston a few
years ago the dogs crouched at then
masters feet, and the birds lowered
around, uttering shrill cries of fear, as
though human beings alone could pro-
tect them. The horrible picture OF
Dore's food, where a lioness with her
whelps trembles upon rock by the
side of an affrighted woman holding
in her arms babe, is not geological
absurdity. Animals in times of danger
naturally seek the protection OF man.
There is a strange silence broOding.
The shepherds anxiously grip their
slaves and prepare for an unseen bat
tie, which they feel sure is about to
come.
The First Christmas Morn.
Suddenly a star breaks from its fas
Jennings and begins to tumble through
space. On and on it comes like me-
teor. With frightful velocity it heads
toward this planet, ready to plunge into
it, as the human foot might crush an
insect. an ocean liner might run down
fishing smack or large express en-
CINE crash into hand car. The terror
stricken astrOlogers see 1t flying to
ward the earth. Suddenly it stops and
seems to be watching something that
Bethlehem. The angel who once stood
at the garden Of Eden's entrance now
unsheathes his sword and cuts the cur
tain of the night in twain. The waves
of light rush down and push the dark
ness to the right and to the left. Great
multitudes Of angels begin to sing. As
the glory of God shines around the
PROSTATE shepherds there sounds forth
the voice Of an angelic messenger, say
ing, Fear not for, behold, l bring you
good tidings of great joy" Such was
the advent of the angelic messenger.
Such was the message which he brought
to the shepherds on the first Christmas
morn, announcing the birth of the little
Child who lay in the manager
Why did this message of my text
bring good tidings of great joy?"
First, Christ came as a Saviour to a
sin cursed race and a condemned world.
He came as an earthly ruler might
come to a condemned murderer about
to expiate his crimes with his life, bear
ing news of pardon and liberty. He
came as loving mother or father
might come to a son who had been bit
ten by poisonous serpent, with an an
| tidOte for the deadly virus. Thus Christ
! came. BY his vicariOus sufferingS he
| took upon himself the condemnation
which was due us for our sins. He
| came as Saviour. that the human
race in him might live with him for
ever.
0no SO tn I1TNn no
message of the Nativity as glad It'd
ingsY' The world honors the memo
ries of many of its heroes and heroines
who have been saviors to their fell
low men in physical sense. Too much
praise cannot be given to the memory
of the late Lieutenant Mclaughlin,
who was the savior of thousands up
on thousands of lives during the late
Spanish war in Porto Rico. Major Gen
eral Brooks had made the final ar
engagements of his troops before the
| Spanish intrenchments. The battle was
| about to open. Suddenly at the signal
station some miles to the rear of the
American lines the Geographic machine
began to tick. Lieutenant McLaugh-
Inns face took on an anxious look. The
news was being telegraphed that the
protocol had been signed between the
Spanish and the American authorities
for the cessation of international strife
Hardly had the import of the message
come when Lieutenant Mclaughlin ran
from the signal station and flung him.
self upon horse. He rode on and on
at mad gallop. Though he rode fa st
as his horses limbs could go, he only
reached General Brooks side as the
first cannon was about to be touched
off and the bloody battle was to begin.
But, though we may honor Lieutenant
Mclaughlin, who by heroic effort saw
ed thousands of lives by preventing
bloody carnage, how much more should
we today honor Christ for what he has
done for the world in a spiritual sense
by the atonement OF the cross! Christ
being born in Bethlehem of Judaea.
meant more than mere physical saliva
ton. 1t meant the atOnement of the