The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-24

- and character of Joseph the car penter, In whose example the preacher l finds a lesson of inspiration for all hus- bands and parents. The text is Matthew i i, 16 Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus"
 Amazing it is to read the reviews of the latest books of our prominent nov
 elists. IL seems as though we are pc
 rusing the columns of homiletc review or are reading the resume of the ser mons of ministers written in a religious weekly instead of summary of the inn aginative works of our secular writers.
 The novelist's fad of finding his heroes and heroines among the castle walls of chivalric times has to a great extent passed away Our modern Bulwers are not searching among the smoke and tot tering walls of a licentious Pompeii to | seek out their blinded Lydias. Our ! Charles Kinsleys are not roaming about the edge of a Sahara to find the foot
 prints of a beautiful heathen celibate, 1 Hypatia by name. Our brilliant Sir Wal ] ter Scotts are not turning the ruins of Wentworth castle into gorgeous ban
 
 mighty kingdom are rising side by side to drink the health of virgin queen. | But a large percentage of our modern novelists are finding the scenic setting for their most powerful chapters among the Judaean hills or by the placid waters of lake Galilee, or down among the vine clad valleys of a Samaritan capital. ! Yes, the Biblical historical novel Is to be reckoned with as among the most in- | of modern els. While thinking along this line 70 catalogue of one of our public libraries was placed in my hand. As l turned the pages I read the following names of some of the great books of fiction: There were Joseph Ingraham's "The Prince of the House of David' and his "Pillar Of Fire or Israel in Bondage:'' there were George Ebers Joshua" and Florence Kingley's '"Titus. Comrade of the Cross;' there was Marie Coreli's "Barabbas, besides a score of other names suggestive or BID lican lore, while Edward Everett Haie ''In His Name" and Charles Sheldon s 'In His Steps," and Hall Gaines Chris tian," and Lew Wallace's 'Ben-Hur, and Nellie L. Helms When Jesus Was Here Among Men.' all deal directly or indirectly with oriental teachings and di- rectly with the life of Jesus translated Into modern thought
 But though many Of the great chal acters of the Old and New Testamenls have been made to come forth out of thelr graves and live and breathe as In tnles of wore. there Is one Bible characters who has never so far as I know, been made the hero of historical noVeists tale. Indeed, there Is one Bible character that has never, so far as l know, been made the subject of a sermon The mn isters seem to ignore making a sketch or this man, just as do the historical nov. elists I allude here to the, character or Joseph I do not mean Joseph who was the son of old Jacob or Joseph of Ara mathea, but of Joseph of Nazareth, Joseph of Bethlehem Joseph the carpen- ter Joseph who was the husband or Mary of whom Jesus was born.
 Now. as the annual Christmas holi- days are but few days oH thought I would preach sermon about Joseph the carpenter. I want to tell you why he was at the manager. In other sermons vou have heard why Mary was there and why the sherherds were there, and why the wise men were there, and why the sheep and the cattle and the horses were there Today I want to tell you why Joseph was there. And of all the char acters in the Bible there is not one which appeals to me in a more vivid way than does this brawny. rugged, stout limbed mechanic, who passed so much or his time among the Zebulon hills.
 Joseph came to the manager in the frst place. to make it possible for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem of Judaea. He came to the manager in order that the words of the prophet might be fulfilled. He came to the manager because toward Judaea all the sages of the Jerusalem capital were looking for the expected Son of Sod to be born. He came to the manager, for if he had not come Mary the Virgin would never have gone there to give birth to her child, and the wise men of the east would never have been able to find there the infant Christ. This being born in Bethlehem was absolutely essential for the fulfllment of prophecy.
 Stamp of Divinity.
 There were two ways by which the stamp of divinity was to be placed upon Christ's life. The first was by his mira cles What do l mean by that? Simply this: When the people began to crowd around Jesus, and he sald 'I am the Son of God. follow me-" the people an swered, How do we know thou art the Christi" He said, 'I will show you. come and sec" Then he stopped down and made the crooked limbs straight. Then he expectorated on the ground and made salve out of the spittle and dirt and rubbed it upon the blind eyes, and they were opened. Then he stopped by the bier or the only son OL Ills lllotheit anu she a widow. and he said "Young man, I say unto thee, arise," Then he turned to the people and practically said: Gould any being, unless he was the Son or God, do these miracles? l demand from you obedience to my will on account or the wonders that I perform" Then when the people again said, By what right dost thou claim to be the promised Mes siah?" he could answer Because l full fill in my person the predictions of your own prophets, and at the very beginning was that utterance of Micah the prophet who wrote over seven centuries ago, But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands or Judan' yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be a ruler In Israel, whose goings forth have been of old, from ever lasting. Did not the prophet foresee my birth? Was I not miraculously born, ac- cording to the predction?p Jesus would not have been able to give this convincing answer if Joseph had not been the man he was.