The St. Louis Republic., 1905-12-25

THE Christ Of To-Day"


eErHlE lEllEla's BABE RAISED
MORAL PLANE OF RACE.
TAs DsveseoA Doesse J. I. =. JeAa-
seoa PseaeAes - ssfhe SsgDa0-
! eooee q Chs1sam0s.~
The Si9nincance Of Chsissmas'' vas ths
sooleet Of the sermon preached yesterday
/ morning In Delmar Avenue Baptist Church
y. Johnston. The latter took for his text:
! John Z. 10. II came that they may have
life ana have II abundantly." and said in
To-day IL the eve Of the anniversary
OF the event that changed the current OF
| the world. The foreteii;ng Of this event
s .hesd e, o. hope
to that time. and since then all that Z.
| worth while has its origin and traces back
to that epoch in the life Of the race.
The dAv before Christmas. with the
memories II aWSkens. makes us feel ana
| express that high virtue. gratitude. which
! Is the music Of the heart when its chords
! science. the philosophy Of the Christian
religion is the way Z" larger life. The
teacher. the GreA, teacher not only Of re.
Eyious philosophy. but OF ethics and ,I AZ
Is Jesus.
! Tie moral plane Of the race vas raised
ences from without. bu, Influences within.
| The coming Of Christ changed the thought
os man in his ideas OF God from q vague
uncertainty to real star to which bean ne an
ton Of lie. Th:re Is mo- n" desire NOR. in
tense In the human heart than assurance
! that death does no; end all: THAT the pass
ing is hut the gateway to life beyond
Christ gave ASSURANCE II iinmcrtaiify
! Picture in your mind child lost from
| its father. wandering. CROPPING its way in
| tho HarEWGSs. tn great ff8p.
embraces 1t and cries Father; Father:
tri, there is no response - the heart: and
the s..iia says No. this is % not father: s. and
and s',On clasps a rock. with similar re-
suit. and so on Till. worn and weary. the
uncertainty fills the hear; with despair.
Christ came. II Was trying to find God
/ in the sun. moon. rocks and trees. The
race ir right relation !" God. and the mis-
sion Of Jesus Was TO reveal God the father
/ and redeem man.
| ITO picture the change in the race
beyond the limits Of an artist O. either
| pen or brush. Christianity created paint.
| ing. The scuiptcr's art was known aE:i
| Practiced to some extent before the birth
; II Christ. Sculpture could portray that
| beauty and strength of limb which vas
the Greek ideal II human perfection. but
could not be interpreted in cold. chiseied
marble. The babe Of the Manger taught
that man. glory was not In physcsl. but
! OF our Lord as exempi:tied in works of
art has shown how fii" story IL Jesus
from nativity to resurrection vas told By
! der the light ~ the babe ~: Bethlehem.
motherhood. childhood. youth. manhood
| were inspired to nev purpose. Through
moved move % Win si.y for r'; ii.s ignorant. % ;he
sick. the suffering. They were inspired
with new hope in sorrow. new
strength In temptation. new JOY in So
'.An tn. first great nic'usss were of r..
lisioUs scenes. Christianity inspired the
,:ss"snisii:n q ,,, the value Of deersr NE;
the l'abe entered the life 'f the artist. his
genius expressed itself In the interpreta-
iiOn Of deep spiritual life. Charles Blanc.
surplan,.d scrlp,use by placing beauty
Of soul above that Of body
"B,:i il is no; on canvas that wc md
on human hearts. Tho innocent bahes OF
Judea we're the first martyrs to Christian
:ty. but now. under the influence of the
life II Jesus. . Herod and such wholesale
, murder of innocent babes is impossible.
He.then'sm had Nd m.ssae" To childhood
| sn,: ii.ti. cheer. hut wherever the Christ
happy. Every. Christian school; every or
;.isn asylum is "a witness 10 the mission
"f the hah~ If IN" manS'r.
And music a u. know IT, with melody
1 anu harmony. Iii E", exist before the
birth n: Js sus. Its existenc" Is due to an
endeavcr to find a fitting vocal expression
foV the emotions which Christianity called
into being. Though Christ did not paint
cne ,ic;uic nn canvas. or write one verse
Of po-tr,. one Inc "f music. vet all
these a.,s we,. newborn I'm his birth at
Bethlehem. E,rt there are greater things
the nativity brought - us than these arts
With their .ievatirS and inspiring joys. u
gave Z" rz iii" irJ." in"ani!E ~ NE u
taught that truth Was beauty ana
beauty truth II oysE"I 10 our hearts TIE
| blessings ~ love and ftugn' us that love
IN its truest sense WAS heaven and heaven
1T cnnrha sized brotherhood. revealing 10
| the race that frat.rnal feelings between
man and man al" ths "'.ly relations IN
harmony with the f,th"rhc"d' ~ S"f
Th. truth tina; God H,..i- man IN
his ow.i image. and CAV" him dominf"n
| over tho earth. IFS ;,ir,fna! III" ara fofr':.
this Is the secret ~ all s''l"ntif,'. fTcS!.
| and th" declaration "f JESUS: 'R. not ).
called ma >:-r. for "u" il Your ma "Ss"
chris: and all " ar" bT. ;h:":;. ~ tHe
truth UNDERLYING all moral p':GT"
The comforts "nl"y II, niafer;a'
things r-o:,, III. Influence q: the hatse of :ac
manager might h. a'r'"N'''..,i" "om'mI..
with ou- r; sen; almost iifniti">s I.w'.s
in mathematics. but how vain az" ''sul"s
Ia an ..tre:uy; TO compute ~. iuNr'n.e ano
,p!ifi @: TIE tahc "f S":h'' h"ni ~, ~ inr
iif. ~. fr. world. The H'.ars H,cn' "t iii''
tn. development az character. m" ::.sp"it-
,ion %; lofty ideals. the eve. "i.isninS in-
r,,.nce that Is building for eternity
.'Thr.,lSn chris, tho feelings o' the
World toward 'h. poor. ~" hi'nd, th~ Hss.
sa...i 'h.. in san.. have changed from CON
tempt an.l Io..-rinS :" sympathy ara '"i-
loush!c and ~. s,'.rs Influence l. cian-
cinS ,L.. feelings a.! wrath and Judgment
..war! rho criminal and vicious 10 SYM
,,athy and mercy n. underlying fotia-
ia..n: nf our wonderful system "f s';uca-
ton is ryrr.-. IN the principles given oy
hin, who said I came that they miEft
have .!f. and have IL ah'i'laa:itiN. ~ -
Christianity which has given INSPIRATION
"a the extraordinary scaoo. system: wh'cn
is gradually s-yr!anting pagan Thought N
tho .-.~r;
The, tsah. 80 E..hi.h""l has revolution
ted mans ,".,r.c,ion - God. TRANSFORMER
Ais religion from feelings n: fear Z" those
- hp.s ait,' love" n. has bestowed upon
man f.i:h in the fA'h~-hrnd ~! God aht
,t~ bro, l.- n,."t of man. This implanted
faith has abolished slavery. planted rhaf.
s.> established! -tiu-.;ioT. created cun!!c
c-io,v- found.. gnT"r.r",,s
''Th!. bah, .us.Ti.rH,I respect H"r ~"r-
an and crowned hcr queen ~ recon-
,,ruc..d home. inspiring a r.~ ns". eiN're
20 n, ir--rsrah m'.i-'tui. comfort ~
sorrow strength snr burdens. motives Tor
Ilfe and hoy in ~" beyond What
time -his - FOR rA'o.ciUS. |h"r Nc con-
TEMPLATE our blessings Una: hsv" thr!:
. birth IN ~. birth "f Jesus.
SALVATION. THE WORK OF
HAnsc AfllAa e 0S0SnMA0 oYY