The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-01-07

little girl between them, snd around
whom they had their araR This Gear
child was quite blind. and to her poor
sight1ess eyes the pgetty window told
no story. But the loving little friends
told the blind child Of the rude stable.
the hay, the cows and the saeep che
sweet mother beside the manger IN
which the Christ-child was sleeping.
the open door through which the Won
Gering shepherds were coming and the
bright star above which sized a soft light
over all. The little blind girl listened
with absorbed interest, drinking in
every detail Of the window decoration
as it was described, and reproducing it
IN her minds eye, until her face l5t up
with a joyful smile. and, cIasping her
hands together in rapture, she ex-
claimed, again and again: s.Ah! chat
is beautiful" And ali! hos many eners
are who, like the little blind girl before
the show window in Berlin, whege the
scene of Jesus birth was depicted, stand
beholding the Christmas celebration
and yet because of blindness OF heart
they do not see and realize its hidden
beauty and meaning! All! how We
would love 20 throw Dar arms about
such and t9y and tell them all the Won
derfua story Of God S love and Gods gift!
How we long to bring such to open the
heart and make goom for the Christ
Who has eoule into the world TO seek
and 70 save the lost! way stay in the
ian, away from the Christ, ghen We
may enter into GIis very presence and
realize, as did the shepherds that night.
that unto Us is born in the city Of
David a Saviour, Which is Christ the
Iord?" Between the experience of the
inn and the stable there is the same diff
ference as that Vhieh marked TIE blind
girl and her little friends. Gsd grant
that you may be as wiling and as
eager to hear the message as the blind
child was.
ANHAT is the message Of the stable?
W What is the message OF the inn2
One stands for cooperation with God.
the other rejection and Indifference to
His elaine One becomes the recipient
o8 blessing, and the medium Of exalted
service, while tue other in narrow
selfshness loses both blessing and the
privilege of service. The characteristics
of the stable and the inn are still to be
marked in the world to-day. There are
those who are willing TO receive the
Christ, and who thus become instru-
ments in Gods hands of great service
and blessing On the othea hand. there
are those who typify the inn and refuse
the Christ admittance aud maintain an
attitude OF supreme Indifference to His
claims upon them. At, the glad Christ
mas time what more fitting occasion on
which to consider this supreme aues-
ton? With you and me it is either the
stable or the inn, There is no neutral
ground. The Christ child, the Christ
mas gift of God to men, comes to every
heart and seeks for admission. Shall
the rejection Of the inn, or the welcome
Of the stable. mark our attitudeT
IN He stable typifies open-neartad re-
81 ception Of the Christ, willing sur
render o6 the best we have to the Christ.
and acceptable service rendered for tha
Christ. The first essential need IS the
making room for Jesus. The crowded
condition OF the inn may find its coun-
terpart in our lives where the cares and
activities of this life would crowd out
the claims of God upon. US, and make Us
prone to turn the Christ away with the
excuse that there is no room, that we ara
busy providing for the present guests
who have found ledgment with us. To
reject Christ does not require that We
show open enmity and aatred towards
Him Christ was not driven from tbs
door Of that inn at Bethlehem in cruel
hatred. It was enough that Mary and
Joseph should be told, perhaps ever SO
politely and regs9tfully. that there was
no room. 1t served the same purpose OF
shutting out the Christ, and so with you
and me We may know of no bitter OPP
position or hatred ruling IN the heart
which keeps the Christ out. All that ID
necessary is TO be SO filled and crowded
with other things as to lead lis to turn
Him politely away, and say. Some
day. when we are not SO pressed for
room and time, we will be glad to wel-
come you" But Jesus does not wait on
such invitation. The opportunity OF
she1tering the Christ came to the inn
but once, and that opportunity lost was
| lost forever, and so it may be with you.
Jesus comes at this Christmas time He
seeks for room and shelter in your heart.
Will you not make place for Him there
at once, even though every other thing
has to be turned out and given up! Bet
| ter have the Christ than all else that the
world can give.
| ND once within, let the Saviour have
| II the best the place affords The man
/ ger was not much 1t was rude, rough
place, and yet as it was surrendered ii
became the cradle of the newborn King.
| What you have may seem mean and poor
and unusable But if It is surrendered
/ to the Christ, He will find use for IT,
He will glorify and honor it with His
presence. He will make it the medium
of blessing to Others. If that humble
manger had had the power OF speech and
had the spirit of some who have admit
/ ted the Christ to their lives and hearts.
imagine can hear it speaking on this
wise: I would Sd Ike to de something
/ for this Christ oh. il / were only like
the bed. or even the cot, ct the well.
appointed inn, how gladly would servo
Him! Oh! If only had the comfort OF
its ample frame. or the warmth of its