The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1906-01-05

st Luke 2: 1O-"Be not afraid; for
behold, l bring you good tidfngS OF
great joy which shall be to all the peo-
ple."
What relief was in that word to the
sin-cursed, suffering children of men!
Fear and dread had reigned through
out all the long dark ages Only here
and there the truth Of love had been
shown as by a flash-light on the up
The nations of earth were sitting in
darkness. Law and penalty had been
for many generations the burden of
Gods messages, and the warnings of
His holy prophets. Sin prevailed. and
the fear OF punishment was ever before
the face Of evil doors, and the souls OF
the righteous were vexed and disheart-
ened BY the waywardness and wicked
ness of the world. No one could see
God and live. The presence of an an
gel filled their souls with the darkest
forebodings. "They were sore afraid"
The first great joy OF the Chr stmas
fear. To the faithful in Israel this SUI
pernatural announcement must have
been of the deepest interest. They
were looking for the coming of the
Messiah, with the highest expecta-
tions, and most devout hope. Moses
and the prophets, and every Office of
their religion pointed toward His COM
ing as the supreme event in all their
wondrous history. They longed for
Him who was to be their great De-
liverer-the hope and joy of His peo-
pie. What a profound sensation must
have swept through the hearts and
minds of the true Israel Of God as the
angelic message was made known and
repeated from city to city, from viii
lage to village, and from house to
house, over hill and through valley,
throughout the land of that gifted,
chosen people!
Another great joy of Christmas is
the divine blessing upon the family
and the home. The Christ-chi]d was
born into Holy Family. The saliva
ton Of the world began with a chosen
seed. True religion sanctifies and
beauties all the social relations. No.
where in the world do the angels Of
home that is sweet and bright with
the light and warmth of pure natural
affections. Since the Infinite One is
our heavenly Father, and we are His
children, what honor and sacredness
rest upon parents; especially those who
are of the household CT faith! The
hope of the world through all the long,
dark ages of the Law and the Proph-
cts conferred in the birth of this lowly
child, Graded in manger. But that
child was holy,-the only Begotten of
life of all the offspring of men!
Every interest of society clusters
around the cradle of infancy. The
life of the whole family comes to TO-
Gus in the love of innocent childhood.
The perpetuation and perfection of
the race, and the honor and success of
the State depend upon the helpless
babe. The joy of the home-life springs
from the fountain of affection opened
in the social circle of every family by
the birth Of an infant! The first fruit
of love is joy; and joy is the spirit of
life itself.
The joys of Christmas are present
joys. They belong to the life that
now is. They make the world bright
er and better each year, in the darkest
days of winter. They cheer the heart
with hope in all the conditions Of hui
man society. We are more cheerful,
and of greater courage by reason of ev-
cry kindly greeting and gift of friend
ship. The quickened sympathies, and
renewed affections of all, alike, of
young and old, make us feel that the
world may not be so bad after all as it
has seemed. And SO faith, hope, and
love are increased.
And finally, the joys of this happy
season are UNIVERSAL; (which shall be
to all the people" Not to the Jews
alone, but to the Gentiles. which means
all the rest. Not for the church only,
but for all Christians. Not for Christ
ians alone; for on all lands, and among
all the nations, wherever the story of
the Christ-child has been told-the
whole world to some extent, shares in
the common gladness; and there is
peace on the earth, and good will
among men.