The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-26
WHITNEY SPEAKS
At TABERNACLE
Timely Sermon on christmas
Thoughts" Delivered by Apos-
tie Before Large Audience.
BUILDING is DECORATED
cHRIST'S MISSION TO EARTH
ELOQUENTLY EXPLAINED.

The observance of Christmas by the
Mormon church yesterday morning was
marked by an audience that filled the
Tabernacle. Apostle Orson F. Whitney
delivered powerful sermon on Christ
mas Thoughts"
The music was of u special character.
with Professor John J. Mcclellan. Tab
the full choir of more than 500 trained
voices
1.-THE greatest of Chrfstmas thoughts >
said Apostle Whitney, lis the thought
of the Savior of the world. and my
thought today concerning him is two
fold. I am thinking of the mortal ad-
vent of the Son of God. when he came
to lay down his life to redeem the
world from the bondage of sin and
death. I am also thinking of his sec
ond advent, the glorious coming of the
King of Kings, and the event yet to. be,
when he viii come to complete his work.
to cleanse the world from iniquity and
usher in the reign of universal peace.
These two events are of supreme inn
portance i'll the predestined history of
cur planet.
"'God so loved the world that he
gave his only begotten son, that VINO
soever should believe on him should not
perish. but have everlasting life That
was the greatest of all Christmas gifts
when the Heavenly Father sent into
the world his only begotten son to die
| that the world might live. But it should
not be forgotten that the Son of God
was willing to be given for this pur-
r.
the giving of the gift; that 1t was God
who offered himself as q ransom to re-
deem the human race. and that he made
salvation free gift to all who would
put themselves in a position to profit
| by his sacrifice.
'The custom of giving gifts is much
| older than the observance of Christmas
| day. From time immemorial, gifts have
| been given from various motives, both
good and bad. Selfsnness and syco-
| phancy have played their part in the
practice as we'll as pity. generosity and
love. The true Christmas gift, hallowed
| by its association with the idea of the
| worlds redeemer, represents the unsei-
| fish interest in the happiness of Others
Three Prime Essentials.
There are three prime essentials IN
| the giving of such a gift In the frs
place, While II is intended TO promote
the happiness of the enc who receives
| it. it should also minister to the happi-
| ness of the one who bestows it. The
gift should not impoverish or otherwise
| injure the giver. 1t should be such g
| gift as he or she can afford to give
and such as will prove benefit in the
highest sense to the bestower.
I'm the next place. The gift should b'
appropriate, suited To the time, ths
place, the person and the condition: al
example, in short. Of the eternal fitness
of things. Lastly and firstly and all thu
time the gift should be given ungrudg
/ ginly. with a whole heart, With nj
| thought Of policy or of selfish calcula
tion but purely as an expression .
friendship and love. The cost shculC
! cut no figure. Well and wisely has i
been said: The best Christmas gift i
not the one which costs the must money
but the one which carries with it TIL
most love
Gods Great Gift to Earth.
'.In this light, this triple light, let IL
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