Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-03

Of a song that broke upon the solemn
stiffness Of the midnight air, and echoed,
and reeclioed among the hills and valleys
of a far of sylian cline, more than nine.
teen long centuries ago. Taking thirty.
three and one third years as an average
lifetime, fifty-seven generations Of the
human race have been born, inscribed
their histories, and their dcstines on the
scroll of time, and disappeared in the ST.
lent shades Of the great eternity from
which they had emerged.
Since the first awakening Of the echoes
of that memorable song, nineteen long
centuries ago, since then what scenes
have t%ranspired, what changes have Ia.
ken placer Empires. then the mightiest
the world had ever known, have collapsed
and now exist only in the history Of the
past. Governmental landmarks have
been changed and once prosperous coun
tries have been striker from the map of
nations, and new stars have twinkled
forth in the political horizon, the star of
empire has moved westward, and the
light shed forth by the star Of Bethlehem
has followed in its wake. The east, once
the home Of civilization, and the birth
place Of religion, seems to be retrog. adj
ing while the nations then cropping in
heather darkness, have one by one been
throwing of their shackles and coming
to the front In defence of the forms Of CT
vilized government which are founded
on the principles Of that religious light
and truth which have made them free.
Nineteen centuries ago-how many
hopes and ambitions have been kindled
and famed in the human breast to be .x-
tinguished by bitter disappointment
How many solemn trusts have been be-
trayed, how many loving hearts have
been broken by the basest ingratitude,
how the power of might has striven to
overcome the cause of right. How many
cruel wars hay e attested the sad truti Of
mans inhumanity to mann The battle
clouds of human strife floating over hill
and dale, and forming leaden shrouds as
! ~ hSiuN AiSoVh thS SNShSS ~ c'oOsi
and carnage below. How everything
good and great, and everything in adj.
vance Of its aye, has been opposed by all
the scorn and ridicule that intolerant ig.
norance could muster to its command.
In the face of all this the beams of that
glory gilded star that heralded the first
Christmas morning has all this long Pc
Rod, been struggling on dispensing the
clio Ids Of superstition and ignorence be-
fore its advancing light, as the darkness
of the night Is driven away before the
rays Of the rising sun. How knowledge
has increased, how old methods have
been replaced by new and better ones.
how the feats Of inventive genius have
astonished and rSvolutionized the world.
how many Of the dangers of the elements
are set at defiance by counter action, how
the very elements themselves have been
harnessed to the use of man as the long
centuries were rolling away.
How suggestive is the beautiful custom
of parents making Christmas gifts to
their children in token of parental love.
Suggestive of the gift Of Gods great love
to his creatures. lin that he s loved the
world that he gave his only begotten son
that whatsoever believeth on him might
not perish but have everlasting life" and
the melody of Christmas bells, how strong
ly they impress the mind with the senti. |
e,,aVf avoroccoI Ia, that aco ,-. e
the long ago, (peace OF earth good will
to men, the annunciation Of the advent
Of the prince of peace was the n ounce.
ment Of the blending through him Of the
divine and human natures, and meant a
transforming of the human into the di-
vine, till eventually God, by condescend.
ing to become man, should by this means
Of reaching and changing his nature,
raise man to the divine nature. and just
in proportion as this gospel Of peace, love
and good will is being preached, under
stood and appreciated. are its happy efcts
being realized. Love. is the all prevail
ing weapon which God has chosen, with
which to effect the conquest OF the world.
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. |
because, established in the hearts of his
people, and consequently destined to ex-
list coequal with the affections in which
its II all rolling principle is so firmly |
implanted.
A SUBSCRIBER.
The above was received too late for last
issue, but as the holiday time is still with
lie IL 10 ocnd raaJ;ou IA |