The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-12-24


eyes to the many which We're testitie<
to by these very witnesses. She could
not talk of them then, bat she stored
those testimonies UP il her memory
Mary kept all these things and pom
dereG them in hef heart
But there was another feeling OF
gratitude which crept over Mary when
ever she thought about the incidents
preceding and succeeding that first
Christmas morn. That was the THANK
fulness in her heart because God had
cared for and protected her and her
dear family during all those days OF
trial and ignominy. Never was there
time when Gods eye was not watch
Ing them and Gods ear listening to
them and Gods hand guiding them.
Some of us may think that Mary and
Joseph were forgotten of God merely
because Jesus was born in a manSer.
but that is not true. God was caring
for Mary just the same as God on this
Christmas Sabbath is caring for u.s.
The Journey to Egypt.
Then. again, there was that second
angelic messenger who appeared unto
Joseph at Bethlehem, saying. Arise
and take the young child and Mary,
his mother, and flee into Egypt, and
| be thou there until I bring thee word,
| for Herod will seek the young child
| to destroy him. God not only protect
| ed Mary on her journey to Bethlehem.
| but he also continued the divine pro
| lection over her and the young child
| at Bethlehem to ward off the murder
Gus designs of q brutal king. Then
there was the long journey into Egypt.
again the dangers of travel. Now.
| they certainly had to journey alone,
| for they were fugitives from the royal
| tyrant Then there was the money
which God sent them in presents OF
| the wise men to feed them and to pro
vide for them when they were exi!es
| in the foreign land. Thus as Mary
| looks over the scenes of the past can
she not see Gods protecting hand ev-
erywhere? Like the psalmist of old,
could she not sing. Thou preparest a
! table before me in the presence of
mine enemies; thou anointest my head
|
with oil: my cup runneth over; surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life, and l vii!
dwell in the house of the Lord for
ever?''
But. if Mary had her divine protec-
ton through the past Christmases. has
not God protected and cared for us
in the same way during the many
Christmases that are gone? Has he
| not fed you and clothed you and pro-
tected YOU? Has not his right arm al
WAYS been about you? AS with Mary.
| has not God cared for you in the most
mysterious ways? John Knox. the
great Scottish reformer, used to tell
this wonderful story: For years at the
dinner hour he sat at the head of the
table. with his back to a certain win
dow. One night there was strange
voice of warming bidding him to sit
elsewhere and not allow any one to sit
in his regular place. Hardly was the
meal we'll under way than bullet
crashed through that window. grazed
the chair at the head of the table and
John Knox sat in his regular place
that night he surely would have been
killed. and the Scottish reformation, for
a time at least, would have been halt
ed At once the Scottish refOrmef
dropped on his knees and thanked God
for protecting him and his dear ones
AS we lock over our past Christmases,
H. JaJ
how Gods hand has been guiding and
caring for us Thus the divine protec-
ton has been manifested not only in
!, one, but in many, many ways. Can
!, YOU not, o man, on this Christmas day
ponder over Gods love and care as
, did Mary when she looked over the
, scenes preceding and succeeding that
, first Christmas day, when Jesus was
born in Bethlehem of Judea?
A Way Through Trials.
But, lastly, I would turn YOUR atten
: ton to one more fact When Mary
[ thought over the scenes of her past life
she certainly must have thought OF
these prosecutions and bitter, heart
rending trials which made her take
that journey to Bethlehem. so thai
Jesus. in the fulfilling of prophecy
could be born in the place where DAVE
lived. 1t was no doubt the bitter ant
unjust attacks made upon Mary tina
were the chief causes of preparing the
way for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem
of Judea. And without doubt 1t is thu
Misrepresentation and trials of life
which are the chief causes Of driving
us to that same manger. But few o
y us were ever led to bow to and wor
ship Jesus through the sunshine. Near
ly all Of US have come to him through
shadows and storms.
The great Newman Hall, who 70
= many years spent his annual vacations
in mountain climbing, used to tell tn
dramatic story of Swiss chamol
hunter who was one day crossing tn
great glacier known as the Mer d.
Glace Suddenly his foot slipped an'
he fell over the side of an awful ere
= vase. He slipped down only coupl
I1,t 1,n ff.tf no NIrD