The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-25
CHRISTMAS
 THOUGHTS Contained in pr. 0. (. McGehee'S Sermon. APPLIED RELIGION IS THEME Follow After Charity Is Strongly
 Impressed. How Christmas Day wn De Celebrated in the Churches of the City
 Salvation Army
 Plans.

Dr. o. C.. McGehes from hts pulpit last Sunday made some remarks that are particularly timely, and which are reproduced with the hope that their meaning may reach greater number of people than one church could hold
 pr. AcGehee said, in part:
 ''st James, in his first Epistle. Chap ter 27. tells us what pure and undecided religion will do. He says: 1t visits the fatherless and widow in their af- fiiction.'
 '"The theory of evolution professes to teach the survival of the httest, but the fittest in this case means the strongest. A little bit of observation tells us that the strongest Is not al- ways the fttest, but frequently the most debased and the most brutal. The theory of grace is truly the sur viyai of the httest. which means often times the survival of the weakest. The fath6rless and widows are synony- nous terms with the weak and help less. It has been and gttll is the glory of the Christian religion that 1t takes the side of the weak and help less in society. The mightiest cham pion' of the lowly that has stood upon the sands of this earthly arena is He who said: Come unto me all 70 who Iabor and are heavy laden and will give you rest" He who was wrapped AAA 0W100AAA& GkQeAIc Gh0 AAsQ III 4 manager; who died nailed to the cross
 has broken the fetters from the limbs of vast muItitudes and saved those about to perish. Our city has recently shown the Christ spirit by taxing herself to build a hospital for the poor.
 Pure and undecided religion requires | that those who possess 1t should visit the weak and helpless. In the thir- teenth chapter of Second Corinthians. we have a beautiful and complete de- scription of charity. In the beginning of the fourteenth chapter we have the words, Follow after charity This beautiful, tender and strong being is on the move and if we wish to keep her company we must move, too. People often make the remark Charity begins at home The proper answer to this is: Yes, charity does begin at home, but stays at home just long enough to meet home needs and is immedi- ately away with swift feet to meet the needs of others He who would do a deed of charity must put himself in food and clothing to the needy, and howers to, the sick. but 1t is far better to carry them. A gift, unless the giver goes with 1t, smites the receiver In the face like q stone hurled from the hand. To toss . coin to the suf- fertng. unaooompanied by sympathy, is like throwing bone to alhungry dog.
 Pure and undecided religion requires that It's possessors visit the weak and helpless in their affiiction. We are not to visit them only when they are smilinE. but also when they are crying. We are not to visit them when they are well only. but also when they are sick. We are not to visit them when they are prosperous. but when they are in diversity. The Christmas time Is now come. The time when we celebrate the birth of Him who left the throne for the manager; Of Him who, though rich, for our salsea became poor: Of Him who came to seek and to save that which was lost. May Kis spirit be in all of our hearts, and may we, following sweet charity, seeking His poor with our gifts, 50 that when this blessed season shall have passed 1t may leave our souls richer than before 1t came"