Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1908-12-26
EMMANUEL, GOD WITH Vs.

air. Go out into the highways and
byways, it is there-into the streets
aud lanes OF the city, il is there
into the marts Of trade, It is there
.nto The quiet homes OF the busy
,Marthas. 1t is there--into the palace
Of the rich. is is there--into the cot
tage Of the poor, it is there. Go
where you viii, the fragrance oil
Christmas, sweet smelling, hear,
cheering, meets you, gives zest to
life, inspires with hope
Christmas, as Christian obser.
vance a feast Of good things, is hoary
with age. Already in the second cen
fury it was celebrated. 1t may be
that the first impulse to its celebrat
tion, came Of the observance Of an
nual Pagan festivals, but it would be
only in full harmony with the spirit
and mission of Him whose birthday
it celebrates. to take up into itself,
spiritualze these, and glorify them
with its own life, and so draw away
the converts to Christianity from
heather festivities, and gradually
purify and sanctify heather ideas
and customs. This Is the spirit and
mission of the Christian church today
She lays hold of man, and the things
of the world, that she may uplift
them from the corruptings of sin
purify and sanctify them and conse-
crate them TO higher, nobler ends.
The exact time OF the birth of Jesus
of Nazareth who is called Christ, is
not, and most likely, never will be,
known. In the fourth century how
ever, under the influence OF st. Chrys-
pstum, the Eastern, or Greek church
joined with the Western or Latin
4-dnn.sh in fixing the twvnts-fifth day
of December as the date in which the
wbole church would celebrate Christ
mas After all, 1t matters little
on what precise day or date the
Christ of God, our Saviour %@s Corn.
The chief concern is to commemorate
the glorious fact, the world astound
ing event, as it should be, on some
day accepted by all Christendom, as
II is.
External circumstances have thei1
value, but they are not everything
The inner spirit and life are the
things essential, but for the develop
rnent and proper manifestations, and
EXPRESSION. of the life within. the out
ward things are necessary also.
1t may not be out OF place here, to
ask. what is the real significance of
Christmas? Why celebrate il? 1t is a
great mystery, and yet mystery that
instead of striking the heart of man,
and child. with fear, fills and thrills
il with 10Y Christmas is a glad day
a Joyous day-the gladdest day in all
the year. Fun well we know the story
of the Christchild's birth in Bethle'
hem OF Judea. II is a beautiful, q
fascinating story. Things are told as
centering about the Christ-child's
lowly birth, that awaken within us
feelings OF reverence AMI awe, ano
yet the inspiration of the story, above
all else, is Joy in the hearts of al
them that believe.
What is the central truth-what
the fact that stands out boldly as o.
prime importance? Isaiah, the grea
prophet Of God, spoke on this wise:-
Behold q virgin shall conceiv,
and bear son, and shall call hi
name, Emmanuel" In his record o
the Gospel, ST. Matthew refers u
this prophecy, and quoting it, add
the Interpretation of the word, En-
manuel, God with us" The chill
born, the son given, is Emmanue
God with us. God manifest in tn
flesh. The Word which was in tn
beginning with God, and was Cod
by whom all things were made, an
without whom was not anything mac
that was made, was himself mad
flesh and dwelt among us, (the glor
as of the only begotten of the father
fun Of good and truth.
This is the great fact Christma
celebrates. The human conception {
God was, that He WAS God ia
off exalted on high, inaccessible to tn
children of men-a God whom the
should fear and worship, but VIII
was not TO be approached say