Semi-weekly herald., 1908-12-28
The Herald's
Christmas Sermon

Christmas comes but once year,
says an old rhyme of Elizabethan days,
which comes down to us with tales
of boar's head and Yule log; bright
berried holly and mistletoe from the
sacred oak, an heirloom of Druid Eng
land. Those were days, too, when
men ate and drank, as they fought
and loved, fiercely, and Yule tide
banquet ended for many man on the
rushes which lay several inches deep
on the floor, among the dogs and bones
which the guests were In the habit
of throwing under the table as they
ate.
This, too, In a Christian nation
We call those rude customs, bar
barous-as they were; we talk of our
advancement and refinements OF civil
zation-as we have the right. But
we are still strangely similar to our
ancestors. We celebrate Christ's birth
with feast. a dinner. costly as our
purse can buy and, sometimes, more
than we can afford. Young and old
of both sexes do ample justice to the
bOar's head which in the year of our
Lord nineteen hundred and eight has
become turkey.
The Eiizbethan man was not
ashamed when his attention to the
wassail bowl and mead cup put him
to sleep under the table. The twenti-
eth century man is likewise unasham-
ed OF eating to excess. Indeed 1t is
usually treated as a joke-a compli.
ment TO the host and hostess-the
cook, If you please. Many worthy cit,
izens-good people as the world terms
"good"-with pretensions to religious
lives, who would be Mortified at the
degradation implied at the thought of
their getting drunk-will cheerfully
acknowledge eating too much, with al
most a pride In the amount they can
contain. In the eyes of an impartial
Judge what is the difference between
drinking or eating to excess? II drunk
enness is sin, what is gluttony?
This, too. In Christian nation.
How many times We hear from over
! worked clerks, business men and
housewives, How glad / shall be when
Christmas is over"
Is 1t thus we celebrate Christ's
birth?
We hear, too. OF hours spent In pro-
curing gifts that are given because of
obligation. not from love; of heart
burnings and jealousies and discomfort
because the recipient failed to get
what she should-that is, value re-
| ceived
Is II thus we celebrate Christ's birth?
There is no merit in giving to ones
| own. When a man praises his own
children he praises himself. In CIV
ing to our own, we give in measure
to ourselves.
Is 1t thus we celebrate the birth OF
the selfless Christ?
Put away all this discord for a lit
tie space. Listen!
"Hark the held angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
Mid the faraway hills Of Judea one
brilliant night, messengers in glisten-
ing raiment declared Gods love to the
waiting shepherds. Peace on earth
good will to men," they sang.
In Chaldea, beyond the desert, the
| wise men saw his star. and following
1t for many days and night, came to
where the young child lay. doing him
homage and presenting gifts as to a
great king.
This was he who was born under the
lowliest conditions. as II to show how
little material prosperity matters in
sight of God; the baby SO marvelously
heralded and worshiped as king. was
he who afterwards said he had mo
place to lay his head" This was he.
who came to bring us Life eternal
to declare ''the Truth that makes men
Free" and to teach us how to love.
Before He left this earth the Master
taught, in NO uncertain fashion, both
by precept and example. how to live
that is how to love. "A New Com
mandment give unto you" He said,
that ye love. one another" His
whole earth life was spent In EXPRESS
Ing love IN some form TO mankind