The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-13
ALL VICTORIES COME THROUGH STRUGGLES Dr. Steele Takes Text from St,
 Luke "AND THIS SHALL BE A SIGN" Even Christ and Paul Accomplished Great Things Only After Long
 Struggles Against Adver-
 sity and Doubt.
AND THIS SHALL BE A SIGN"

i'Nictofy Ihrough struggle was the subject of sermon by the Rev pr. l. D. Steele at the Cumberland Presbyterian church, U, s. A, yesterday morning. A large congregation heard the sermon and seven adults joined the church after it's conclusion.
 ond chapter and twelfth verse, And this shall be a sign unto you" This text was discussed as follows:
 'The sign designated by the angel was the manager and the babe lying in it.. It symbolized the poverty of Christ and the victory He should win through strug- gle.
 Announcement of Savior's Birth.
 This was an occurrence out of the ordinary. We are not excited nor moved by the ordinary course of events. The rising of the sun, the coming of darkness, shining of the stars, change of season, coming of the clouds and rain are all elassed in the ordinary. There are things in the worlds history out of the usual order. This announcement by the angels concerning the birth of Christ was a strik- ing event. The history of the world is made impressive by the illuminated mile stones of Gods interventions in guiding the destiny of humanity. This is seen in Moses leading out Israel in Elijah calling fire from heaven, in the life of Christ and of Paul.
 The manager was a sign of a struggle for victory. Had He been born in mag niflcent surroundings Of luxury and ease, servants and great means, then struggle would not have been so evident.
 But the force of life is not in surround ings but in character. We are accustomed to look on poverty as a misfortune from start to finish We forget that it necessi- tates struggle, and that there is no vic tory without struggle. We forget that Moses in the basket in the waters of the Nile was the Moses who stood face to face with God on the mountain and from God gave the world Gods great laws. Do you think there was no great struggle in mind and soul while he was in exile? We know of his tolls, prayers and tears as great leader of millions. You hear poor boy singing at the front door for bread in Germany, you see his mother at her laundry worl5-this was the Martin Luther who so profoundly im- pressed all Europe and the world with his religious thoughts. God and the world get very little out of people who have an easy time in a soft place. People do things who have to. But we are disposed to shun great effort, we like the road which Is easy to travel But remember the only avenue to success is effort
 After all has struggle hut you? Has it hurt your home or your children? You say, I have seen the time when I was hungry; so did your Lord see the time when He was hungry. You say you have almost famished for water in great and grievous work. Yes, hear the Son of God from the cross saying, T thirst
 Sure of Victories,
 People say they have hard times, both Christ and Paul could say the same thing, The reason there are not more great Christian souls, more lives lumin- ous with a heavenly unction, is because the church member -does not know the meaning of the manger-effort. Those who are willing to put Christ first, who through hardships and difficulties attend church services, prayer services, who live and practice righteousness at home, who put forth the Christian effort for all these things may expect spiritual greatness. is nothing to the church member who makes no effort to enrich and enlarge his Christian life AS wel-directed and care fully pushed plans in business produce great results so life, well aimed and pushed in religious matters, will bring great spiritual results. It was boy care fully and thoroughly educated in Mary land who in after years was able to buy and give 400 acres of land for the Hop kns free hospital near Baltimore. It was the same Johns Hopkins who gave $3, 900 more and established the Johns Hopkins university. He was worthy Christian gentleman of the Quaker church. This was the result of well di- rected business effort and cost the great est of struggles Others bless the world with great spiritual riches and impart great moral power. II all comes the same road, it leads from the manager. The Christian is made partaker of the divine nature. this nature did not die. it ascend ed, it overcame the world. The Chris tian is to overcome to ascent. The great ness of the life is not in possessing ma terial things But il is in being something. Being honest being sincere, being pure, being righteous in life and soul. A sand stone cannot be made 10 shine; cotton wood cannot take on a highly hard pol ished surface. Some church members are so far from God, so mixed with the world they cannot be made shining stones or finished timber in the spiritual temple of God. They need to be transformed by the power of God and have Christ formed in them-the hope of glory. There can be no spiritual greatness without using the great spiritual means of the church and the word of God. lie is our helper, our redeemer. our only deliverer in all our struggles. We can do all things through Him.