Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-27
TEXT OF THE PULPIT.
Bethlehem the Theme of Spe-
ciaI Christmas Sermons.
MUSIC IS IN KEEPING
Choirs of the Various Churches Sing
Hymns and Cantatas Appro-
pirate to the Day.


mas were held in all Of the Protestant
churches of the city yesterday. Masses
we're also held in the various Catholic
churches, but the splendor of the serv-
ices did not rival that of Christmas day.
At the conclusion of each mass hundreds
visited the Crib of Bethlehem erected
in the basement or before side altar Of
the churches.
The service in the New York Avenue
Presbyterian Church In the morning was
largely attended. The music consisted of
HawIey's 20 Little Town of Bethlehem"
and Dudley Bucks The Virgins Lul-
LADY," Rev. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe, the
pastor, delivered a sermon In which he
gave his conception of Christ.
The expression of ST. John. And dwelt
among u.s." said DR.. Radcliffe, means
literally, He pitched His tent among US.
1t gives the true idea of the incarnation.
Scripture, and that usage gives an apt
significance of His presence. He is here
as sojourner, a shepherd and soldier.
Unity of Man and Deity.
HE is first a sojourner. The very term
contradcts the common tendency to eX-
plain. assay or spiritualize the idea of
His incarnation. 1t is often tolerated as
pleasant myth, an eternal manage
ment by some eternal law. an apparition,
as at best a man Influenced by spirit or
personality outside and distant. 1t is a
birth into our nature. He was not
mere man, nor exclusively Divinity, put
the actual though mysterious unity OF
man and Deity in one personality. MOI
man deitied. but God humanified. He be.
to- Of Az
Himself there
In the evening Dr. Radcliffe gave
meditation upon Sears Christmas hymn,
1T Came Upon the Midnight Clear
Vests cantata, THE Story Of Bethie-.
hem." was given by the choir .
Might" was rendered at the First Con-
grgational Church last night under the
direction of the choirmaster. william
Wall Whidditt. Mrs. B. H. Smart sang
the Christ Child" and Miss Edna Smith,
lin Old Judea,' by Geibel.
Christ to Reign Forever.
Rev. DR.. Woodrow chose for his sub
iect, THE Lord God shall give unto Him
the throne of David, and He shall reign
over the house of Jacob, and Of his
kingdom there shall be no end
THE Babe of Bethlehem he said was
Graded among the lowlies." continued
Dr. Woodrow, Tie was crowned among
the mighty. OF this kingdom there was
to be no end. The earth is filled with
the graves and monuments Of dead ma
tions; Nineveh and Babylon fell; Egypt
is as dead as the mummtes In her rock
built tombs, the glory OF Greece Is de-
parted; but the Babe of Bethlehem mas
become the ruler of the ages. He mas
become both Lord of men and Ruler OF
nations.
.The kingdom that the Babe of Bethle-
hem came to establish" the speaker
continued, land over which the CHRIST OF
God now reigns. is a kingdom OF justice
and Righteousness, OF love ana mutual
helpfulnesS.''
In the Church Of the Covenant yester-
day afternoon Rev. DIR. Wood declared In
a sermon that force is subservient 70
moral power, and love. sincerity, sim
plicity and gentleness are the factors
that go far to make up character.
His subject was The Infant Re
deemer." and during his address he
pointed out that the power that MADE
Christ able to save men and endowed his
apostles with strength to conquer the
world, is exemplified In little child.
Church of the Epiphany.
Special services were held in the Church
of the Epiphany last night Rev. DR..
Randolph II. Mcktm, the rector, delivered
a sermon on the coming of Christ.
THE world needs no other gospel" de-
clared the rector, than the gospel Of the
Savior, Who lifted all humanity and died
that the sins of the world might be for
given" At the conclusion OF the address
the cantata, THE Coming of the King.
was given by the choir.
The fine discernment OF the shepherds
of Bethlehem, in that they did not con-
fuse the apparent eminence of the magi
and the apparent lowliness Of the Infant
King, was discussed by Rev. Lloyd c.
Douglas in the Luther Place Memorial
Church You may think 1t strange"
said the pastor. that foreign potentates
came with gifts for this child, and. In
deed, it is an amazing sight to behold
them In their costly robes and Jewels
paying tribute to king with manager
throne. But the real truth is that the
adoraion of the shepherds proves more
marvellous than this. For when was the
poor man the poor mans friend? When
did not the typical poor man frown upon
his comrade In poverty when there was
an opportunity to truckle to the great?
The typical poor man. depressed, down.
trodden, rushing into this scene, is much
more likely to grovel before the eastern
princes, with their purple vestrnents and
golden bracelets, than before the child
of poverty who sleeps in the manger.
Fine Steaks Are the Suecialty