Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-26

from the conformity OF human reason
to the intelligence of God and the
obedience of human life to the rule of
reason.
ldolatry Still Prevails
"Christ of Bethlehem today finds
himself in antagonism with a different
force. It is the force of nature with
drawn from the influence of God; it is
human nature unsanctified, unregen-
Grated, without faith, without the su-
pernatural, which asserts for itself the
right to rule in the kingdom of human
life The babe at Bethlehem came into
a world which was largely pagan;
idolatry was the dominant character
of it's religion. Idolatry still rules in
many parts of the world. but the idol
airy which even among those calling
themselves Christians asserts itself in
the slavery of passion, the idolatTy of
sensuality, OF absolute violation of
every commandment of God. There is
q vague recognition of God, but there
is a still stronger recognition of what
man has found in science and in hu-
man thought. Christianity is used as
common expression of belief In
things humane, in a certain faith in
God and phase of belief in Christ
who Is so frequently referred to as the
man of goodness whose moral teach
ings and moral life warrant him to be
considered as a model of life.
christmas brings to us the Christ
of Bethlehem, not the Christ of the
naturalist nor the purely human
Christ; it brings us the Emmanuel
God with us, Jesus the Savior, the
Eternal Son of God 1t bids us recog-
nize in him the child of prophecy, VINO
was expected as the Messias. the Son
of God made man. Christmas gives us
no divided Christ, but the word of God
made flesh for our salvation. 1t gives
us him who was in the beginning, by
whom all things were made, who came
into his own and his own received HIM
not. who was made fesh and dWelt
among us
"The Christianity which ,redeems
man from sin is the Christ anity which
has in it the child Jesus of Bethlehem,
whom the shepherds adored as their
God, whom the wise men Worsh4ped as
their Lord and king.
christmas brings us to Bethlehem.
there to offer our thanksgiving to GOD
for his condescending love by which
there was born to US a Saviour. Christ
mas brings us to Bethlehem, that we
may kneel with Mary and Joseph and
the shepherds and adore the child
Jesus, who comes that he may one day
be nailed TO the cross, ana on IL dtOIl6
for our sins. Christmas brings us to
Bethlehem, where we recognize the be-
ginnings OF the incarnate life of Christ
who is one day to est blish his church
as the means by which there shall be
brought into our lives the divine child
of Bethlehem through the sacramental
graces which he has determined saall
be the means of our union WITH him.
Christmas brings us Christ, who comes
that he may save HS and live with US,
our Emmanuel to be the teacher of our
Founder of Christianity and in the
way of truth and our lives in the way
of virtue.
"On Christmas day at the manger of
Bethlehem the Christian adores the
founder of Christianity. and in the
spirit of the apostle bends his knee in
fervent alteration eXclaiming, My
Lord and my God.' lie recognizes in
the child of Bethlehem the divine and
the human nature which form the per-
sonalty of the Savior of the world
and joins in the hymn of the angels,
Glory to God in the highest, and on
earth peace to men of good will.
In the Episcopal churches holy COM
munion was observed with an early
celebration in each parish, followed by
second celebrations later in the day.
Elaborate musical programs had been
arranged for these services.
At st. Paul's Pro-Cathedral Rev. 9.
Hihhard recently elected canon of the
ro-Cathedral, preached the sermon.