Evening journal., 1909-12-24

Not until some time after Pentecost
was the middle wall OF partition" be-
tween Jews and Gcntiles broken down,
as st. Paul explains. For more than
eighteen centuries previous all Of Gods
favors and promises were made TO the
Ievs exclusively and only through
their prophets did no speak and only
to them. Only their kings and priests
wero in any sense recognized by the
Lord. This was not because there were
not noble minds amongst other peoples,
but because, in the working out Of tho
great Divine Program the seed of
Abraham was specially selected-al-
though declared by the Lord to be n
crooked and perverse people. Because
they had no special revelation from
God, tho nobler minds amongst other
nations gave special study TO the
starry heavens along the lines of
astronomy or astrology. Tho stars were
chartered and certain lessons were
said to be learned therefrom bearing
upon humanity's welfare.
At the time of the birth Of the Savior
God made some astrological sign of
the momentous event, which the wise
men Of the East, described in our
study, understood. Reverentially they
followed the guiding star from their
home in the East, possibly Persia. How
the star led we are not Informed, but
apparently its leading discontinued
when they reached Judea, and nat
urally they went to the palace Of King
Herod inquiring for him that is born
King of the Jews" The mistake was
quite reasonable. 1t required us some
time for us to learn that Divine fayors
and blessings are not always TO the
rich and the great, but oftenest for
"the poor of this world, rich In faith
and heirs of the Kingdom" (Jas. 2:5.)
The filled, the rich, the satisfied, are
frequently less interested in tho Savior
than are the poor, because they do not
realize so great need for him and for
the Millennial Kingdom Of the righte-
BUSINESS and blessing which he is to
establish. For that matter, however,
only tho comparatively few were in
tcrested at our Lords First Advent,
as the Scriptures intimate that COM
paratively few will be longing for his
Second Advent and the establishment
of his Kingdom.
Herod affected an interest with the
wise men in their search, but merely
that he might thwart the Divine pur-
pose by destroying the Child, that thus
the Kingdom of Israel might be pre-
served 70 his own family-as It was
through his six successors who bore
his name, Herold. AS the announce
ment OF Jesus the Babe troubled the
great OF that day, similarly. We may
be sure. any announcement of Jesus
as the King OF Glory to take over the
dominion of the world, If corroborated,
would cause CONSERVATION amongst the
rulers of the earth to-day-fnancial.
political. etc. All have unfinished
plans more or less selfish, and all in
stinctively realize that the Inaugural
tion of a reign of absolute righteous
ness would interfere with the busi-
ness and schemes and trusts and
corners. grating and trickery, which
arc getting a hold upon highest civil
ization OF our day.
The prophecies were searched and
It was learned that the humble City
of Bethlehem would be the honored
place of our Savior's birth. The crafty
Herod feigned his reverence and his
desire to worship the heaven-appointe
King. but only that he might subse-
quently destroy him-as a little later
he attempted to do in causing tho