Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-27
Let the Wise Men from the East
Teach Us a Christmas Lesson
By Bishop Warren 4. Gambler


hem of Judea in the days of Herod the
the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is
he that is born King of the Jews? for
we have seen his star in the East, and
are come to worship him.
The dispersion of the Jews had already
begun when Jesus came, and their ex-
pectation of a Messiah was as wide
spread as was their dispersion Suetonius,
in his Life of Vespasian," says
Throughout the whole East an ancient
and uninterrupted opinion had become
very prevalent that IL was fated that at
this time some person coming from Judea
should gain supreme power To the
same prevalent opinion both Josephus
and Tacitus bear witness.
Into the knowledge of this Messianic
expectation these wise Men from the
East"-probably Persian Magi-had come,
but from what source they had obtained
such knowledge can not be said 1t may
be that they knew of Balaams words,
There shall come Star out of Jacob,
and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel
Numbers xxiv:10. or that among them
selves they had prophets as truly in
spired was BALKAN, or that in the
days of Esther they had obtained this
light from the exiled Hebrews. But let
the source of their information
be what IL may, it is certain that they
lived in expectation of the coming Mes
siah, and that In such hope they put
such confidence as moved them when
they saw His star In the east to set out
quickly on a long and perilous and
wearisome journey to find him and wor-
ship him. Truly they were most serious
seekers after Cod, who abandoned not
their search until they found Him 'of
In "a lou nd ba
did write, and whom Haggai called THE
Desire of all Nationsr' Like the star
which led them appeared in the sky, they
appear in history for brief season and
then vanish out of sight, leaving a trail
of glory behind, following which we too
may find the way to where the Saviour
waits to receive our alteration and offer
ings. In them was fulfilled the Masters
words spoken afterwards, Seek and We
shall find" Their earnest search was re-
warded with glorious success, which may
encourage and instruct us in this far off
time as we too endeavour to find Him.
These men had rich treasures of gold
and frank-incense and myrrh and yet
richer treasures of wisdom and knowl-
edge; but without Him their souls were
filled with conscious and great want 1t
is not in wealth or wisdom to satisfy the
yearnings of the human heart for God.
Truly cried St. Augustine 20 God, thou
hast made us for myself and inquiet are
our souls without thee.
These wise men studied the heavens;
they were forerunners of our modern as
tronomers, who kept their nightly vigils
watching the armament which showeth
His handiwork. But they did not wor-
ship the luminaries that shone in their
Eastern skies; they adored that Uncre-
ated Light, whose beams light every
man that cometh into the vsrsS. And the
God of life and light came to them along
the paths of their life-work; he met them
in the heavens whittier their reverent
gaze was always directed. He adapted
his light to their eyes. He could not fail
to give more light to men who followed
so earnestly the best light which they
had: for they were no listless and indo-
lent seekers after truth. What must it
have cost them to undertake such jour-
ney as that upon which they went so
eagerly! How may not their families and
friends have derided them for going on
such fools Grand! Over what weary
miles must they have passed. daring all
dangers by the way! Yet none of. these
things moved them so that they might
know Christ. Not more heroically and
promptly did Abraham at Gods bidding
go out from his kindred and his country
and his fathers house to the land which
Jehovah showed him. And great was
their reward. Such seekers are bound
to find God. Not more surely. does the
eye. to which the light is sweet, pledge
from nature the dawning of the MORN
ing than does the hunger of the honest
heart constrain the coming of the revela-
ton of God. Helpless hands can never
lift themselves up to heaven in earnest
pleading for help without unseen hands
reaching down to meet them with aid
from above. BLESSED are they which do
hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filed Matt. v:0.
The wise men were not content that
heir lives should eliminate in their be-
coming astronomers only, but that they
should find and worship the true God.
They sought knowledge that 1t Nigh
end in alteration. Theirs was no love-
less and selfish quest of truth. They
did not pursue knowledge for it's own
sake, as the manner of some proud and
foolish ones is; but they followed truth
that it might lead them to God. And
behold in them what a union of wisdom
and faith! What a harmony of science
and religion is therel Of the triumph
of their faith Canon Ryle says, They
saw no miracles to convince them. They
heard no teaching to persuade tn EN-.
They beheld no signs of divinity and
greatness to overawe them. They saw
nothing but a new born infant helpless
and weak and needing a mothers care
like one of ourselves. And yet when
they saw that infant they believed that
they .saw the divine Saviour of the
world. They fell down and worshiped
him. We read of no greater faith than
this in the whole Bible. 1t is a faith
which deserves to be put side by side
with that of the penitent thief. The
thief saw one dying the death of mall
efactor, and yet prayed to him and call
ed him Lord The wise men saw a
newborn babe on the lap of a poor wo-
man, and yet worshiped him and con-
fessed that he was Christ. Blessed in
deed are they that can believe in this
fashion.
Herod and the chief priests and
scribes knew the Old Testament proph-
ecies far better than did those noble
strangers; but they did not come to tn e
same conclusion of adoring love, al
though Herod falsely professed desire
to Come and worship Him also" Her
cd and the priests had selfish interests
to serve and party power to preserve.
TIL cir eyes were not single, therefore,
and the light that was in them became
darkness. There are today men who re-
ject the Scriptural accounts of the Vir-
gin Birth for much the same reason;
they have their little theological party
to support and their pride of opinion to