Norwich bulletin., 1910-12-26

hIeS- feE' Df. i0WeS Christmas ser mon was from St. Luke. 2 IS: sIet us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see thlS thlnS which is come to pass" This Christmas festival is the dearest Of them all. and more can join in it's worship. This is the time when the whole world goes up to Bethlehem.
 The whole world was largely repre- sented at that first Christmas. Many and divergent classes met there-the Emperor Augustus. whose decree of enrolment fixed tho place and whose chief claim to notoriety and fame is the birth of Christ in his reign. parents, laborers like Joseph, men of simple faith like the shepherds cultured and learned classes like the wise men, the highest life and ideals represented by the angels, and the tragedy Of human sin in the person of Herod All the interests of humanity met there And why? To see a little child. with ap- parently no history. no achievement, no background. Every child, however, has the history of the race, the achieve ment of his heredity and the back
 ground of environment. The world at that time believed in transmigration, and this was truly no first appearance. Prophets, sinners in Isreal, kings, law givers and patriarhs had already look ed into his face. And now the heath en world came, too. The pagan intel lect had worked it's way up to Bethle- hem. Their instinct for God-shoWn in their putting their gods into flesh and blood and sending gods and he- roes and philosophers to give needed help to men. their prophecies and leg ends of a new race and era-Showed them now waiting. watching. hoping for the fulflment of their dreams. EV- erything cOnVerged to this child. It is the potentiality of g child which inter- ests-What may develop when the coils of personality are unrolled. This child came to teach us f0cts about God which no human brain could con- ceive; he came to redeem the world. He put a regenerutive force into the black night of debasement and deprav- ity of the Roman world. He is not a revolutionist. He quietly builds up his kingdom in the hostility of human na- ture always congrontinG him. Give him time and he will fix his grip upon the whole world Study the childs face with all this in mind and it will gain a new and beautiful significance. Broadway Congregational Church. There were many present Christmas morning at the Broadway Congrega- tional church service. the platform be- ing prettily decorated with evergreen, pine bOuShs, lilies and cut flowers. The programme of Christmas music was finely given by the choir under the direction of F. W. Lester, the anthems being sung in fine voice, with skill and expression.
 Rev, F. s. Worcester took as his theme The Life Was the Light" his text being John 1-4. Tn him was life; and the life was the light of men, He said:
 "In hir''-that is. in the word which was in the beginning. That word" is no mere abstraction, reacon or at tribute or emanation or what not, but living and personal Nothing short of life can express the living God. So when the time was come for @ clearer expression than the word could give through the workings of nature or of Gods providence in history, it was a life that he chose to dwell in. "The word was made flesh" He entered up on our world as an actual personality by the door of birth on Christmas morning. It was not by signs or voices or magical books, not by abstract statements about God or duty, but through life thai he enlightened men all along--by the way he lived, by the spirit in which he lived by the gift of his life, and by the triumph of life over death. Through his true disci- ples' life he is the worlds light now. Christ liveth in them; and the life is the light.
 Universaist Church.
 The choir at the Universalist service at the Buckingham Memorial Christ mas morning was heard with pleasing effect in the special programme of music. The solo by Miss Maud Baker was sung with fine expression. There were appropriate decorations. Rev. Jo- seph T. Cobb preached from the sub- ject, The Meaning of Christmas. His texts were: Unto you is born this day, in the city of David q Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" Luke 2:12, and Think on these things" Phil, As. He said:
 At this Christmas season there are some things that we ought to think upon. Familiar to us as they are, they come with q new sense of power as We associate them with the great event that gives us this season of rejoicing. We should bear in mind that Christ
 mas means more than a holiday; it
 means more than day when there are decorations and an exchange Of gifts. It means q season of love and
 good will of peace and joy, of holy
 pleasure and divine reveIation--a sea-
 son when the heart strings are unIoos-
 ed and a smile appears on the solemn
 face.
 What then are some of the things
 we should think about? l. First. we
 would naturally think of the birth of
 Jesus. ?. The next thing to thing up
 on is the fact that Jesus became the
 Christ 3 Then think Of the joy that
 came to the world Y bring you good
 tidings of great joy, which shall be to
 all the DetfEtt- F. W IlE 0ltt t5tlA give
 a Saviour? ]. Think Of his mission.
 He came to save the individual, all in
 dividuais. manhood from sin. He came
 to save the world He cama not alone
 to save those who had already sinned
 or were sinners. or in sin, but also to
 save from sin 6. Then think of the
 revelation of the Father '. Jesus re-
 vealed man to himself. s. He revealed
 the fact that we are sons and daugh
 ters of God. 2. After we heave thought
 of these things, let us think of the still
 further meaning of the Christmas mes
 sage: (a) it is personal. (b) it is pres
 ent at all times, )c) it is universal.
 10. The Christmas message then is one
 of love.
 Let us then think on these things
 and understood more thoroughly the
 meaning of Christmas, and let the
 Christ spirit be born in every heart.
 Christ is born in every family where
 faith is. and in every heart where love
 welcomes
 Christ Episcopal Church.
 Sunday morning at Christ Episcopal
 church there were many in attend
 ance at the Christmas service. There
 were attractive decorations of fir trees
 and evergreen with calla lilies. The
 vested choir sang with spirit and
 feeling the programme of special mu-
 sic arranged by Director w. r. Habe-
 kotte. the anthem, GOunods s Nazareth,
 being beautifully rendered. RaV. Neil
 son Poe Carey took as his text :. John
 '''Thq Word was made flesh