The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-03
world against their coming. and sent

! 'hen whcn tho world was ready.
! But how of the obscure. the com
monplaco and the unknown? For oil
such the Rlblo has these two truths
which It insists on everywhere: that
and that every man has his own In
dividual rcrsonal character. No one
who grasps tho great thought that
God has prepared for every man his
place, his time and his work, can ever
think lightly OF his own Iifo and its
value again.
so. after preparation comes the
Nativity. the birth, the actual appear
ing Of being planned in the thought
of God. Do we not celebrate the birth
days OF great men because the facts
and Significance of their lives seem
summed up in the moment when life
first appeared? In Gods sight we are
all SO great and SO small that no dis
tinction can be made. In our lower
moments what wonder that we some
times regard tho mass Of human be-
tngs as swarm of bees or ants? The
higher way, catching the spirit OF the
Lords Nativity. when the angels sang
in heaven because a Man was born,
secs the true dignity. tho awful
solemnity OF a human birth. For moth
ing in tho universe is more critical
than the beginning OF an existence
which may end in unspeakable horror
or eternal glory.
As for the Master. so for His fol-
lowers-birth Ia not NIL. Life. tod. must
be taken into account. And tho truo
value OF that life can only be meas
ured as it manifests Itself in the world
by going out beyond itself, by hav-
ing and using It's influence No life
is wise and strong and rich and good
unless II makes lives about It wis
err and stronger and richer and bot
ter by Its presence. Tho only rule by
which life can accomplish this is by
living in the light Of these two
truths: Tho Son Of Man came not to
be ministered unto, but to minister.
and to give His life ransom for
many" and. "As Thou has sent Me in
to the world, so have I sent them into
the world"
But tho life of Jesus. prepared for
before His birth. entered into at
Bethlehem, then brought into infu-
cnce upon and contact with the lives
OF others. finally completes itself In
suffering. And. whatever else comes
to life, there Is final grace and
greatness which 1t cannot have until
1t has been touched by pain. Self
knowledge. humility, patience, SYM
pathy and n constant consciousness of
God-theso are the gifts of sorrow and
without them you can
have no true and high manhood. So
1t Is written: TT became Him for
whom are all things. and by whom
AFRO all things, In bringing many sons
unto glory. to make the captain of
their salvation perfect through suffer-
inss." There Is glory after pain.
Easter follows Good Friday. but no
glory without pain-no mighty resur-
rection without the agony OF cruci-
fxion!
And after Easter. after Ills resur-
rcction and ascension, comes Pente-
cost, the pouring out of His Spirit. The
measure of mans power is his in
fuence after death. This is tho diff
ference of men-those whose power
stops with their death, and those
whose power really opens into It's true
richness when they die. The first sort
of men have mechanical power. The
second sort OK men have spiritual
power And the final test and witness
of spiritual force Is seen in the abil-
ity to cast bodily life away and yet
continue to give help and courage and
wisdom to those who see us no longer,
to be like Christ, the helper Of mems
souls even from beyond the grave.
Nothing can match in dignity and
interest the spectacle OF a full, strong
mans life. First, God prepares for
him the place where he is to live, and
then his life comes and takes its place,
a strong settled fact Then II puts
forth Its power and influences other
men. Then suffering comes to 1t and
natures 1t. but finally II Issues out of
suffering, refined and triumphant. And
finally, after it has passed away out
OF the world to new folds CT activity
and growth. 1t leaves Its power behind
to bless men after 1t Is dead.
Such a life is the very crown OF
Gods creation. May we obtain that
crown!