The Adair County news., 1911-01-04
The Worlds Debt to the Christmas
Story.

The following paper was written and
read by Judge H. c. Baker, of this
place, at the union Christmas services,
held at the Presbyterian church, Sun
day evening. the 25th of December,
1910:
The subject which has been assigned
to me this evening is so incomprehensive.
and embraces so much in its relation
to mans temporal and eternal interests,
that L am at loss to know where to
begin, or in what language to speak
In millions of hearts to day all over the
earth, there is that gladness of Christ
mas time, which comes on no other DAY
In all the year, shared by prattling
babes, by innocent and artless youth,
by young manhood and maidenhood, as
well rs by those upon whom the frost of
the winters of long years have gather
ed; and all alike, in some degree, par
take of its spirit.
1t is day of remembering and being
remembered, of giving and receiving;
Of the exchange of the tokens of affec-
ton; of messages of love from absent
snes, and if friendships are not little
closer, and love a little tenderer, and
goodwill a little more pervading than at
other times, the evidences of them are
at least, more manifest.
Nations have days for the celebra-
ton of events peculiar to themselves,
but this day belongs to no country, and
no age exclusively. 1t is world day
and for each generation of the earth.
1t commentaries a world event. one
which interested heaven as it did the
earth; an event which has its relation
to the time that is, and has been, and to
the eternity beyond.
The story of Christmas is the story of
the babe of Bethlehem, of His birth,
His after years of, teaching and minis
tering to human suffering, His cruel
death upon the cross, and His ascension
into heaven. Nothing like it in interest
and Importance to our race has been or
can be, until He comes again in power
and glory to judge the world. 1t is a
story so pathetic, so tragic, and so
touching in its details, that even if it
were no more than mere human history,
it would ever excite the deepest inter-
est, and appeal to the tenderest sympa-
thies of mankind But it is more than
that, it is the story of the life of God
incarnate, and of His plan for mans
redemption from the curse of sin 1t
gives an answer to the question of Job,
IF man die shall he live again." II
tells, not in the language of philos
sphers with ifs and doubts, but clearly
and positively. that the soul is immor-
tai, and that man, after his brief exist
ence here, continues to live Christ is
the revelation of Immortality to man
1t is beyond all else, the story of
love, of Gods love to man, and of it's
enforcement in the heart, love to God,
and love to man. Love came down
fror' heaven with the babe in the man
ger. He came to establish the kingdom
Of love, a kingdom of righteousness,
and peace and joy. 1t was to be an
everlasting kingdom, Extending from
sea to sea, and from the river to the
ends of the earth.
''His kingdom is an everlasting king.
dom, and His dominion from generation
to generation"
Y This story awakens, and brings into
1a hot &c, s,,f
Of man. 1t has been the incentive to
the highest and best efforts for the ma
teriaI progress of the world, for its
enlightenment, its advance in the arts
and sciences, in invention, and in the
social amelioration of the race.
1t has elevated woman from a posi-
ton of slavish degradation to one of
honor and freedom, and given sacred
ness to childhood and maternity
1t teaches, AS the world had not
known, the brotherhood of man. The
world has been slow t. learn its mean
ing, as taught by the Master. | am
not sure that We yet understand it as
we should The Jew in his exclusive
ness, believing that he was the chosen
one. and that all others were outside
the kingdom, would not accept it. God
was the God of the Jews, and not of
others. He, the proud Pharisee, was
not like other men, especially he con-
graduated himself. that he was not
like, bu was mu:h better than the dc.
spised publican across the way. Christ
taught different lesson. He taught
that the publican was a brother, and
that he should receive help and sympa-
thy as such
Permit me to ask, S2a we as free of
the spirit of the Jew as we should be?
Have we in this closing year of our
Lord 1910, freed ourselves from this exs
clusiveness.. Has the Christian world
caught the message of peace and good
will in all its import? Have we re-
Il