The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-12-23
A on EARTH.

and eternal in its influences that on
next Monday will be retold in Il strain
Of rejoicing that starting with the ris-
irg sun in the east and following the
luminary of day in his majcstic
course through the heavens. shall en-
circle the earth in n conf uod
anthem of peace on earth; good will
toward men. The story Of the Eabe
Of Bethlehem, born in Il mango: he
cause there was no room fu. the
mother of God in the inn. has been
told in sermon and anthem and mass
Tor two thousand years. But it will
he just AS s-esl and just as new next
Monday as II was when first oele :
ora,ed by tie exiled parents in tina
lend Of Egypt.
The advent into the world OF !Iim
whose birth we celebrate at this saa.
son was no. suspicious if measured
only by hu nan ken. Yet that birth
was attended by heavenly demcns:-a-
tons that ave never been ami never
Will be repeated. Let the inspired
historian tell the story in his simple
yet graphic language:
"And there were in the same oun
try shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock Ivy
night.
land 10. the angel Of the Lorl came
upon them. and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them: anG They
were sore afr: i'd.
"And the angel said unto them.
Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
coed tidings Of great Joy, which shall
he to all people.
For unto you is b. m this dag in
the city Of David a Savious. which is
Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you,
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling clothes. lying in a Manager.
And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude Of the heavenly
host praising God. and saying.
"Glory to God in the highest. and
on earth peace, good will toward
men,"
1t must have been a momentous
night in the lives of those shepherds
watching their flocks when the an
gelic choir burst into that great an
them that rang out in its sublimity
v e quiet of the Judcan hills. Did
those men who had learned to study
the valued heavens as they lay on
the ground through the long hours
of night, realize that they were wit
Messing the coming Of the Son Of God?
Evidently they We're impressed with
the celestial scene for as soon as the
angel choir had gone away from
them into heaven the shepherds said
n to another, let us now go over
into Bethlehem and see this thing
which is come to pass. And they
came with haste and found Mary and
Joseph and the babe lying in n man.
ger"
But the shepherds were not the only
ones who read the omens of the COM
ing of the Prince of the house of Da-
rid. The wise men-the magicians-
saw h star in the east whose blazing
brilliancy marked the place where
the Christ was born n they too
came to learn the truth. Uninnucnc-
ed by Herod's subterfuge they sought
out the manager Of the new born God
and paid Him homage. offering their
costly presents Of gold. frankincense
and myrrh.
Such were the events which mark
~ N"N sbAs" VI ItlS WI VI Sou IN1TI
OF woman in the Bethlehem mangcr
His eyes opened not On the splendor
Of gifts of the pagan saint who has
been Christianized by the religion he
gave h world. The first sounds that
greeted His baby ears were the low
ing of cattle and came1s in the stalls.
His first raiment was not the purple
q royalty but the coarse s%waddling
clothes available in a strange city
Earth gave Him only it's coarsest
need; heaven sent it's celestial choir
to His birth. Man gave {:
manager for His birthplace and God
marked 1t with q star.
On the observance Of this anniver-
saly We have grated one of pagan
origin, yet one which fits so we'll into
the plan of the religion Of the Beth
lehem babe that 1t adds to its beauty
and strength. Santa Claus, the chill.
dren's saint. brings at this season the
material tokens of the theme of the
announcing angel Of ''peuce on earth
good will toward men" No sweeter
purer truth. was ever proclaimed; nc
greater precept was EVER taught.
AS the Christmas chimes peal forth
on this natal day of the Son of Hcav-
en-. as the Christmas anthem swells
in tones that lift the heart, let the
thoughts. of the happy day be center.
ed in that that message to man from
God, peace on earth"