Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-12-22
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hS0 EhV By MISS N@N*%IEN
IL ~ LIZZIE O. THOMAS @sgsAzy1S1 ~

Again the beads Of Father Time have
slipped through his fingers until Christ
mas is the one held up. the one TO
sparkle and gIisten and send all sorts
II lights to gladden. the hearts of man
kind
Christmas, the festival that begun in
A Iowly manger OF Bethlehem, with an
gels. wise men and shepherds and 1900
years later has crossed oceans. noun
tains and plains swelled the hosts OF
worshippers into tens and hundreds of
millions and lifting the song OF GLORY
20 God. on earth peace. good will 70
men, until there is never so much as
second that is not freighted with adora-
ton for the Babe for whom there was
cot room at the inn
AS these laHt days before Christmas
slip away do you ever stop TO think OF
Mary and Joseph? Weary travellers on
an unpleasant journey. they went as
they supposed. because an arbitrary
ruler demanded their presence in the
place that suited his plans for calling
the roll and keeping them under his
control. One of the lessons have learn
Cd from this event is that Gods plans
are often carried out by those who are
Satan's emissaries Do you suppose that
every Jew went up2 Yes. I know that
all were supposed to go. but you know
as well as / do that there were evasicns
and brides and deceit in those days as
now For the sake OF the argument
let US suppose Joseph had been a diff
ferent man Mary would have been help
less and the Babe who was sent to re-
deem the world would have been born
out Of the city of Gods choice OF
course. / know that all things are posi-
BILE with God but / also believe that
daily there are thousands of people who
block Gods plans. At that very time
the Jews did thei- best 10 do so. They
knew a Messiah was to come and he
came exs city as they were looking for
him except that his birthplace was low
III instead Of in palace. There's
where they lost their opportunity. Had
they received Jesus upon them would
have been showered the blessings that
Christians have enjoyed, and they
would have been given the great privi-
lege OF teaching every knee to bow in
prayer to Him. and every tongue His
praises sing. Think where the world
would be had all the Jews. accepted
Christ instead OF little handful
Sometimes we have a plant that our
hearts seem set on; We will tell friend
about il and meet only GOODNESS and
criticism II hurts does 1T not? You
may pass over the unl1indness of stran-
gers. but that of ones friends and kin
dred is q different thing Jesus came
TO his own and they received him not,
yet he continued to love them and at the
very last prayed for them. This con-
stancy is one of the many beautiful
lessons that all OF us should learn So
msrny times when disappointments come
TO US through our own receiving us not
We have only TO remember that we dis
appoint our Savior and he continues TO
love Us just as much. It's pity, but
It's frye that We do disappoint him.
So mucn has been said by a certain
set of knockers" about the church los
ing her hold on business men that GER
tain church worker decided 10 find out
how matters stood. so an eastern city
was picked out, at random two officers
OF bank thssre were requested to give
the names OF so business firms, the
strongest in that city. and the names or
tile head OF each firm The bank had
no means Of knowing what use would
oe made OF the names In classifying
the 81 names given seven were mark
&c relation to church unknc wn." six
not Identified with any. aid IL were
regular attendants and contributed liD-
orally. Another trial was made in a
western city Of $4,000 with a showing or
IL belonging, &c the churches. All such
efforts prove that facts go to show that
the church has not lost its hold on
business men II the knockers would
take the trouble TO get authentic infor-
nation they would see that the real
signs OF progress cannot be expressed
in figures. II is gospel Of leaven and
nos Of the mustard seed Christ reigns
50 subtlely. that he is supreme in the
whole range OF secular hfe-education.
trade. literature. art. science and even
politics.
Another Christmas may find Us in the
land we fain would know. Even this
week one who had made all preparations
for this holiday season. this celetra-
ton Of our Savior's natal day. has gone
to be with him face TO face. Let us
live - that whether here or there ii
may be said OF us. '.All is>welL"
Faithfully Yours.
LIZZIE o. THOMAS.