Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-23
Gpmortb League
Copir
REV. SAMUEL w. GRAFFLIN.
Christmas in the Heart.
| John, $40; Matt, I;2I;
John, I:I2-I3.

John, 1913.
AOMEWHERE, outside the
81 gates CT Eden, from amidst
the wreckage OF the race, there
rose a tide of human progress,
which found expression in those
nobler fruits of reflection and ex;
perience which we are wont to
call the arts and sciences. Along
with this artistic, scientific and in
dustrial progress, and under the
guidance of God. there also came
a system of worship, Outlines
vague and mixed with supersti-
ton, but worship nevertheless.
which reached its climax in the
pure monotheism of the Jewish
faith. With beautiful brevitv
Burns recounts the great events
of this golden age of Israel when
he says:
The priestlke father reads the sacred
How Abram was the friend of God on
high;
How Moses DaQe eternal warfare wage
With Ameleks ungracious progeny.
Or how the Royal Bard did groanins
Beneath the stroke of Heavens avenging
OF Jobs pathetic plant and waiIiug cry:
OF rapt Isaiah's wild seraphic fire;
Or other holy seers that tuned the sacred
Tyre.
Magnificent as was the temple.
service under Solomon, glorious
as was the vision of Isaiah,
neither temple service nor pro-
phetic call satisfied the hearts of
men. Not until the All-wise'
Deity, moved with majestic pity
for his noblest creature man. gave
to the fallen race His only Son
that God might share the crea-
lures weight Of woe and nan par
take of Heavens sympathy, did
the solution of the spiritual
problem seem at hand.
Then Jesus came, came as lit
tie child. that He might be" The
Children's King" He grew TO
stalwart youth, that youth, with
all its strange perplexities. might
come with confidence to Him. He
became a man, and at the Climax
of His manhood overcame, both
for Himself and us, the fierce
temptations of the adversary OF
mans soul. Tried, rejected, cruel
fed, He rose again, to reascend
His throne. and from that seat of
infinite authority foster the inter
ests and plead the cause of His
half brother man.
We weep beside His tomb
when the sad anniversary of His
death is come; we JOY at Easter
tide, because He broke the bands
of death for us, and on the glad
ascension day we lift our adoring
eyes to see Him rise.
1t is, however, at the Christmas
tide that the wide influence of HIS
life is seen, as all the Christian
world unites to celebrate the
birthday of the King. For out
from old Jerusalem there flowed
a stream of love and peace and
joy that seized upon and claimed
for Him all that was happy in the
hearts of men, each national feast
of Joy, each festival, each glad ex-
preston of unselhshness, and bore
them on its ever-swelling tide to
make the deserts blossom like
the rose" This spirit Of Christ
mas in the hearts of men has laid
its hand for tribute upon the great
round world. 1t glorifles the
placid camel of the desert, for the
Wise Men used him on their
visit of worship and presentation
to the King. 1t adds new luster
to the starry host, for from their
glorious galaxy God chose out
one to point the way to where His
Son abode. Yule log and frosted
pine bring their sweet fragrance
or reviving warmth to grace this
day, but, best of all, the world has
caught the vision of unselhshness
and love seen in the Fathers gift.
the Sons remuneration of His
glory for our sakes, the Wise
Mems liberality, and now, instead
of bitter strife and selfish plotting,
into the hearts of all who love His
name there comes at Christmas
time the echo of the Gods love
for men, and we 60 forth to give
and cheer, comfort not only those
who may return the gift, but also
those less favored than ourselves
who need His joy and peace as
much as we, but who may see
Him only as we make Him plain.
Thus Christmas in the heart
makes it to glow with love and
sympathy, smooths out the lines
Of care, bushes the voice of hate.
makes of our duty pleasure. and
yives a foretaste of the lleayca>to
come, but Christmas in the heart.
IAN never truly come till; Christ is
here.