The Adair County news., 1911-01-04

ed, and we see each other in a clear
er light. There was time, and it has
not been great while. when the de-
nominational wall was high between us.
so high that it took two strong arms to
lift US high enough to see and greet a
brother on the other side. The wall is
being torn away these later days, it is
being removed in the foreign mission
airy fields, and with little more grace,
it will be removed at home We will
learn that what works badly in mission
fields is not good thing elsewhere.
The spirit of the Christmas story,
which is the Christ spirit, is in the air
and in the hearts of christian men and
women as it has not been in the past.
They are minimizing differences, and
looking for common ground to stand
upon. They feel the need for co oper-
alton and harmony, and unity of action,
as well as purpose. The church FEEDER
alton movement is the outgrowth of
this spirit, and it is one of the great
forward movements of the age May
it. not mean that we are approaching
the time when there shall be the realiza
ton of the prayer of the Savior, so full
of tenderness and love. "Neither pray
for these alone but for them also
which shall believe on me through
their word; that they may be one; as
Thou, Father, art in me, and l in Thee,
that they may also be one in us, that
the world may believe that Thou hast
sent me-" Does it not seem from
these closing words, that He, with
prophetic eye, looking down the centu-
ries, saw the division and jealousies of
His disciples, and realized. that while
they continued, the world would not be-
lieve His message? And if this be true
is it not terrible responsibility resting
upon His followers. that they have thus
been stumbling blocks to the worlds
conversion.
The Christmas story is the story of the
beginning of the kingdom of peace, for
peace and love abide together.
Love, peace, and joy, this was the
message of the angel to the shepherds
of the plains, this was the song of the
heavenly host. and this was the mission
of the Bethlehem babe.
AS the church is turning it's thoughts
in the spirit of unity, to the worlds
evangelization, and to the means for its
accomplishment, so the minds Of our
greatest men are dealing with the prob
lens of the worlds peace. We are
talking of disarmament, OF international
courts, and of ways to preserve peace
among nations. Only few days ago,
one man gave over eleven million dol
lars to be used in this cause 1t was
generous gift, and 1 doubt not the
Prince of Peace was behind it, for God
works by human mstrumentalities in
the accomplishment of his great pur-
poses.
When peace shall come in all of its
fulness into the hearts of men, 1.-THE
peace that passeth all understanding,
then shall be fulfilled the prophesy,
"They shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into prun
ing hooks: nation shall not lift up
sword against nation, neither shall they
learn war any more"
That we have not attained to this
condition is due to the fact that the
world has not been willing to accept
the message of peace in the breadth
and fullness of the offer.
Is there something in this Christmas
story for US as individuals? Are our
hearts responsive to the promptings of
its spirit? Have we learned the lesson
that it teaches? That life we'll lived, is
duty done: duty is service; and the
highest service we can render to God,
and the most acceptable to Him, is
service to our feilowman.