The Cairo bulletin., 1911-12-25

llkAalS2k- k49aLAAY in the morning VI
E december 25:h 1t
was determined however, that this ad-
justment ct the calendar should work
no real loss: but that Sunday and
Christmas day should be observed as
one, Pastor Russell was called upon
for sermon In the interest Of his i'm
mediate hearers and also for his world
wide congregation of millions reached
through The public press Responding,
the Pastor said;-
II IL il new experience to many OF Us
this losing VI a day for the reetitica
ton OF the calendar. And yet reflect
that. after all, nlsny Or us have lost
many days each year in 4 very similar
manner. aAs we &joui1aeNed westward
we have kept setting our watches back
rapidly. and, thus making aour days
twenty-five hours tong. until now we
have reached the reckoning period, and
mist make good all those advanced
hours by striking out one whole day.
So some OF us have heightened our
days into nights and have fgnratively
burned the .tAndle at both ends, only
to find that inatbe end there must be
compensations, and that we really
have gained nothing over those who
have taken life moderately.
Some have done Ais IN The pursuit
OF pleasure, Others In pursuit OF wealth,
others 10 pursuit Of honor. We admit
that extraordinary effort In any Of
these directions is unwise. only In
two ways could au enforced expendi-
ture of lifes energies be approved as
wise and judicious One Of these
would be in the service of our tod. the
other in the service of fellow.men; and
II II not strange that in Divine pr0vi-
dence what might he termed over
exertione In these two directions Is
usually Don-injurious, and that there
are compensatlons Of mental and spir.
ituaI rest and refreshment. peace and
10Y ohtaiD.ihle hi no other way. from
no other qnnrfer- which the world can
neither give norStake away.
Sunday and Christmas Shadows Of
Better Things TO Come"
Since we. are Obliged to lose y Sun
day. how fortunate we are in having
Christmas day instead. and TINS to
combine In orr experiences the two
days which mean so much to ns In a
commemorative way and ms shadows
Of better things 10 come. hebrews
Z. ~ The birth OF Jesus as the Babe
NJ bethlehem already links this day in
our minds with His birth from the
dead on the first day Of he week.
And these two events. inseparable In
their importance 10 fhe Church ana
the world. combine peculiarly before
our minds today.
Christmas dry reminds 'us OF the ne
cesSity there was for a perfect man TO
give himself as the RANSOM r'ce-the
corresponding price for the FIRST
Adam transgression- before reconcile.
alton with the Father could be posi-
bic. Hence. MS the Scriptures portray.
the great LOc0s. the First born OF ey.
cry creature" lColossians l. l5, hum
2 blpd Himself. laid aside His glory and
dignity rs a spirit being and took the
lower. the human nature. In order that
He, by the grace OF God, should taste
denth for every man" tdebrews H.,
o. BegotteI OF the Holy Spirit NJ the
time Of His conservation ut baptism.
II was necessary that He should he
born OF the Spirit In the resurrection :
that He should become the First.
fruits Of them that slept" ''the First.
born among many brethren "the
First born from the dead" Il CORN
thians XIV. 20; Romans viii. 20; COos-
SLAMS !. 1871
The Meaning OF Christmas.
Ny text for the occasion In the mes
sage OF the angels who announced the
Savlors birth-"Glory 10 God in the
highest. and on earth peace. good will
toward men Luke II. IA.
II H. essential that the dignity. the
glory. The honor of our Omnipoteni
Creator should be maintained: and II
Is advantageous to the interests Of al
His creatures TO know OF His great
ness. to appreciate His glory and tt
render 10 Him the homage His glorious
character deserves. IL may be asked
Why should the angels my specin
stress upon Divine glory and honor al
such a time? Had there been any re
fectlon against the Divine glory ant
honor? We answer. Yes. For NOR,
than four thousand years our earth
50 large to us. but really SO small !
portion Of the Universe. had been ,
scene OF disorder quite out Of accort
wan the remainder OF that Universe
1t had been blot upon the otherwise
wonderful and gracious management
Of the Great Creator. Elsewhere, God
will was perfectly done. Amongs
men there had been for forty cen