The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-01-17

born this day In the city of David q
Savior, which Is Christ the Lord. -Luk
Eli.
Almost twenty centuries ago, in an
obscure village In Palestine, an event
occurred which has had more In
auence upon the history Of the human
race than any other event since time
began. A childd was born-not an
unusual event surely. He was no
child of distinguished parents. nor a
prospective ruler Of a worlds empire.
He was born in a stable, and Graded
in a Manager. And yet around that
lowly crib and humble birth, the life.
thoughts, and love of millions have
from that day to this been conferred.
During these two thousand years
many noble births have been regis
tered, but none so great as this. EN-
perors, monarchs, and mighty men
have lived and died, and are forgot.
ten; nations have risen and waned:
but the birth Of the Christ child is
more influential In this day than on
the first birthday of our age twenty
centuries ago.
The announcement Of Christ's birth
was made by angels. What more fit
ting accompaniment could there be to
such an august event! How inter-
ested angels are In the welfare Of
mankind! How gladly they told the
Christmas story to a handful Of poor
shepherds! How free from pride they
were! They were not content that
n of their number should tell the
story-they all broke out in that great
Christmas anthem.
Do we believe in angels any more?
We used to. We used to sing there
are angels lowering round" If we
believe the Bible. we still believe in
the ministry of angels. ,-f
Onward We go for still we hear them
singing;
Angels sing on. your faithful watches
keeping.
Sing us sweet fragments Of the song
above. >
The announcement was made to a
small band Of shepherds. No angelic
host went to the Sanhedrin. or to the
palace of Herod and broke the news
of the birth OF the Christ child. Is
there not a lesson here? Does not
God have special regard for the low
ly and the humble? Hath not God
chosen the weak things to confound
the mighty? If angels were willing to
preach to a few farmers, should the
preacher be ashamed of ministering
to a small and humble people, or the
Sunday school teacher to a small
,.. e.
The scholars Of the land were also
notified of Christ's birth. The Scrip
ture does not say-"not any wise men
are called" but mot many" II is a
mistake to say that religion Is good
enough for women. and children, but
not for strong, brainy men. The
brainest men Of the ages have been
Christian men: Gladstone. the great
statesman; Blackstone. the great law.
YER; Herschel, the greatn scientist
these and many others. too numerous
to name, have been Christians. So it
has come to pass that the wise men
of the east have been followed by the
wise men Of the west, and they all
have bowed at this manger. The req.
o why every university must have
it's chapel is because brainy men must
have a place to worship.
That the birth of Christ was mys-
FERROUS and miraculous need not dis.
turb us. How Christ's body was pre-
pared. how the divine and human
could become one-who a tell? We
do not even understand u own birth.
let alone His. If ever anything Of q
miraculous nature should take place.
when should it be If not now
when the King Of all laws is coming
into the world? Let US be careful lest
In denying the virgin birth, we chal.
lenge the purity of the Virgins life.
The birth of Christ was the coming
of God to and in man, not that God
had never come to man before. for he
had. But he had come only as a So
journer. In Christ he cam to abide.
His name is 'Immanuel,-God with
u.s." Whatever else the incarnation
may mean, 1t certainly means that
God took our nature and became as
one of us-he came unto his own.
The birth Of Christ brings to US
good tidings of great Joy. If the an
gels sang. should not we? He came
to save not angels. but men The
first note of this angelic song is a note
of gladness, and song has character
lied Christianity. .
This birth in Bethlehem shows Gods
attitude toward men. God has good
will toward men. He is not the hard.
severe Judge that men so often wrong
ly picture him to be. Sinner. you
have cursed God, but he has not
cursed you back; you have lifted your
hands against him, but he has not
destroyed you. He has thoughts or
kindness. and of love toward you. II
you have wrong thoughts OF God. let
them die away in the music OF that
first Christian anthem. good will to-
ward men"
The Christian story brings to US
also a Savior. Jesus Christ was born
with reference to sin. He was the
only man that ever was born with