Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-21

is not the agent Of an absentee God, but
the God himself; self-reveahng and all
powerful. In the one case He is the
Babe Of Bethlehem, in the other He is
the Christ of the TRANSPORTATION; to
whom assemble the leaders Of that host
of prophets and lawgivers who had gone
before, and who are now permitted to
return and speak with Him OF His COM
ing triumphant sacrifice.
Two rare Scriptures are given us; Scrip
lures that portray in stirring word pic
ture. the two viewpoints Of which We
have spoken.
The first Of these stories, in point of
time, is that of His coming. The waiting
earth is bound with Roman shackles. and
STEPPED in superstition, when 10! trium-
plant Augustus is moved to take a census
of his realm, and in order to pay the ex-
pense of such an undertaking he orders
every man to repair to his home town.
register his name and the number of
persons in his family. depOsiting small
fee or tax. thus accomplishing the two
fold purpose.
1t was to Bethlehem that Joseph and
Mary came. 1t was at Bethlehem that
shepherds saw the angel host and heard
the song of promised peace. 1t was at
Bethlehem that Christ was born. There
wise men found Him, and thither all
| hearts turn at Christmastide. to think of
all this wondrous drama, whose stage
was David's pasture field. whose curtain
w
angels and men. and Christ the Lord.
The other narrative is as different from
the first as the snowy Hermon Is from
the field of Bethlehem. Taking His three
most trusted earthly friends, the Master
climbs to where in desert solitude He
may reveal himself. AS the glory Of
His divine personality breaks through its
clothing of clay, the very garments which
winter snow, and as the glory blinded
disciples sink numbed before the heav-
emily radiance from the chambers of
eternity two spirits come, to hold a holy
conversation upon the topic which they,
as the representatives of Jaw and prophe-
cy, alone might comprehend.
Moses the lawgiver; Isaiah, the prince
) of prophecy, have come, not to discuss
these outworn efforts. but to glory in His
decease, which He should accomplish at
Jerusalem They seemed to have failed !:
they knew He could not fail. Then they
departed and the aroused disciples saw
Jesus only" Enough. indeed, to see!
Two thoughts are here:
I. THE PERSONALITY OF JESUS
CHRIST.
history. That personality is Jesus Christ.
Like the disciples of old, We sometimes
seem to see Him as the radiant King
of Kings. and then again Jesus
lit be as the divine effuigence breaks
through, or by the aid Of earthly light. He
is still the one great personality. The
other towering sons of time are only
great as they approximate some attribute
or grace or word of His.
II. THE TRUTHS REVEALED.
What truths did God reveal through
Jesus Christ, that makes both God and
the way to God as we otherwise could
not?
Before all other things this truth stands
out, to comfort all the weary children Of
this world God cares. The fact that
Jesus came at all proves that God cares.
And what are the things for which God
SO much cares that He must send His
Only Begotten Son to bring those things
to pass? Let angels tell the answer to
this all-important inquiry.
Peace and good will" Heaven upon
earth and mans greatest Well being.
These are the things for which God cares.
The very thought should fill our hearts
with deathless gratitude.
is: That God not only cares, but that in
and through Jesus Christ, His Son, He
has the power to bring to pass the highest
and best blessing, and peace, IL men will
but unlock their stubborn hearts to let
Him In.
Father, we know that Thou hast love
for man: The personality of Jesus
Christ has made that clear. We know
that Thou hast power, through Him, to
work Thy wOndrous Will, In behalf of
men, that peace and good Will may
hold full sway. Help us to yield such
loyal, loving service that, seeing
"Jesus only," We may have peace TN
Him.