River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-01-23

about this wonderful blessing which
follows the coming of Christ? The
message has come through the
medium of angels from Heaven;
prophets had foretold the Sa-
viour, the apostles and martyrs. the
saints of all ages have spoken OF
the glory which followed. Nineteen
centuries OF eloquence from poets.
painters and sculptors. oratory and
literature and song have united in
telling the story of the glory of the
first Christmas and the Transforming
power of the Christ-child. And yet
the story never grows old; 1t is still
the sweetest story ever told; nor is
it strange that this should be SO. for
the coming OF Christ was the supreme
event in human history, the turning
point in the calendar of the world,
ano the greatest gift to man. For
God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whatsoever
believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life
The message was one Of good It'd
tngs; of salvation, of forgiveness from
sin. OF deliverance from bondage, of
refuge from the storms Of life. of
peace amid the restlessness OF the
world, of power over the evil in hui
man nature, of cleansing from the
stain of sin, of comfort In the midst
of the worlds sadness, and OF
crown at the end of the race.
The message was of good tidings
&c "a
Of the Gospel for he who really has
Christ in the heart can hear the
Saviour say and realize the truth OF
it THAT your Joy might be full.
The message is all inclusive--to all
people. In the Psalms we read that
Christ shall have dominion from sea
to sea. There is no narrowness In
Gods plan. There's Wilderness in
Gods mercy like the Wilderness of the
sea-" This babe born in Bethlehem
is he who shall rule in Jerusalem, and
in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost parts OF the earth
"All kings shall bow down before
him" There is no better day than
Christmas, and no higher theme and
no greater motive for an appeal for
our interest in foreign missions. for
this same Saviour said: go we into
all the world"
This is the best message because
It announced the Saviour. Redemp-
ton is the greatest factor in human
history; although it reminds us of
the awful fact of sin; for these two
explain all mystery and unravel all
history Sin is the ground redemp-
ton the process Of all salvation. Sin
makes redemption necessary; redemp-
ton shows us God. and we shout:
What a wonderful Saviour" In a
very true sense God was a Redeemer
before he was a Creator. This Saviour
is announced as Christ and Lord, and
every word is emphatic. Christ Is
the Messiah who was to come. and as
Lord he takes his place as ruler in
the hearts and lives Of those who &C
cept him.
The emphasis of the message is
upon the fact that Jesus is the
Saviour. There is one line that runs
through all the Bible: it is the scarlet
thread of the blood of Christ. There
is one fact that shines out on every
page of the book. the face OF One
who became man for rs men and for
| our salvation This is the message OF
! prophets and angels, of types and
| symbols, of persons and sacrifices;
| the mu1titudes have found it true 1t
| reminds one of the first words OF 5
| song used in the south:
| 4'T4ov, do know my Lord is divine7
He saves me from my sin"
The message is personality Unto
YOU" Blessed be the night that song
| was born; blessed be the Saviour who
came and who now lives in his saints;
| blessed be the God who sent such a
wonderful redemption and said:
whatsoever believeth In him shall
not perish" So the blessing reaches
me and that means Christmas for my
soul and redemption for me, and
peace. and Joy. and Christ, and
| Heaven--if / will. How is it with
! you? Has Christ been born unto you
as a Savior? Have you accepted the
| greatest gift God could make? Have
Won made the Babe of Bethlehem your
! Savior and Christ and Lord?
20 holy child OF Bethlehem,
! Descend to us. we pray:
1 Cast out our sin, and enter In.
| Be born in US today.
] we hear the Christmas angels
/ The great glad tidings tell;