The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1914-12-11
Christmas Sermon In Words
Of One Syllable.

An innovation in sermons wan the
one delivered by the Rev. A. Smythe
Palmer, m. A., D. D., vicar of Holy Trim
ity church, Wanstead, England, on the
birth of Christ. This sermon is en-
tirely in words of one syllable.
TTE speaks the mind OF God
= who tells us and would have
us know what God thinks, for
il It were not for him We
could not know at all. God did so
love the world that he gave his own
one Son, to be born at this time for US.
to the end that all who trust In him
should not die, but have the life which
lasts for aye" He came and "dwelt
with us" on earth that men might see
with their own eyes at least one pure
life, lived free from sin He was made
"flesh of our flesh" and "bone Of our
BONE" God with u.s. in truth, but man
no less. true man and true Coda child
like one OF our own. That is the
strange thing, so deep that no mans
wise as he may be, can quite take 1t in
he was to be God with u.s." but at
the same time "a worm and no man
less than man in the grief and pain
and scorn which he bore.
The texts take our thoughts back TO
the birth of this day. IL is birthday
for the whole world to keep. All men
can say: ITO us this child is born: to
US God gave this son of his love. !
have my share in it." And so we are
all glad Of heart and make our churc b
gay with plants and flowers and sing
our hymns Of joy and keep the feast
with gifts and good fare. 1t is the
birth day Of all our hopes Now, 1t was
good news Of great joy that the host
from on high brought to the herds who
kept watch on their sheep in the fields.
And IL is still so. For us, as much as
for them, was born in that small town
one strong TO save. Which is Christ
the Lord"
1t is old news now. and fear 1t falls
on our dull, cold hearts like some old
tale Of long past time which has lost
its charm. Oh. let us not shut our ears
to II as some of those first men did.
When he came to his own his own
would not take him In. They said,
'There is no room for him here no
room I'm the inn when he came to it.
1t was not an inn, you must know, like
| one OF ours. but a mere bare court
where those on the road might rest-a
khan" they call II in the east.
Does IL not seem to us a sad and q
strange sight that young babe should
be shut out in the cold night-God In
want Of house room? A poor place. al
best, as rude and rough as we can
well think, and. such as ii was. quite
| full with the crowd who had come first
The host Of the inn sends them of
He tells them there is q cave at the
back Of the inn where the beasts are
kept; they may find rest there, If they
| will That cave. where the birth Of
| all time took place, is still shown in
the rock. great church built there
marks the spot. Then, poor. mean and
cold, It was the best place he could
find to lay his head
"The fox has his hole and the bird
Of the air her nest, but the Son Of Man
hath not where to lay his head" SO, in
tuht tdfe III Tue TOCk, Tue stdD Vi Tue
OK and the ass. In the crib out OF which
they ate their hay, the newborn babe
was laid. Just think what ali this
means-God made flesh, God born as
man In this world Of ours. that be
might find way to bring back man to
God! He bid his might. and men hid
their face from him. None but the
herds who kept their sheep saw OF
knew Of II till they fell to the ground
In a great blaze Of light. and host OF
bright ones In the sky sang such q
song as no choir on earth has sung
which gave praise to God on high
"and on earth peace, good viii to men,
Those herds had faith to go and seeh
the child Of whom they were told. They
found him I'm the crib, and they saw
more than their eyes could see. They
knew that In that weak child was thu
power Of God to save. And 90 thes<
good men. when they had how'd dowu