United labor bulletin., 1914-12-26

lehem lay sleeping under
a soft, white mantle and
. III the midnight sky was
studded with twinkling
3I jewels that CLEANED ST.
~ lently and serenely upon
the Mished world below. The wind han
risen TO sigh and then fallen to h
reverntial whisper and pleasing holy
melody as it passed over the boweo
branches of the ermine clad sycamores.
Out On the unprotected hill slopes
shepherds were watching their flocks
and here all unknowing of the great
ness of that long. cold night
To the east of the village three men
of regal bearing toiled their weary but
willing way over the snow-covered earth
on 6rough the chilling wind Their
step vss firm and tireless and they
neither swerved to the right nor to the
left, but strode straight ahead with
never a pause.
No compass guided these strangers in
a strange land. but they fastened their
eager gaze from time TO time toward
the ;eweled heavens, and lol one OF the
Jewels moved on before them with
cheering brilliancyl Yes. one OF the
stars had shot from its eternal orbit
and with celestial glory passed on
leading the wayl
And the hearts of the men were glad
dened while the wonderful spark or
Faith famed with a stirring warmth
Their souls rejoiced in the presence Of
the Spirit Of Infinity.
At last they came to the white rooted
village Numbering quietly and restfuliy-
Then The Star descended and shone a
holy radiance upon the humblest abode
of the hamlet For it cast its won
dreus brightness upon a little, lonely
stable
NJ three men, with unshaken faith,
entfred and there in a manager lay a
BAH whose face was glorious and d.
yip& Ihe1 the kings fell upon THEN
knees and humbly adored Him They
Offered costly presents and incense. ano
the Spirit of God was in the stable.
The Child was warmed by the breaths
Of kline, for the Mother was poor ana
had not the means to array Him in the
costly garments such as her virgin
heart dictated; but she bathed Him in
the sunshine of her tender smiles.
Then out upon the hills the shep-
herds were awakened from their dreams
by great and shining light and they be-
came filled with trouble and fear. But
soothing voice from above bade them
be unaffrighted. as this night was the
beginning of the redemption of man.
And all the while an angelic choir
stirred the silence with sacred melody.
The voice told the shepherds to GO
hither to the town below and adore the
Infant King. And. obeying. they went:
and coming before the Child in the
manger they knelt and worshiped Him
and the angels without gave Glory to
| God and Peace on Earth to Men OF
Good Will.
Thus came into this world the Savior
of Men almost without shelter. unknown
to the world. and not heralded with
pomp and trumpeting. but qietly and
in poverty.
The story of the coming of Christ is
old. and vet ever new. for we are bet
, tered each time by its telling. We re-
member how as little children we lis
tened in rapt and wondering attention
as our mothers told it beside the flick
ering glow of embers. Once more we see
| the old faces and seem to hear the
sweet voices that have passed into the
misty bygone. and our hearts stir in n
way that is good as we again hear its
never wearying recital. Memories come
\ stealing over our beings and we remem-
Der that Christmas was the greatest
| day in the years when we were chill
dren and sang the carol heartily unde,
\ the snow-covered caves of the simple
cottages. and how the windows would
presently rise and heads poke out into
the cold air. while willing hands dropped
pieces of silver into our ready caps ana
the night would ring with CHEEKY,
Merry Christmas"
The life of Christ is one long tale OF
poverty and the endless dispensing of
good. We seem to lose sight of the
Nazarene after He is found in the tenn
pie by Mary and Joseph. but we know
that in the unrecorded years He was
busted in the trade of His foter faith
or. and that He made wooden things
from cradles TO coffins. and that the re-
verbcrations of His AK as it cut into