Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-24
For Sunday Reading
al Ssrf, n Osisisss
a Chrjstmas Sermon.

wide power Is this, that IL was lived by
its founder. The wise men OF the city
from which the messiah was to come
had long since settled II in their own
minds that when he should come no
man would know his origin or witness
his advent. There would be for him
no cradle, no feeble and dependent in
fancy, no growth in stature and no in
crease in knowledge. AS the tabled
Minerva of the Greeks sprung full
panoplied from the Drain II Jove, SO
the Redeemer. the desire Of all ma
TONS" should show him3elf divine
personality, equipped for his high mis-
sion from the first-
But that was not Gods way. The
Son Of God took not on himself the
nature OF angels" as the sacred writer
later tells us, but he was, even in the
matter Of birth. made like unto his
brethren; the race he came TO save
Moses left the palace for the hut, but
Jesus left heaven for a stable.
The gospel Is not dream, not o
philosophy. but life. an experience
of being in full view from It's rise to
its close. Many years ago navigators
who had, ventured into the western
ocean used 10 debate the possible ex-
way between tropic realms and Arctic
sea, bur no eye of any explorer had
ever seen such stream. The only evi-
dencs Of its existence was that ss ships
passed a certain latitude there was an
OF shore current that drifted them far
out to sea-. Sailors who knew the
power were eager to know the source
of II. but that source for many a de-
cade was hid in mystery. II was only
later rnat they were able to cross the
intervening bar, stem the rolling flood
and ascend the great Columbia to its
source amid the mills. Happily for US,
the source of christianity Is in sight
from the first Our gospel spring Is
known and we are not left TO vague
surmise Of speculative philosophers or
the lame logic of purblind theoso-
phists. Whatever else We may say of
christianity, we know that 1t is a fact,
that IL was born when Chris: was SoTi;
in Bethlehem of Judea nineteen hum
dred and odd years ago
In what wise was our Redeemer
.borny Not in q palace. but in a stable,
not among the famous and proud, but
among the unknown and loviy OF a
subjugated race. Let one read the story
of the birth Of "Le Roi de Rome. the
son and heir. Of Napoleon L. that, he
may rightly estimate what il means for
Jesus TO be born on this wise" When
that heir to all the evanescent giories
OF France was born In the Tuilierios
the whole city went wild. A thousand
bells rang from thousand steeples
and from the whole circle Of forts
which girdled the capital the guns
ruared an imperial salute. From ev-
cry window fluttered the siiken ban
ners underneath whose rainbow folds
marched and countermarched q hum
dred thousand men in uniforms artis-
tica,Iy designed. while In every park
and garden and monumental square
chosen bands led by the worlds great
conductors filled the air with tubilans
strains. From Madrid to Moscow those
whom the world calls great celebrated
the advent OF an heir to the dictator.
Of Europe: but the peasant and the
courier only knew that this birth
meant one more burden laid upon
shoulders already weary to exhaustion.
But when Jesus came to save unto tho
uttermost he entered upon life by It's
lowliest gate" as Henry Ward Beecher
said. II was At fntroductiol--this birth
In q stable--to q mission which was
not for personal glory, but for vicari-
GUS suffering. Man could never have
invented such an advent. but to real
lie It's significance is to be convinced OF
It's truth.
But II the earth received It's king in
silence, heaven hailed his mission with
appropriate song. The American
traveller who has ever passed the
Fourth OF July in Geneva, Switzerland,
has doubtless been astonished to find
the liberty loving Swiss making more
OF che day than he has ever known In
his own home. He 10 Weakened on that
eyentful day by the thunder of guns;
he looks out his window to see the city
zen fete." with flags flying from every
tower and spire: from the masts and
spars of every steamer on the lake
flutters the star spangled banner ana
the whole city seems TO arrest its ordi-
nary activities to celebrate by music,
dance and feast the birth OF our own
Tar away great republic. So while
earth was wrapped in slumber ana Tor
|getfulness, heaven rssounded with the
songs OF angels. But II slowly stu
surely. the Eansomed have learned TO
Join the heavenly carol and today from
millions upon millions OF grate1ui
hearts the Christmas carol will rise.
The day OF our savior's birth IS pre-
en,inentIy day Of song, day Of Civ
ing and receiving. q day when the
world forgets its cares and remembers
its consultations, lays aside It's burdens
and spreads the wings of Its hope. 81
How shall we now mediate THESES
things this year keep the feast? Shall
49,. = - :, afSoy rr a n q Citizen 4