The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-25
CHURCHES
The Unknown Christ
A Sermon for the Season by Rev. L..
y. Franck OF Ascension Episcopal
Church.

A Sermon for the Season by Rev. J.. .
y. Franck OF Ascension Episcopal /
Church.
ST. John 1925: But there standeth /
one among you. whom We know not"
From the time of Malachi to the adj
vent of the Messiah is spoken of as
the period of great darkness. 1t was,
perhaps, the darkest period, spiritual
ly and morally, in the history of Is
rael And as the night is darkest
Just before dawn, the spiritual and
moral darkness must have been APP
palling when these words of the text
we're spoken, for the brightness of the
great day was at hand-the forerun-
ner had already come, and the Mes
siah was standing upon the threshold
of His Ministry of Light.
AS we look back upon the issuing
in of this great light, and contrast the
light of His life with the darkness of
His day. it seems strange that the
Christ could have stood among men,
and passed by unnOticed. And we
know this to have been one of the
things that gave prominence to His
Messiahship and placed emphasis upon
His marvellous goodness.
We say this seems strange. Yet ac-
cOrding to the records of the ages this
was rather the natural thing to have
happened If history bespeaks one
truth more clearly than another, as to
its moral aspect, it is the fact that
the best comes and goes unobserved.
save by the few. Especially was this
true in the case of our Master. Only
few seemed to know Him and those
who were nearest and dearest to Him
knew Him only partially. Hast thou
been so long time with me. Phillip
and hast not known me?" He came
unto His own and His own received
Him not" Behold We shall all be Of
Tended because of me this night
Such were frequent experiences in
His life. Even John at the end sent
messages to Him to inquire art thou
He that should come. or should we
look for another We need not go
so high to find this to be a fact in
human life. History in general re-
veals this to us. Nor need we go to
history at all. AS a personal expert
ence, we know that when we are at
our best we are most mysterious, mis-
understood and misrepresented. Toll
stoy tells us that when he was "pur-
est fewest knew him" There is no
reason for doubling this fact. for the
experiment of its verify is within the
reach of every one who wishes and
dares make the venture.
If this is a fact that cannot be de-
MED, and its doubt rests upon a cow
ardice that dares not experiment, in
vestate or turn the eye in upon the
soul for a candid and close examina-
ton, it is certainly within the realm
of intelligence to try to ascertain the
reason for this serious fact. Behold
there standeth one among you, whom
we know not Christ stood before
PLATE, and yet PLATE asked what is
truth?" The Holy Nativity takes place
the heavens are opened and angels
come bringing the glad tidings and
sing GLORY to God in the highest, and
on earth peace good will toward
men" Yet only a few shepherds on
the hillsides see the vision and hear
the heavenly music Bethlehem, SC
crowded there was no room for Him
in the inn, yet the vision comes and
passes away unseen, the music un-
heard; the star shines above and over
the world and yet only the traditional
three lift up their heads and go forth
to see that wOnderOus thing that has
come to pass. One asks with his
whole soul betstirred to its very
depths why is all this so sadly true?
And even today, 1000 years after this
wonderful event, and at this Holy
Christmas tide, how many will see
the vision of this season and hear that
divine wish wrapt in heavenly music
sung in marvellous harmony, ION the
earth good will toward men"
This world in which we live is one
of law and order things were, are
and will be, according to the cause and
its effect The Christ has shown us
the reason for this condition, and the
, way to correct this error. 1t is a mis-
take to develop the outer at the ex-
pense of the inner, to strive after out
= ward deeds rather than inward good
O. mess. "Ye cleanse the outside" aye
|. whited sepulchre," "The kingdom OF
heaven is within you" Jesus taught
us that what we are means more than
what we do, that if we are all right