Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-26
JERUSALEM'S FALL
TO CHRISTIANS IS
CELEBRATED HERE
lContinueA from page u


mark: Il could not help exclaimns,
Where Is God? Does lie know about
all this?'"
believe We are passing through the
second period of world CONFUSION
each OF which has been made neces-
3ary BY an 0ncoming world epoc1l
event in history. The first of these
events was the coming OF the Christ
child into the world. \ historical re-
view of the conditions of the world At
the dwan OF the Christmas Fra re
yeals tho facts that the world had
reached It's climax of sin twittless
he moral and religious conditions OF
Greek and Roman people,; that the
world had reached its climax Of need
(wittness the failure of the Jewish
religion. the Roman Gods, and the
Greek philosophers in matters OF re-
ligious culturel: and that the world
had completed its contributions 10 the
great event of the Christ advent into
the world. The Jews, Gods chosen
people had perpetuated the practice OF
the worship of one God; Greek cul-
ture had contributed the language
that would be most appropriate for
the recording of he events OF the
Life of Christ and his Gospel, and
the Roman government had establish
ed the basic principals of law and
! government
Christmas Of the year nineteen hun
bred seventeen marks the second
great date in Christian history. We
cannot but rejoice in the midst OF the
griefs OF war that grand old historic
Jerusalem has, within the last two
weeks. come into the hands OF her
Christian admirers ard protectors.
I Sixteen times prior 70 the present war
the city OF Jerusalem has been beaieg-
ed. destroyed. and burned by the enc
mics of Christianity. For the past
twelve hundred years this city made
holy BY the life, deed and death OF
our Lord has been held by the enc
mics of the Christian religion. rs
Christian Knights We cannot refrain
from raising cheer for the brave
Christian armies OF the allies who al
vanced upon Jerusalem, no, to destroy
her sacred values. but TO free that
holy city toward which the prophets
turned prayerful faces from the &C
cursed presence Of the Turks, ant
make the seventh battle upon he
holy soil the priceless gift on this
Christmas day. Then. AZ il TO make
sure that the cup OF our Christmas
Joy might contain full gospel measure
these same armies OF the allied Chris
tan nations pushed on the battle un
til within four days OF Christmas IN
cable flashed TO us the glad tidin'
that dear, darling Bethlehem, wher
The infant Jesus was Graded in III
humble manger, had been seized iron
the enemies OF the Cross and give'
70 the friends Of King Jesus.
For many years the few Christian
Of Bethlehem have followed the Gu
tom OF going to the Church of tn
Nativity in Bethlehem at the Chris
mas tide to celebrate the angus
event by lighting special altar fire
The flame from these altar fires
turn lighted the candles for the SCI
eral priests in the holy place. Frol
without the captains OF the crowd
thrust torches in the windows 10 b
lighted from the same sacred flame
and as these led their bands Of 10
lowers back 10 village and hamle
the lights were multiplied until a
the land was aglOw with the Chris
mas fires 50 spread the Gospel ligI
and ioy from The first glad Christmc
morning.
From North to South the kingdom
meet
To pay their homage at his feet
While western empires own the
Lord,
And savage tribes attend His word
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