The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-12-26
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Christmas Greeting.
Ny dear young friends:

The happy Christmas season is with
US once more. You know what it means
to US and why it is called Christmas.
Long ago it was said, and His name
shall be wonderful.
This is description of His glorious
nature and qualities. He is wonderful
in His birth. Its announcement was
unlike anything the world ever knew.
In olden times when a kings son was
born, the bells rang out the news.
FIRES were kindled on the hill tops, one
after another blazed out the good news
until every part of the land was &C.
quainted with the joyous fact. Couriers
too rode in swift haste everywhere. A
son is born to the king and all his sub
jects must know it as soon as possible.
When Jesus was born. God sent
host of angels to proclaim it and kindled
the fires in the heavens. They were
ablaze with glory to let the world know
that the Saviour and King was born In
to the world. The place of His birth
made it wonderful. Kings sons are
born in palaces, but Jesus was born IN
a manger. Not in an Inn. for His par,
ents could not get room there: not in
house even. Herod's palace was
nearby, so were the splendid residences
of his lords, but the only place that af-
forded room for Jesus was the manger.
Wonderful too. in His attendants. They
were not courtiers, nor paid servants,
nor great doctors, nor obsequeous fol-
lowers, but the beast of the stalls.
Yet the Magi of the east-wise men.
came and worshipped Him and gave
Him gifts of gold and other precious
things. They worshipped Him. There
is legend which says that even the
cattle bowed before the manger. The
Magi recognized custom among the
nationg of the world when they brought
their costly gifts. Kings sons receive
presents from all parts of the kingdom
and from other kingdoms. They get
congratulations from kings and queens
and world powers. Jesus, however, re-
ceived his from Heaven. Nothing ever
before or since has been like it. We
would expect his life to be wonderful.
1t was in its preparation. The first les.
son He learned was obedience. He
learned that at home. Have we learn
ed it yet? He is the best example of
obedience that we can have. A man
advertised in the paper for boy to as
sist in his shop. 1t was full of appli-
cants and he could not choose one, 80
he advertised for boy who always
obeved his mother. Only two applied.
The Lord is better pleased with obedi-
ence than with sacrifice.
He led an Industrious life. This is
not always easy to learn. We naturally
like to play, but "all play and no work
makes Jack dull boy" Only by IN
dustry can we succeed. There is fable
of a husbandman who, when dying, told
his sons he left much gold under the
ground in his vineyard. They went to
digging, but while they found no gold,
vet by stirring the mould about the
roots of the trees they gained a great
vintage that year. 1t always comes
out thus in the labor of our calling.
Incidence is sin. 1t is fatal Jesus
makes 1t incumbent on US to labor. 1t
is God given and it is necessary for US.
But He had wise instruction for he had
the best of teachers. No one ever had
better instructor than good mother.
} His text book was the best, it was the
Bible. Then too the Lord was His teach
err. He spent his boyhood IN that little
village. No doubt His mother took Him
: with her to the well called THE Foun-
tain of the Virgin" for that was the
: only we'll there and it has been the only
well for three thousand years No
doubt too, there wasn't one of the
, many hills that surrounded the well
| with its grove of olive trees, that esus
, did not range from topic bottom. He
would know where the caverns were,
!. the species of flowers that decorated
those hillsides and the names of the
! birds that flew across them. He was a
boy among boys and man among men.
: When He was properly prepared He
: entered upon His life's work-that was
: preaching took His topics from the
: objects about Him. The stone of Jacobs
: well was His pulpit, the water was His
! text, from which He preached full sal.
= walton to the Samaritan woman. Wher
! He wanted to preach on humility He
took achild for His text He saw a mar
: sowing grain, so from that text He
= preached on the gospel and its effects
} on different classes of hearers. From
e flowers, or birds, or fox He discoursec
= on the special care of God over U.S. He
was powerful preacher and a great
t physician.
5 A prince or ruler is the only one who