Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-26
LITTLE BETHLEHEM FULL
OF PRECIOUS MEMORIES
Presbyterian Minister States
1t Is Sacred, Being Chrisl's
Birthplace.
KINGDOM is nor A FAILURE
Rev. j.. II. NicFndcn Says II Cannot
be Destroyed nnd VIII Prevail
Even Against The Very Gates of
'IIcii."

thousands of Judah. yet out OF thee
shall he come forth unto me that IS
10 DO ruler In Israel: whose goInrB
forth have been from OF old. from
everlasting. Micah, J:2 'Now when
Jesus was born IN Bethlehem Of
Judea. Matthew. 2:l." Dr. McEadcn
took these passages Tor his text.
'Bcthlchcm. though ono OF the old :
est towns IN Palestine. WAS in. size
nut a small one in the hill country
hbou; six miles south OF Jcrusnlcin.
II was fragrant with precious
memories, II was here Rachei "us
buried. II was the home Of Naomi
and Ruth. II was the birthplace of
David. To us il has Increased value
az being the birthplace Of the greater
than David-christ. tn. Son OF God.
inc great central person and fact Of
our Christianity. Seven centuries
pass between the utternncc OF the
prophets words and their fulGllmeut.
Let US receive some inspiration from
IN" prophecy and It's answer
Among the many lessons coming
to us today from these two texts a..
Us" that ] may briefly cmpEasize
First How Gods purposes ara
being carried out in their minutes,
detail through human Instrumental.
~! His Viii being announced Is
being executed through The agency
OF man.
Micah Faithful servant.
Micah was u prophet who lived
200 yeats before ia. coming % chris,
and who served faithfully hls God.
hilc IL MAS not the cNclus!y. work
q! u prophet Ia fDrctcii events ycc "A,
Was Il part OF TITS work. not only for
IN" comfort Of those who might b..
living when the promise should he
inIh!b,d bu; for the comfort OF those
"h" wer" living when the prophecy
was made. THIS prophet. speaking
900 years before the event, declares
that IN Bethlehem OF Judea chris,
should be horn.
The time OF AL times has arrived.
HOW shall the prophecy be fulnueag
MARY, tho mother y. Christ. is resi-
cent OF nazareth. oightv miles or
TOUR days Journey from Bethlehem
Palestine Is tributary to Rome. Rut
the Emperor Augustus, who sat ,pul,
'he hroEc and who ruled the world
was l" some extent q statesman as
wen Ha Fam eTpr. He would know
ms resources ana his wcml,h liz
ordered brcvariUm. "a complete sur.
We: or cen"uS OF the Roman cnniro
bethlehem Is the ancestral home ~
Mary AND Joseph. AccOrdin. To Iox.
ifh custom they must Journey there
to be enumerated
In Bethlehem chris, was horn. AS
the prophet 7o0 years before forr-
'oId' So precisely IL happened rhc
great Emperor Win all The others is
Il max IN the chain. carrying out his
'"H VIII ana pleasure. but AZ tho
same time executing the VIII ,,I
purpose OF cod. snail w. no, nj
'""e ihis as an encouraging instance
az the sure word III COD? yIc sn,Lyo
IN times past by the prophc,s r.
day He speaks through tho lusni,.d
word by Ills Son Jesus Christ u ,nnr.
sure word Of Faith and hope ana c,,,,
Tori ana guidance by which we n,o,.
iEe and hy which, when In. bnrr
comes, wc may die
irinripirs of King Lasting.
second. The second lesson may bc
taken as an inference from tho -,
The principles for which chris.
stands and the kingdom which H..
came TO establish can never an
Ihcse VIII succeed Their lond.r 10
the Christ cf bethlehem. SON az Goa
rod IN Nesh. who docth hi. win II,
inc army OF heaven ami aD,on, ,h.
inhabitants Of the earth. ana nnnc
oHt stay His hand or say unto hin
what docst Thou The king,in,,,
va, came up without observation
80 w destroyed. Il shall
stand forever. The gates a, MN
cannot prevail against IT. c,r,a.
shall reign until all enemies nro ,,,,,
under Ills feet Righteousness mi
rnth VIII prevail, peace Win com,
wars snail cease. and there ,yiII >,
MOI hinG 10 hurt or destroy il, All M
holy mountain
Ihere is too much tendency To cry
'hat christianity is 81 failure. ma,
ciNilizauon is It failure. ". o,c ,,,
mueh impressed by the material ~.
..s'A OF me flesh and the pride or
INC eye obscure our vision ana In,
FAR our Judgment.
God cannot fail. ue pc,o e
ms Kingdom III its principles has In
huehced tho civilizations Thai aro
worm while. The TEACHINGS y, "a.
ohrist or Bethlehem as they arc ox-
empiined directly ana indIrcctIv T.,
all the systems of the world are re-
sponsibie for the noble yrinciplcs
that excite our admiration Chris
tianity has opened new worIds IN
men. 1t has given a new EeoEraphv
10 science. IL has given literature it's
final touch. 1t has brought peace
order and civilization wherever IL has
gone and !ts principles followed 1t
has given the mighty inspiration 10
redeemed y! the Babe OF Bethlehem.
Christianity Makes the Man.
Likewise il takes the individual
however low and dcbascd and irnor-
ant he may be. and makes of him 3;
glorious monument to the power and
grace Of The Christ. No other leader
has the perfect moral and religious
Ideals. No other has the transform
ing power by which those ideals can
be attained. The same mower that
wrought through the centuries in Tho
fulfilling Of His purpose will VOL,
in the individual and among the ma
tions of tic earth. He is the match
less. all-powcrful, all-conouerinr
Christ whom we follow, whose king
dom will come. whom we praise and
EiorifyL-and whose coming into the
world to declare The purpose OF God
we celebrate today. 1T us, there
fore. go forth to the task assigned
us In His name, looking to the cn,I
when we Shall reign with Him in the
eternal glory.
For To- the days arc Fastening on
BY prophets seen of old
When with the ver-circling ycars
Shall come the time forctold:
When tho now heaven and Garth
shall own
The Prince OF Peace their King,
And the whole world send back the
song