Evening star., 1923-12-25

Continued from First PaseD
The sceptic. the scoffer who is some
what clever in his language. is quite
certain 70 create admiration among
an equally shallow type of people.
people whose one aim is to be broad.
ana one can always obtain greater
breadth with given amount of ma
terial as one increases the shallow
ness.
Mysteries of God
But. thank God. we still have MANY
miilions of simple. loving, trustful.
old-fashioned Christians who heIiavs
that the Bible is the inspired word
or God; people who may not be as
erudite and skilled in the wisdom
OF TINS world as are some of the
scholars. but who are content TO be-
leve the things which we must ac-
cept by faith. on the word of God
because they are too hard for human
minds to understand. The virgin
birth is one of the unexpIaina ble
mysteries of God. but no more diff
hcult than the resurrection or the
doctrine of the Trinity.
Behold l bring you good tidings
of great joy" No happier messase
could have been brought to mankind
Dy the angel than that Savior and
Redeemer was TO be born.
As n Little Child.
AT different seasons of the wear
we think of our Lord under different
conditions. Today we think of Him
especially as a helpless little child
in His mothers arms, and who can
help but love the Christ Child. who.
although He is King Of Kings and Lord
or Lords. came to US amid such hum
DIE surroundings? Children who know
nothing OF the greater significance OF
his coming love the Christ Child pic
tured in the many Madonnas. and we
who are older share this love. too
Ihls alone would be sufficient reason
for Christmas JOY. if il were not that
there Is a greater cause for joy. Then
too. this is the season OF joy and hap.
pinesS, the time of the year wher
there is the greatest expression OF
peace and good will. and this Christ.
mas spirit must influence every one OF
us as we come in contact with those
around US. and see the preparations
for this most joyous season of the
year. But far more important thar
either Of these two reasons it is the
anniversary Of the birth Of One who
has come to save US from sin and de.
struction. and the love and gratitude
which we feel is merged into wonder
and admiration and worship. 1t is
truly a day for giving. and in Christ e
birth we have received the creates,
possible gift, for God so loved the
world that He gave His only begot-
ten Son, that whosoeYer believeth in
Him should not perish. but have ever
lasting life" Think of il, Gods only
Son. sinless and absolutely perfect
given to US for our salvation. That
was indeed gift. greater than all
that have been given or will be given
on Christmas day by all the human
beings who shall have trodden the
face of this earth at the end of the
world. What return shall We make
for this gift?
Birth I'm Manager.
There was no room at the inn for
Mary and Joseph, so our Lords birth
had to be in a stable. This may have
been the fault of the Bethlehemites
or 1t may have been an accident, still
the warning is there for US. Is there
TO be no room for our Lord and Savior
in the place where He desires to
come now, in our hearts? 1t is small
Christmas gift that He asks from US
only this, that we prepare for Him a
lodging in our hearts, and this He
asks not for Himself, but for US, that
He may dwell in us and that We may
be one with Him.
That is the first obligation in the
keeping of Christmas day, we must
find a place for Him whose birthday
we celebrate. That is to be our re-
turn. our method of showing appre-
citation for what He has done for US
El6NlHs uOH6 lllSy We Lhds IlS
fully join with the heavenly host
praising God and sing GLORY to God
in the highest, and on earth peace
good will toward men," for with
hearts full of love and gratitude for
the greatest of all gifts. our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, we shall joy
fully lift up our voices in praise. and
the message of the angel will be the
sSnH Of promise Tot which for hsso1S has been
bring you good tidings of great JOY,
which shall be to all people. For unto
David a Savior which is Christ the
Lord
story Of Birth.
DR.. Anderson began his sermon b,
declaring that 1--WE, notwithstanding
the testimony of many centuries OF
Christian practice, are in danger OF
losing the true significaInSee, aIS 10 OF s,one one
of Christs birth, as recounted in the
gospel Of st. Luke, and said: These
were the unpretentious circumstances
under which our Lord and Savior was
born, when God came down from
heaven and taking upon Himself our
flesh. became incarnate Of the Virgin
Mary, truly God, and yet truly man.
Or. Anderson, continuing. said that
''in the Nicene creed we CONFESS our
belief in Jesus Christ, the only be
Father before all worlds; that He was
'incarnate by the Holy Ghost Of the
Virgin Mary and was made man..
Declaring that Christ was truly
God and truly man, the speaker said
that ii is the very perfection of His
manhood which has caused some to
err; "some forget that this is only
his human nature and that there is
q divine nature"