The Holly chieftain., 1923-12-20
THE HOPE OF GLORY"

Christ in you, the hope of glory
\ This is what Paul, the Apostle
/ calls the mystery of the faith
Now mystery is not something
that cannot be known but some.
thing not yet revealed The AZ
mightys one purpose in the uni.
verse is to make himself known to
men. Yet to how few is he yet
revealed! Even Christmas, birth.
day of the lncarnate One, means
little more to most than time to
give and receive gifts or enjoy Il
Roman Holiday Christ is in
none OF their thoughts Even the
Churches forget him and in many
Christmas programs next week
the mythical Santa will be exalt-
ed above the Savior. We bemoan
the hard times of today. but if it
shall stem the carnival spirit,
while it lessons the extravaganza
81 our usual Christmas giving, and
help us to return to sanity and
seriousness, there may be blessing
. in disguise. Men will think more
of the Almighty and less of the
Almighty dollar.
Some would read Paul's words"
Christ among you the hope of
glory Indeed He is in the midst
of the world today though little
comprehended and even less >ap-
pretended
In. literature and history. in
philosophy and art Christ is still
the central luminary. From the
days of Raphael. MichaelangelO,
Fra Angelica to the day of Da-
Ninci Muncasky and Tissot radiat-
es the Great White Soul. Philo-
sophy and literary criticism still
circles about the Master Mind,
None deny Him, however much
they may dim his glory. He is and
has been the lode stone Of the
worlds thought. Christ was never
more popular than today as a great
parsonage in history. No ones
birthday is so sighally observed
in the world. There Is no lack of
admiration for that matchless
character born 1924 years ago.
Never was this gteat moral inffu-
ence so greatly admired. Yet alas
it is Christ Among you" and not
Christ "in you" Hailed from with
out he is not admitted within.
Said Calvin. Christ is not to be
looked upon from afar off in our
faith. but to be received into our
very souls embrace. And long
before Calvin's time One greater
than he pied, May Christ dwell
in your hearts by faith
Circumscribed as was the pres
encc of Christ in Palestine yet he
came into contact with many
thousands who flOcked from all
sides to see and hear Him, yet few
were moved, save for moment,
by his persuasion. Many were
thrilled by his words but few were
enthralled by his divine will. So
also today the Lord. of Christmas
walks among men, unseen and un-
felt. Admired in principle he isl
denied in practice. Men living in
the dark shadows of Sin, selfish
ness and sorrow admire the sun
shine of his Presence but refuse
the thrust forward even finger
to be bather in his warm glow.
The true life of Christ is not a
narrative in book. nor even the
review OF his sojouln on earth. but
it is an experience in the soul.
His birth was not so much that
wonderous event in Bethleham
as it is the emergence, of his life
with in you. As far as your hope
is concerned Christ lives only as
he lives in you and works ont
through your life and service in
the world.
The advent of Jesus upon the
earth at his birth was inconspicu-
Gus and unheralded. Born off
peasants, poor and uninfInential
from despised Galilec: born in al
manger in the midst of dumb
brutes. with only humble shepards
to do him reverence, going forth
with only a weak unknown and
inconsiderable following: possess
ingnO purse, no sword, no earthly
pomp or authority: with disciples
who betrayed. denied or fled from