Evening star., 1923-12-25
Bishop E1alts Christmas
In Plea fOr Cathedral
Message 10 Matte, Says Holiest of Incl.
dents, Too Mysterious to Fatkom,"
Is Worlds Inspiration.

Him. There are the unsolved prob
lens. the bitter disappointments. the
broken fellows ships, the domestic
tragedies. the ene,vating sorrows,
.hc hedy ard soul destroying SINS to
'e overcome and noifed and hea ed
Lord. to whom snail We GO Ex-
press II in what terms We Will, there
$ language of the heart thnt the
lips may not a-ticulate that responds
! to the spirit OF Him who was born
or Christmas day.
Motherhood. the most sacred Of all
human relationships finds It's apotheo-
sis in the ANIMAL Of the Bethlehem
story. Blessed indeed among women
is the mother OF Jesus. To her the
world rererently turns as the great
est among women. Mary. mother
Of Christ. what associations group
themselves about her blessed person !.
Corregio, Raphaek Murillo. yes, all
the highest exponents of art come to
this Bethlehem scene FOR inspiration
and from 1T derive the noblest and
finest expressions of their genius
Motherhood and childhood. what sub
lime and holy thoughts these awaken
in the human breast: Even the
Goa rSeninS and hardening Influences
OF the world that dull and chill the
emotions are softened and su5dued
as they feel the spell OF this holy
environment.
Shall we not ferventiy hope that
its dist ractions and SORROWS aad sins
shall. find its heart made tender and
its impulses ennobled as with re-
newed reverence and devotion it
turns To behold the blessed mother
and child Of Bethlehem:
Reiavsaatins and sasparinG.
What care we for all the con-
would seek to subtract from this
holiest Of holy incidents that which
makes 1T altogether the most COM
pelling and fascinating. yes the most
Eejuvenating and Inspiring of all re-
corded annals. AS we consider our
fore mother and child. We have no
! language adequate to express our
reverence and devotion. Only angel
choirs are fit to sing His advent song,
Glory TO God in the highest, and on
earth. peace to men Of good will.
Our petty system. our conce.ts of
learning, our most august ceremonial
pale into insigniacsnce before the holy
scene of Bethlehem. We return to il
today with renewed ardor. with quick
rned emotions. with reverant awe
White il bafnes and enbsrrasses US. il
challenges and silences all our specula-
tons and negations. il touches the deep
er and truer things of our nature, it
lights uD with divine radiance the mean
ING OF iife's most sacred relationships :;
ii makes the high purposes OF God more
evident to US. yes. ii is Emmanuel, God
with u.s. the fullest approximation Of
what the human mind is capable of
comprehendtng of divinity.
How silently. how silently.
The wendrous gift Is given
So God inparts TO human hearts
The blessings OF His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming
But in this world OF sin,
Where meek souls will receive Him
still,
The dear Christ enters in.
Oh. holy child of Bethlehem.
Descend to US. We pray:
Cast out our sin. and enter in.
Be born In us today.
We hear the Christmas angels.
The great glad tidings tell
oh. come to US, abide with US,
Our Lord Emmanuel!
Bishop Freeman embodied the sub
stance Of the above message in his
radio talk broadcast from station WRC
here last night He spoke briefly at
communion services held last midnight
i at Epiphany Church, and preached at
services at the church at IL o'clock
today.