Evening star., 1927-12-24

| their sins. Matthew III.
Christmas calls the world tn con
slider the greatest event in history.
Luke. who pcnned the third gospel.
has given us a record that has met the
test of scholarship and historical re-
search. His narrative OF the birth OF
the savior, who IL Christ. the Lord.
was written from the viewpoint OF n
physician who was n keen observer
and n careful stud IT of the life of
iIcsus. In all probability he obtained
the information that Is the basis of
jotIr Christmas lesson from the lips OF
the Virgin Mary. tho blessed mother
us our Lord Jesus. who knew best OF
iall the events connected with the birth
Of hcr "first.horn Son
christianity Is based upon historical
facts. Calm and critical research have
firmly established the birth of Jesus
las n historical event. The opening
verses of the lesson have passed
through the fires Of the rrucible of
hostile criticism. Their accuracy was
questioned Accidental discoveries
have confirmed the accuracy OF Luke's
statements. In rubbish heaps of an
cient Egyptian manuscriptions were
found. about 20 years ago. the proof
that Caesar Augustus issued an I'M
perial decree for the enrolment OF the
Roman world every II years. The
first OF many enrollmcntS WAS made
when Quirinius was governor of syria.
Prof Ramsay has demonstrated that
this was not the great enrolment
and valuation OF property made about
AID. :. as Josephns informs us and to
/ which Luke refers tACta 5.31D, during
the famous administration OF Quirin-
ius az governor Of Syria. hut that 1t
was an earlier period. when he served
az the military administrator of Syria.
making war against Homonadnes and
other foreign foes. az recorded upon
the stone accidentally found In Venice.
TacituS mentions In his annals" the
disturbance i'm dependency that
called for the intervention of Roman
arms, and n casual reference in Ter
tuilian's disputation against hereto
have helped to corroborate Luke's
Irccord.
Prophecy Fulfilled.
Closely linked up with the colonial
policy Of the Roman government. we
have in wonderful manner the fuI-
tllment of the prophecies of the men
whose messages we have been study
ing during the past quarter. They
hours of both Judah and Israel they
sought to inspire them with the hope
that came from the faith In the com.
ing OF a Messiah whose birth In Beth
iiehcm was predicted by Micah. Rome X
colonial policy WAS adapted In the
system OF government Ia meet the con.
ditions and religious belief Of their col.
onira. lierod. whose skill az admins
traitor satisfied the authorities at
Rome. probably provided for an enroll
ment that would meet the peculiar ira.
di,inns and faith of the Jewish people
by requiring that the census should he
made by tribes. All the Jews were
compelled to register in their own
towns II was this fact that brought
Mary Ia Bethlehem, bccaus" both she
land Joseph. her husband. were OF the
lineage Of David.
our English version fails to show
the distinction made by the Greek
text, from which our versions have
been made. in the third and fourth
verses. in the word translated went
up" There !. difference In the tense
In this word In the Greek for In the
ihird verse we have a present tcnse
land In the fourth nm aorist tense. This
shows to the Greek student that the
hrst enrolment. referred to in the
third verse, Was the regular enroll
ment made In accordance with the f.m.
peror's edict that all the citizens of the
itomnn Empire should he enrolled ut
regular intervals. which was about
EcVfry II years. The fourth verse refers
In one definite action.
In accordance with the prophecy
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ih,d ,ba cnin,s ,f M. ,,,yai family al
I,nvi.t ,n,h,nii,r,d unnn ,hrn, ,,ith
M. In itix L,,,, ,l.thn. ,n.. n,n,ho.
az nnr ard t,i,t liiu, I'm q, ,,n,,,.,,
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Ny strftohs Messrhgrrs.
| About "A mil. from bethlehem onr
il shown the bare and neglected
Chanel nf the "Aupcl nt th. Shep.
herds " which was huiIt upon tbe ira.
uittouaI site ia the tea where the
unur shepherd. Watching their tioc =
meant far pnc,itice In The te,nni.
Aotshiu in nearby Jerusalem were
s,t,nria.d by the aunen,unre az The
mvsterto,ls yt.itor These humh,.
nb.Ih,rts ubu.. Iot una mt ,,tch
lh.,ter Than slaves we're The mrs, Ia
| ten,n ar tbe Anvio,,,'s hirth Neu