Evening star., 1929-12-21

Christmas is more than the festival
of childhood. 1t calls the world annu-
ally to consider the nativity of our Lord
1t tells anew in song, sermon and study
of the Scriptures the miracle of the
ages, how God entered the human race
in the birth of the Christ child IN
Bethlehem's nanger. No other portion
| Of the Bible has given as many themes
, to the poet, painter and preacher as the
| SaviourS advent. The concise state
ments of the gospel authors have been
enlarged, expanded and expressed in
numerous legends that have sought to
answer the various questions of men
whose lives have been quickened by His
! coming. To the natural interest in the
birth of child has been added the re-
| ligiouS and historical in the Lords ad-
vent. His influence has changed the
| current of civilization by permeating
the nations of the earth with His
| principles.
Every Christmas some person raises
! biological objection to the fundamen-
tai miracle of the Christian faith. When
such an eminent scientist and noted
! specialist as DR.. Howard A. Kelly of
Baltimore is quoted in the religious
| press as stating that "he had no trouble
in understanding how that could be-
| there would appear to be no reason to
| consider 1t as an objection today. If
| we recall His SinleSs life, we will recog-
| nize that the Scriptures furnish us in
| their record of His unique birth the
| only reasonable explanation of His un-
stained humanity. If He had not been
Of divine and human parentage Jesus
could never have lived a sinlesS life.
One has well said that "the laws of
nature are not chain which the Di-
vine Legislator has laid upon Himself;
they are threads which He holds in His
hands and which He shortens or length
ems at will" His birth is in accord with
prophecy and His mission.
The Manger- Born.
Bethlehem's manger- Child has
influenced the attitude of the Christian
world toward children, because our Lord
was born and entered humanity as a
child. Christ's birth was announced to
the shepherds upon the Judean hills by
an outburst of angelic singing. The
angels song filled them with fear.
Every proclamation Of our Father con-
corning His program of salvation has
filled those to whom the message was
given with fear. We ought to look for
this exhibition of human fear when we
consider mans ignorance of the super
natural. While it Is true that natural
superstition may make us fear, the fact
Is that our sin makes us afraid.
The shepherds were poor, and they
represent the toiling classes of this
world. 1t was to the representatives of
the worlds burden bearers that the good
news was first proclaimed. The angels
sought to remove their fears by telling
them they were bearers of good news,
for unto them was born in the City of
David Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
Their announcement was in accordance
with Isaiah's prophecy and the predic-
ton of His birthplace in Bethlehem of
Judea. His birth was tidings of great
joy "for all nations" because God de-
sires to have all men saved"
The shepherds were given sign by
which they could easily identify the
newborn Child. They were to find
Him wrapped in swaddling clothes,
lying in a manger' They found it
easy to show forth thtir faith because
of the chorus that the heavenly angels
sang, proclaiming the birth of the
Prince of Peace, for His advent meant
peace to men of good will. They dem
onstrated their faith by Immediately
leaving their hocks and starting of to
seek the mysteriously announced new
born Child, lying In manger. Their
faith was rewarded, for they found
Mary, Joseph and "the Babe lying in
the manger." They worShtped the new