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Show CIIK1STXAH THOUOIirS. "dlory to God In the highest, and on earth aee, Rood will lowrd men." Thus mantled the Jubilant strains of tout memorable night when C'litlit -was bom. Multlludet of heavenly hotti praised lbs Lord, nnd shepherd) llitened In silent wonder) nnd the awcet harmonies of that anthem but ever since vibrated In the heart of the redeemed, and more especially at tbla time of tbo year, when the Cbtls-tlan Cbtls-tlan world celebrates Ibeadvent to the world of tbs greatest of men, tbo Hon of God. The time In which Jesus waa born and tbo circumstance accompanying that event ought to be convincing I root to both Jews and tlentllos tha He really was thu true Messiah, esen If llli Ufa and death did not furnlih conclusive evidence of the fact, lie came wnen the lloiuan emplro waa at the height of 1U glory, aa redlcted by Daniel, lie came when Judea bad uit btoomsi a deiondcney of that empire, fulfilling the dying Jacob' trophecy, that Hhllob ilioulJ comi when tbo scepter had departed from Judah. 1 1 la birthplace waa lletlilrheui, as aunounced by Mlcab. He waa a descendant of David, aa the genealogy proves, tact appalled to by tho carl defendants of Chrlrtlanlly, Justin Martyr and Trrlulllan, as welt known to tho general public. And yet, though descendant of the tuost celebrated cele-brated royal house of Judab, lie came aa tho Pro hate had foretold aur , rounded by ruoat humllletlugclrcum stances. "Hole despised and rejected of bient 'a man of torrowa and ac quainted with grief, and wo hid, aa li wero, our facea irotu him. llowaade-arlsed llowaade-arlsed and wo eateemed Mm not.' V.t. lilt., 8. la there any other man born, In which prophetto statement regarding a corulng Messiah ate si literally fulfilled a In Jeius of Nsto rtthT Wonderful lesions and, ob, how tilfllcuK to learn! ara -resented t mankind In the manner In which Christ enters tho world He came tt save. Viewed with a merely human rye, Ho appears to bo only a frail Infant, resting on straw In an uncomfortable oriental khan, for "Inert waa nuroom for them In the Inn." Anu still more, In the alrort-slghted hu man Judgment, bo waa almost marked with tho brand of shame. Had not ever klndbaarted Joseph contemplated tin supposed propriety of grlvaloly aban dontng lbs youlhfnl mother? Ills nrancs Into tbs world and Hit whole Ills wen such that lilt claim to divinity divin-ity seemed Incomprehensible. Is this not tbs son of Joseph, lbs carpenter, whom ws all know? How can he U lbs promised Messiah? Bat Us waa viewed In a different light by the Inhabitants of celcstlsl worlds. Theywsro not deceived by appearances. They knew that trui greatness doea not depend on wealth nor an earthly glory and on what moo generally apivrovo and admire. III. also clear that Uod'a work for the accomplishment ac-complishment of His plans aud pur roses on earth docs not depend on what men would deem eessutlaL Whit, mankind Is to bo rodourued, uotoue ol those who by tbs world were oonsld ered noble and great are chosen as In-stiumeuts, In-stiumeuts, but ons of whom no uiau would have thought for that uriies. Never waa en great work performed by man as that which Jesus did. With His advent, a new era dawned on the earth. A religion lulmltublo In beauty and full of love waa (laced tw-foroourvlew. tw-foroourvlew. In contrast with other systems, His was free from tyranny. He proposed to break the fettera of soul and body and tu extend the hand of fellowship to all nations and all In dividual. And He was Himself the living personincatlono! the principles Ho taught. Prejudices full before thu I light of His (losl. Hu ubukod the rrldo ol mighty ones and unmasked the hypocrisy of a falsa orthodoxy He laid tho founilatlonsof political a well as religious liberty, prepared the nay for tho fna development of the faculties of man aud to thu ox tension of knowledgo In all directions. Bee how Immeasurably vast a work was performed per-formed by ouo, from whom meulu their own wisdom turned as an out-castl out-castl For Ha fought not with the weapons of men but with truth and righteousness. Dots not this suggest the Idea tha thoss wbD lu this age turn In scorn 'A from the servants of the Almighty, as did the wbrld ones from Jttus, aru I much mistaken and hava not learnt J tho tint lesson whloh every Christmas i ought to bring homo to Hum? Joser li 1 Hmtth com', n mighty muu of Cod, Jj proven to bo so by word aud by works. Jj Hut because ho was of humble birth, fj unlrutucj, at lliu world takes It, poor, K persecuted, many think themselves lj Justified lu rejecting him aud bis met- jj us History reols Itself. Jlut 3 only thosu who cannot or will not I 'f comprehoud the teachings of tho dj lost aru misled by appearances, 'jj To tho homtt mind tho clrciim a stances under which tho Curls- '! tlau Church tu tint founded lu j 1 tbo commaucoruent of our ern and tlio 1 3 re-eitabllahnirnt of thu work In this H ago are so similar as to suggest tho M same. Divine orlgluutlou. I'altiier. I celvet till nnd makes the believer chectfullly repent tho flnt Christmas H ctruUversung: "Olory toUodonlilgh and ptato on earth," |
