Show THIS and THAT the man there has appeared in this our day a man of geat g eat virtue named jesus christ who Is yet living amongst us ind with the Is accepted as a prophet of truth but his disciples say he Is the son of god he rals eth the dead and careth all manner of diseases a man of stature somewhat tall and comely with a very reverend countenance such as the beholder may both love and tear he Is of an innocent and mature look his eyes grey clear and quick in reproving he is terrible in admonishing courteous and fair spoken pleasant in speech amidst gravity in proportion of body he Is well shaped and straight his hands and arms most beauteous to behold in speaking he is very temperate modest and wise a man of singular virtue surpassing the children of men publius Len tulus the jewel christ jesus Is a rare jewel but men know not his value a sun which ever shines but men perceive not his brightness nor walk in his light he is a sun without a spot a star ever bright a fountain ever full a rose ever blooms a foundation that never yields a guide who never errs a friend who never forsakes no mind can fully grasp his glory his beauty his worth his importance no tongue can fully declare he Is the source of all good the foundation of every excellency cel lency the mirror of perfection the light of heaven the wonder of earth times masterpiece and eternity s glory the christian Is led by his hand carried in his heart supported by his arm nursed in his bosom guided by his eye instructed hv his lips warmed by his love calfern figure encircled by the social thoughts of christmas time still let the benignant Ben gnant figure of my childhood stand unchanged in every image and suggestion that the season brings mav the bright star that rested above the noor roof be the star of all the christian corid A moments pause oh vanishing tree of which the lower boughs are dark to me yet and let me look once more I 1 know there are blank spices on thy branches where eyes that I 1 have loved have shone and smiled from which they are departed but tar above I 1 see the ralser of the dead girl and of the widow s son and god Is good if age be hiding for me in the unseen portion of the downward growth oh may I 1 with a gray head turn a child s heart to that figure vet and a child s trustfulness and confidence dickens his impress we live in the midst of blessings till we are utterly insensible of their greatness and of the source from which they flow we speak of our chiv our arts our freedom our laws and forget how large a share of all Is due to christianity blot christianity out of the pape of mans history and what would his laws have been what his civilization christianity Is mixed up with our very being and our dally life there is not a familiar object around us which does not wear its mark not a being or a thing which does not wear a different aspect because the light of christian hope is on it not a law which does not owe its truth and gentleness to christianity not a custom not a virtue which cannot be traced in all its holy and healthful parts to his gospel rose man Is supreme lord and master of his own ruin and disaster controls his fate but nothing less in ordering his own happiness for all his care and providence Is too too feeble a defense to render it secure and certain against the injuries of fortune and oft in spite of all his wit Is lost with one unlucky hit and ruined with a circumstance and mere of chance massinger |