FOR THE SABBATH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 528, 21 December 1912, Page 3

FOR THE SABBATH.

WHAT DOES CHRISTMAS MEAN? It means that Christ has come to bring the Life of God among men on earth. The Life of God is Love, creating, persevering, saving, overcoming evil. You will see it at work in human nature in spite of all the selfishness and sin, for we still bear God's image in us. It begins with the wondrous love of the mother for her child, and the child's responding love for its mother; it passes on into new forms, the love of brothers and sisters; then again into the love of man and maid, wife and husband, till once more it begins anew between new parents and new children.

It is not meant to Btop there. It should expand into the State, and bind ua all together in the bonds of common obedience, loyalty, biutherly help. Are we not all God's children? No other power can ever make us happy; we try all sorts of things: laws, rights, wealth, pleasure-seek-ing, ambition, fashion, self-interest; but nothing else will do instead of love. Because love is the revelation of what God is. People could never believe it till Jesus the Divine Son was born among us. He found Himself at home in the arms of a mortal mother, among the lowliest surroundings; at home to suffer and overcome evil. "Love suffereth long and is kind . . . beareth all things, be-

lieveth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." And Christ dwelling in the Eternal Love of the Father claims ub still as His brethren. We know Him well enough—as the child looking up to His mother; as the boy wistfully seeking to be about His Father's business; as the Man blessing little children; spending labour of heart and hand and brain to help and heal. We know Him in loyalty to truth; in patient strong endurance; in steadfast perseverance; He saves others, Himself He cannot save. We know Him strong, triumphant, forgiving, in the new life of Easter Day. He is the image of God among men We too are in the same image, but a long way behind His likeness. Our salvation, the salvation of society, is to cast away self and make the Christ-life ours. He waits for us everyhere; appeals to us through the children, through the poor, through the weak and sorrowful; calls us to find the true, healthy human life, strong and pure and godlike, in His service, and not crucify Him any more with our sins.

The Life of Hod is Love, creating, persevering, overcoming evil. Christmas Day shews us the starting point —the picture of mother and child where every human liie begins in God's image; wherp all is love; the point where Christ Himself could enter in and begin to shed abroad the Divine life in the image of Man. Begin as Christ begins, with the heart of a child, and He will make you become what you are by nature already —Children of God. You can begin now. ON CHRIST'S BIRTHDAY. It is Christ's birthday. In among all our festivities should come sweet thoughts of the Love of God. The gifts we may receive should make us think of the greatest gift of all—when God gave His Son. Let us all try to make our Christmas very full of the memories of Christ. Let the blessed love of Christ make a glad Christmas in our hearts, helping us to be like Christ Himself in love, unselfishness, and forgiveness. Christmas should teach us to be Chrisc to others all about us, that from our very garments may flow the virtue that shall heal and blesß all who touch us. There are few people whom God calls to do great things for Him, but the best thing most of us can do in this world is to live out a real, simple, beautiful, strong Christian life in our allotted place. Thus in our little measure we shall repeat the life of the Master Himself, shewing men some feeble reflection of His sweet and loving face, and doing in our imperfect way a few of the lovely things he would do if He were here Himself in our place. And God grant that this Christmas may be a happy one to all of us; happy if it be His will, in worldly quietness, and outward peace, but happy anyhow in that peace which the world cannot give nor take away.