HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Blyth Standard, 1907-12-18, Page 7LESSON XIIDEC. aa, 19o7.
Christmas Leeson. Matt, 2: 1-12,
Cmu101711 1'y,-1. The coming of the
w•iso men (vs. 1,2.) 1. When Jesus was
born—While the exact date of Christ's
birth. is unoest0in there is no reissue why
it may not have been on December 25th,
B. C. 5. But wary do we say that Jesus
was born "before Christ'"? Simply be-
cauee our calendar is incorrect. For
some centuries after elitist's time there
but was no calendar in general use each
17lLo,n dated from some ')vent'in its his-
tory. Finally, in tiro sixth century, a
learned monk, Diouysius l igvus, was
appointed to ancertnan the time of
Christ's birth, and it was ordered that
history should be dated from that time.
But I)ionysiue, who first pnblfehel has
calculations in A. D. 826, put the birth of
Jesus about four yeatrs too late. In
llethieho'n--"Ilouse of lamed" "A name
properly applied to a ;place where the
true Bread was manifested for the life
of the world."—Clarke. Of Judaea --To
die:Limp:ish it from Bethlehem in Galilee,
mentioned in Josh 19; I5. Herod—
Herotl the l.reat lit., ivli's an Edomite,
and/although a p1eselytfte,the Jewish
religion, was notoloust;";t,hls wicked-
ness lie 'tht
cruelty, its d
ileas caul Clle ty, I ,g y
se4en years in Judea nein died • a- fey
mouths after the birth of Christ. At this
time "the scepter cilia departing "front
Judd', a sign that the Messiah cls nowat hand." Wise then ;t)0 magi. "Orig.-
Molly
theemolly a class of priests''' tong the d'er'
waits and \fedes, who l tho king's,
privy ,out, 1. They Hien tI
learning crud wealth. Angnatine anis
Chrysostont say there ''ere twelve meal,
hitt the common belief is that there were
but three. But .thy were these 111,7)1
seeking the Christ? 'We know that the
Persian tragi believed in a Alessiah or
future Saviour, who should in the latter
day appear and renew the world in
right onsness."—Whad0n, From the east
-_Perhaps from Media, or Persia., or
lstssibl' . from Arabia. To Jerusalem—
They seemed to suppose that when they
ranched the capital of the Jewish nation
they would have no trouble in Melina
the object of their aeareli,
2. Where is 111--Jiu1 inquiry in ,Ienu-
s.dem brought Jesus into popular notate
and called atteetion to the feet that the
1leseiah was to he born in Bethlehem.
Bou Bing of the Jews—This was it title
unknnwn to the earlier history of Israel
mai applied to no one except the Mes-
siah. It, reappears in the 'invitation over
the 11os0, Casr. Notice that Jesus was
His •--Ma
'"born a kite:,. 11 s stat ray inter-
preters, especially those w'ho seek to
eliminate the supernatural explain the
"stir," or "sidereal ap)100(nee;' by a
eenjunr,tion of :limber tend Slain.
Which occu0101) in May, 11, C. 7, and
again in December with Mars added, It
is, however, much more in harmony with
all She facts to behove that the star
which attracted the attention of the
iilagi was :provided for the occasion. To
warship him—To do him homage. They
were bold to confess the object of their
coming.
11. Light from the Scriptures (vs. 3.6),
3. 1lad hoard-1'he magi had created no
small stir by their inquiries, which im-
mediatelyatttraeted Uhl: nttouticn of
the kin;,. '(rolbled—Herod, now sunk
into the jealous decrepitude of his sav-
age old age, VMS residing in his new pal-
ate on Zion, when, half maddened' as he'
was already by the 'crimes of his last
career, lie was thrown into a fpenh,. ar-
oxysnt of alarm and ringlets by ihe't bit
of these maga bearing the estrange 111'
telligence; thatthey had 01111171 to ;worship.
a new-born king.--Farrar.'grist feared'
a rival.. 411 Jernaaleme.seit3.7 Fear-
ing that he 1yould mak0'thls an oedaa1011
of renewing his reefs of ;bloodshed. 4.
ICad gathered—Ae;;esselnbled the San-
hedrin.—Lightfoot. Chief priests—This
expression probably comprehends the
gating high priest and his deputy, those
Who had been high priests --for at this
time the office was often transferred
by the Boman authorities—and "the
heads of the twenty-four sacerdotal fain-
i1Ses," which David had distributed in so
maty courses." Collas—The learned m-
terin,.ters: of the Mosaic law, and the
collectors of the traditions of the elders.
Ninny of, them were Pharisees—Demand-
ed of them—Been 111M they would be most
likely ta,know. Where the Christ (11.
V!)-01' 111e Messiah, the official title of
the promised deliverer. "The wise men
had said nothing :hent the Christ, or
the Messiah, but only about the King
of the Jews, But Herod saw that this
king must be the expected Messiah."
pealed, Assuming that the stag' appeared
when the 41414 wits born 11e would thus
have some idea of the a.ge of the child.
0, He sent thorn --Ile assumed control;
but they; followed the direcaious of the
Lord, Soarch diligently —Herod was
honest In making this charge to then.;
he greatly desired to receive (lefiull(
word concerninig the new )(ing. And John A. Cormte, Oak Lake, Man., in The Presbyterian
wotshl) }Dm also What hypocrisy!
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Nike's Christmas Gift
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(ter 1.o murder him (vs. 13, 16); he wee
crafty and euhtle, saying 000 thing and
mewing another, But God did not per-
mit hint to carry out his purpose.
IV. Guided by the star (00. 9, 10). 9.
The star.. .vent be.fore them—.The same
star which they hall seen in their own
country ma' again ' appears. The sour
had disappeared for a time and thio
led them to invite in Jerusalem for
the young King whom they sought, Sup-
ornnttu'al helps should not be expected
where ordinary 001s are to he acid
Stood over—The stir pointed out, the
very house.—Benso. 10, They rejoiced
—The Greek ie very emphatic. They
rejoiced exceedingly baetuoe they saw
they were about to find the child and
because they had such ulunisto'anble
proof of being in divine order. That
clone is enough to cause rejoicing.
V. 'Che. child Jesus found (vs. 11, 12).
11. Fell down—'they prostrated therm
selvos.before Him ..wording to the east-
ern custom, "In this tat the person
knells and puts his head between his
knees, his 'foreland at the acne time
touching the ground. It was used to ex -
preen both civil and religious h'e a•c
us,,
—Clarke, Gifts—'rhe people of the East.
did not approach into the presei?a0 of
kings without bringing them presentee
The custom .still prevails m many
places. Gold, etc. -Gold would always
he useful, while f1ael:incense anti myrrh
were prized -for their delicious frag-
rance. These were the very presents
Isaiaah mentioned: "All they from She-
ba shall come; they shall bring gold
and intense" (lea, 00. 6) ;`Incense, or
fraulkinceese, ds n resinous gu7it, ,How-
ing from a tree, gashed for the pur-
pose. growing in Arabia end Lebanon.
Myrrh da also a gum obtained from n
tree in Arabia." Whodon, '
12. Wooled of God in a dream-- God
minim:Ideated hit purpose to them in a
manner that they understood and the
impression or 0env'Iction w'as so clear
that they et•,anpe obeyed. Another tees,
—They could eciaily,go'east from Beth
10110m and thus leave Jerusalem on the
north.
l
5. By 'the prophet—Micah 5, 2. Mat-
thew dive not quote the exact words
found in Micah, but the sense is given,
It was an accepted truth that the Mes-
siah must come from Bethlehem, 6. Art
In no wise least (R. V,) Micah nays,
"Though thou he little among the thou-
sands of Judah, yet out of thee shall
he corne forth unto me that is to he
ruler in Israel." This made Bethlehem
"itt no wise least." Although Bethlehem
was little, yet it woo exalted above all
the other ejties of Israel. • The princes—
"The thousands, (Micah 5, 2). The tt'ibe
had been subdivided into.thousamts, and
over each subdivision there wee a chief-
tain or prince.—Morison. A governor—
To oontrol and rule. Who shall be shep.
keel (R. V,) -To feed and care for, as a
shepherd his flock. Christ is both Slop.
herd and King, My people Israel—Israel
was God's people in a peculiar souse.
They were His own peel:liar treasure.
IIy. Tho intrigue of Herod (vs, 7, 8).
7. Privily called—Herod desired to keep
the time of Christ's birth as secret as
possible lest the Jews who hated Him
should take (evasion to rebel, Enquired
of then' dillgently—"Learned of them
exactly." —R. V. He inquired of them
the exact time and received positive in- ing Ss promised to those who read and
formation as to the time the star ap- hear and keep the last great prophecy of
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS.
I. A place of salvation. 'Now when
smell of thawing col,
Jens 0110 born" (v, 1.) "Thou shalt call I had already walked sixty miles and
Ida name Jews" (Matt, 1; 21.1 .1 awe,'
! did not start the third clay of the join -
mune represents his character, Herod's ;tiny m'itl(a particularly light heart. I
name le a synonym for cruelty, Abi`n- wits only well Started when d''laettrd a
ham's for faith, Stephen's for martyr- ,shot From behind 11 bluff 1 was approach -
don], John's for love, Jesus for salvos
tion. Ilia name has power to save. A ing nal tliej, the hearty lough of a
brave cavalry officer, dying of his 01170 hay
"Octan, Meister," he called to me.
wounds, thought himself o1 the field at
MAINE'S CHRISTMAS TREE
TRADE GROWS FAST
Twelve, yearn a.g0 a npety of halter'((,
).lunntlhg cu a steam vemilt fain .a
caribou hu it ie 1ewtou inland, called at
eargeervillc, on the oietern ohm.' of
0n hscet flay, and' Leek a id,
in 101 t i 1 isle nuc abrnduned copper tail
ul
ma -as -6 m Bine ILII, 21,1ina the
leaves had foliar Prem deciduous 1.00e,
His anile wits MSke. 'Pkat is, the 11 .dv hi n(d r name •Jack—lv:in, ene frxl- rad tor: begun to think of e,h'h77..... ,u( ray, tee d,trle evct recce to 11: rad ,nut
called him Mike though .h I believe that, der call him" 1 met the boy on one of the worst days in bunt relief against the newts 11 11 eta
. hat time jaek s at
de.
as a matter of tact, he was baptized 6Vheut3. looked iota h s�it
his -face lau)0 3.
Michel, but we, the few E or118100petk- Was more than the weight of the gun
ug homestwtdert:'0to had settled on- the that nude him stagger. I thought that
edge, of the huge Galician colony, called when I came back u1 the fall Alike would
him Mike. After 0 tinge, he w'an Mike be alone,
to his father, who held to Michel for Mike lifted the gain from his 'brother's
a
many' weeks, and thea he was Alike to shoulder and put out his head to take
all, The elaini:10,0 were not popular with the rabbit, but the hunter would not
some of the "white" settlers, ea they yield hie spoils.
called thnneelves, mainly 1 thought for "Jack shoot him," 'laughed Mike. "fie
the reason that tiro Gn)ieiann were, in want to take him home. Ile get tired
first and had some of the beat 607110- pretty soon, theft 1 take him,"
:tends in the district, but Mike was pop- "You're a pretty decent sort of a kid,
111ar with all. fie was 0 cheery chap, aren't you?" I -said. I waited to tell
always smiling and often laughing, Id the boy what I thought of him, but dad
you met him on the trail, when you were not know just how to do it,
down' on your luck or sick of your jab, "Jack seeek, Meister," he replied. "He
-
hislaughing hirer "Good day,'Meister,'" got very' teed. He like to shoot. 1 help
would give you 0 new view of life, We him shoot rabbit' '
were all "Meister" to him. He nova' "Well, good -byre, sir," I said. He came
tried to learn our names. (inc ens the for -ward and held out his hand,
Beeg \remota," a.not3er the "old Melo- "(;'bye, Meister," he said and instruct -
ter," ,mild the "Meister at the Reever," ed his brother to do the sante,
the calm- alae "store Meister," You had I turned after a few minutes to have
to be quick when you :let him on the another look at the boy. The gun was
trail to be first with the salutation, :pie ever Mike's shoulder and the rabbit was
boy had a way of coming on you when dangling from the barrel of it and Jack
you thought ,you were alone and you was clinging to Mike's arn0,
never knew where you would hear his Somehow the sun was shining bright-
1auugghing "g'dn.y, Meister" er wllrn I turned, the little anemones
The first time I met hint wale a day looked prettier a0)11 thought the thaw' -
whet I was tramping through the 00011- ing soil smelled sweeter.
try on n)y 77105 to a valley fifty wiles I met an Englishman soon after who
north of the Galicia: s, I hs4 heard so persuaded me that nothing would be
much of the )lnlicians ,that I thought gained farther north and I chose' e.
fifty miles veould .be few enough to have homestead near by. I mist confess that
betn their settlement and my home- hike entered 019 thoughts when the
stead.
matter was mels' t ogle erddon I meet
It,w•1s a day in early sepiug, one of the rammer on my homestead end then
those days in 1Cny, that seamed to have went south to 1n11ke some Money on the
gotout of place and fond itself by lois- harvest fields.
take In the end of the first week in • '• «« • « •
April. alio scow' was gone except a s laic itthe fall when I retvtrn-
dirt' drift oa.ught in tire bluffs here and It vets t
y ed. alike, wits the ohs gun over his
there, The knolls on vvliiah the sun shoulder, was one of the first to meet
shone were dry and were starred over tete•
with anemones, the little purple "G'day, Meister, you rum bask?" he
of summer, and where the bluffs kept off celled to me,
the northeast trials, the Bras; nuns 1: thought I discovered a new note in
sprouting. The air was heavy with the
his comer and when I came nearer, there
the head of his gallant men, and that all
0n0my's gun was'in front, of them ready
lo be fired, He tv0s greatly distressed.
At the nit:Mien of the since of Jesus ]tis
`tinction ceased, sus delirium ' passed
ewes'; a smile11 up Ida' pale face, and
lie said in to low toile, "Jesus, Jesus! It,
is lie who said: "Come unto me, all ye
that latlior and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rootl" I want rest; 1 am
weary." The naive of Jeans saved him
from delirium,' and lie was restful and
happy 011(1) his spirit took its flight, to
God, Jeans is able to Save "to the ut-
torinost;"`(Deb. 7; 25); able to save'
from the power of sill us well nus its pen-
alty (Ion1, 6; 2, 14); able to keep us
from all nerigh14 onsness (1 Johan 1; 7),
and ails to "keep" us clean (Jade 24)rl il
11. A place of obscurity. "Ieah le
hi0i" (v. h) An iamign)151,1i, village,
not mentioned among the 117ally towns
at the 11104' of the divisionOf the land,
"Tues mangers" 11.01:71 2;'7.) 4 Not in a
palace, mot in a house of luxury, not, in
a cottage surrounded by brightness, but
in a litn0st0ne cave, did tate Christ-ohild
open its infant epos 1)1 earth. Was this
to teach how little God cures for exter-
nalsY That the Cltristly heart will not
1'01'(( 5.7114111 OlIrl'olllldingei That Jesus
has a tender:`sympathy for the poorest?
That they who 'follow him will ()!loose
the lowliest'pla.ces?
III. A, place of cruelty. "In the flays
of Herod the king" (v. 1.) Jesus mese at
stranger to this world; there lens no
r00111 101' hurl in the inn (Luke 2; 7.)
Herod hunted hint (v. 7.) His own par-
ents ('understood not" his youthful as-
pirations (Luke 2; 49); hie own towns-
men re•jeeted him, (Luke 4; 29); he had
net where, to lay his head (Matt. 8; 20;
lohn 7, 63; ', 1); his own people stoned
him (John 10, 31); one of his own disci-
ples betrayed Mtn (Hatt. 20; 14, 15);
Jews and Gentiles conspired to crucify
him (Lupe 22, 66; 23, 1, 12). All the
wary from the credits to the cross he
met with cruelty.
W. A place of royalty. "Born Bing of
the Jews" (v. 2). The gospel of Mat-
thew is the story of Jesus as King. Its
key -word "kingdom," is found fifty-six
times. Its key phrase, "kingdom o
heaven," is found thirty-two tines and
nowhere elle :in the Now Testament,
Matthew gives his legal genoology, his
royal pedigree, from David, source of
Jewish rule; and Abraham, source of
Jewiah blessing• (Matt. 1:1). Jesus was
born king, but he waited—he i0 waiting
still for aha kingdom (Luke 111:25; Matt.
20:29). The prayer, "Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done in earth" (Matt.
6:10), has never been literally fulfilled.
It will be some day, Christ rules the
hearts of his own to -day as a Shepherd
(v. 0, R. V.). The characteristic of his
ep)ritual,kingdom is patience (Rev, 1:9).
Christ will rude over men one day with
a rod of iron (Pa0. 2:9). -
V. A place of prophecy. "It is written
by the prophets" (v. 5). A study of
prophecy gives a miniature life of Jeans.
Isa. 7.14; Micah, 5:2; lea. 9:1, 2; Gen.
49:10; Hosea 11:1; Zech. 11:12, 11;
Zech, 13:7; Isa..53:12; Psa, 22:18; Pat.
22:1; 09:21; Zech. 12:10; John 1:45;
Acta 13127; 1 Cor. 2;8. A special bless -
"Good day,"I replied, my hearth en -
!Urging Under the genial warmth of the.
hay smile. Then I saw he was not
alone. 1net.her boy was coming from
the bluff with a 900 071 his 811011)dc1 and
rabbit Mingling frou his hand. He
staggered ander the' weight of it, ea if
it were, too much for -hien, which sur-
prised she, for a boy does not let stran-
ger see hint stagger under n gun.
"'!'hat ore brudder," explained the boy.
"IIe shoot very good," he added, unnee a-
sarily loudly, has 1 thought, until I saw
a faint flush of pleasure come into the
younger one's face at the hearty -praise.
"Rabbits blind in spring," he added, for
my benefit.
We watehed the boy strugglet.ovard
us,
"Me brudder week," said Mike, and the
smile left his face so quickly that it time
plain that to Alike this was a calamity,
"Me name—Mike," he catfided to,n10.
0100 something in his eye I lied not seen
before.
I was afraid to ask for Jack. 111.a(1
had no conununiratiow with the settle-
ment during ins, absence. The conver-
sation ran in lite o•dinaary lines for a
while. :Chen he suddenly' turned to
rile.
"Dlebbe I shoot partridge?" he asked,
]:
Was juggled for it moment when T re-
membered that the open season MIS past.
There (('as a pathetic. appeal in his voice
that made his wares go deep.
"Jack very seek, Muster. Mebbe I
shoot partridge?"' he asked again. 'Jack
like partridge," he added, by way of ex-
planation,
"You shoot your partridge, old man,"
I sa
"Mid:ebbe I go to jail?" be sand.
"Jail he hanged," I said, "there's your
;bird.•'• .
I watched him disappearing like a deer
through the bluffs, with this partridge'
Under his Boat, and then went on my
way to 10y own home.
« • • M M • • • •
The winter came early that year.
Weeks before Christmas the ground was
covered with 00010 and the thermome-
and even 1 could see he was not proper-
ly clothed. eat the Christmas tree whien
the missionary got up for the children
of lite selalement, I took it upon myself
to give Mike a special t0 11,,ataon and
Mike saw that Santa Claus wa0 in a
position to give hind a suit of warm
clothes. An idea erept into his head
that night and before he reached home
it had taken possession of him.
Their own Christmas came ten clays
inter and the Galicians were making
preparations for it.
Two days before their celebration com-
menced, Mike appeared at the door of
my shack.
Meister," he said, "Mebbe a doctor
00100 to at'at1onl"
"The Station" was (he name of the
little town at the railway, to which we
were tributary and it was twenty-five
miles distant 1 had heard that 0 doe -
tor had settled there in the fall and in-
tinm(e01 the same to Mike.
"Jack very seek," he said, "Mebbe I
go to Station for doctor."
It was the first time I had seen tears
in his eyes.
"I got doctor for Jack for Chreeat-
1110," he added.
The sly was threatening that morn-
ing.
"How will you go?" 1 enquired.
"011, I walk, Meister, 1 good for n
77015."
"You can't, :!like, you'll freeze to
death."
tie pointed to the warm clathce he
wore, and before I could say a word he
was gorse.
By noon that clay it was blowing and
the air was thickening with snow. As
usual, I dined alone, and my thoughts
turned on the boy. 1170 doctor's service
was to he his Christmas ci(t to J10k.
It seemed tome that It was a gift that
might cost too much. As the wind
rose I got anrioue. I left the dishes
on the (elite and hastened to Mike'a
home. The boy was nie there.. Then I
welt to the store„ IIs W.10 '004: there,
Then I heard he had gone for the doe-
tor. bunches of glossy wintergreen fir:(: clic
1 told a neighbor what I feared, IIe .1,.(1111tvs of overhanging p)urs and eeale
ogrec(1 with me that Mike wits in great in the shitting red trait of the
danger, and volunteered to go rafter him, ,(,,i,1 shrub, Oil of which will ire placed,..,
The wind '410 behind us and we -reedy fitly in lax,e a)11 sent away t, ,win
good time. 14, came upon n0 traces ren Its ,dud 11) niece far (hush d0po;1'S,
of the kitty on the any and in the town ' Idtinn :aid 1':h the ad'aruuxmt of etately,
no dne lad weenhim. ity' home- v hnc C uietnta, is olds::red'..:1'1
.
The wind fell tilat night, and in the with porn)) end aplom,n,
morningg the mercury stood at forty be- 1 Frou the noim of view of the nalnoir.
7 tilt•, who makes mrd loses thon,muda of 7.
low. The t wa i perfectly clear and d0)),!s 'on ant mus every Mate the 179.:''
the sun set. the white, flashing world 8
aflame. 15'e started bh:1, with lighter mem which the Maine framer•, dc(iye'
hearts. We had a trip in vain, but the from t li27 tut,'-: tree, „0117 ulna nM0 hntl1
flirt that the boy was safe satisfied us. 7701 the emir) 141101 nle0 is a great deal to
Presently w0 came to n spot near 1ht70 1,111, are not overburden(,) With
which were many wolf tracks. My cont- Honey, 1114:wide 1e ten acid oweelerSe
minion was anxious about it and insist- rents for the :1 0111130 price 00 Clir1 v:as;)
el on seeing the cause. Something was trees delivered st the etatioe, and idea -
projecting from a drift. A terrible fear nig the nnl.1157 et 1:01,0,(0, the revenue
tools possession of me and I began to nom tart alone 0211 be (7)12,500 •.01ed
tremble. to this ie, sey,;+10,000 for boos" and
Tho snow was packed in a circle abort trailing evereecns to be. 1110110 into
him, for the wolves were hungry that nl0ths. l'has mann, :'.0,0(10 lame:+ of
winter, but they had been afraid to from, or 10,000 doral;s tm the e'oman n1'
touch him. We carried. Mtn Into the 1)0 nuulr't ti t.mnonts for the mea, 11
sleigh ahi' the tears whIrh fell from our her ui1 I 33 Imus of shoes, or 61,2 i0
eyes froze intil ice on Ms face. p w n[ t lam oveahocs, or rt 1)1 i ata
"Itis life for his friends," I nutter- 1'0 a:mm�l t(conut of Y4,8t0, 1'f )nit ut
ed. interest in any of the 'chine sa,:790
,.round of luow::, and 1tls, intrvivning
bre): from the read n(0 tool sweeping
over hill and 1,lllcy were teas of eh:mu-
tails of young lure in the full vigor of
rwupaut eroteth. The. °weer of the
yacht looks.) at them carefully and came
to the eontlasiOO they would mil c u)r;tl
1' v 1 s --1n n better: than the
Lhi fern 0 t c( ucl t
scrubby, irregular pines that were that
10 ase. ]Ie lured soiiie Wren and 'Masai
and loaded the deck of the yacht with
about 5110 trees, and took tdtem to Bea a
tan as a speculation; When the earl.'')
of trees were taken up in front of is e-
cu)l Hall the marketnlen fell ((1171' one
another in their gn'eed to get the naw
trees. They ,sold out the entire lot at mu
enormous profit, and clamored for more,
The next year about 0(1,00(1 (tete wen' -.
taken to Boston halm the shores 1',f
11)uu:ock county, chiefly from Cuisine,
Ornoul and ]lino hill The.thnul emoo1
knee were sent to New Yom: and cap-
tured the hearts of the dwellers in Amer -
ice's metropolis. At the turd of fool
years the average si demeld of alum's
firs was 70(1000 trams a year. Lest 700.
See more, than 1,2(10000 were scut .t, ay,
This sea -son's shipments will prulla'dy
reach 1,5(10,000,
Thrugh the elating, trimming,lamb
ling end shipment of Ohhistmas trees is a
laborious task, the Maine farmers mike
the o(1 sio u
), nutnutumt
autumnal ]holiday, tn1 ,ug.
theta families to the lomat fringe .cid -
cat1ng their midday meal around a blaz-
ing fire, that roars and sparkles in the
midst of their ichors. One nim etas Go,
sizable trees close to the ground 1 boy
or etrong girl cuts away with a eliarp
hatchet the few dead (baths at the base;
a woman and a boy or two women teat
the trees into bundles of twelve a t1,1
them firmly together with strong ,- _1s,
and a la1'g0 boy of a maul drives the
temp of hose harnessed to -q Ihtyee
which hauls the load to the',wh.rt at
railroad station.
\teautime tiro smullcr childnei the:
family roam through the woods pe. !hag
the ladling creepers of ground pine 171,11)
uamong the fallen leneee, piekiree 'eht
ter had made n record descent before we Sty companion made no reply, buil s ..
his second' coning (Rev. 1:3; 22:18,
-
VI. A place of guidance. "The star....
came and stood over where the young
child was" (v. 0), Heralded by a star
Jesus uehered in the day of grade at the
beginning of this dispensation, The star
which illuminates our pathway and goes
before, us to 'guide els to Jests is the
Holy Spirit, of whom Jesus says: "lit.
aliell testify of me" (John 18:26).
VII. A place of rejoicing (v. 10). The
wise meal, rejoicing at the cradle of the
infant Ring, carry our thought forward
to another day when a nniltitude of re-
deemed men and angels shall cry with a
loud voice (Rev, 5:12).
VIII. A place of worship (v. 11). They
give themselves; then their gifts (2 Cor'.
8,4„ 5). They saw, they •'fell down,"
thus presenting their "bodio7 r coving
sacrifice" (Rom. 12:1); they "worship
ed;' pouring out their souls' a lora.urtt;
then "they offered unto him ;lets" (1)
V.).
.IX,. A place of pr00sats. "They jug
seated unto hjm gifts; gold, ant frank-
incense, ,anti myrrh" (v. 10. 410 a
Savior Jesus is God's great gift 1" us
(John 3:16); es eaves ones we ale Cod's
gift to him (John 17:6). Cold, pressed ed
in token of his royalty, tyokies .what
we are; frankincense, referring to hi.
deity, refers to what we de; myrrh, an-
1.1ci)atin¢.bis deoth. refses to what .71e
Buffer, A. C 11.
The Scramble for O1trtetmas Presents.
"Tie girl who seethe for he. 1)rrg
does have a hard time gathering up her
Christmas gifts. unless she las a flue
head -for organization and knows where
to shop," says Anna Steele 11)110711'
son in the Woman's Home lompanien
for December. " The. first '.),lig to re-
member is that the Christmas he mein
counter is the drooping ground of the
shrewd merchant. He tosses here all the
leftovers from last year's usalable
stock, For this counter, he buys up old
wholesale stocks, auction lots and
factory ends, Nobody knows the fail-
ings of the bargain counter shopper bet-
ter than does this shrewd merchant. And
he makes fifty instead of five per omit,
on every sale. Everything is mussy and
colors are garnish. Moths have eaten in-
to this and crust has settled 071 that.
But the woman who tries to shop
against time does not notice these de-
fects, .
"The later ,you shop the more im-
portant it is that you go to a good
store. (;lrls who pork clown It O'l1'11
should leave hone half an hour earlier,
go to a first -elites shop,, tell the Berk
frankly just how much they can spend
and unless my measure of the clerk in
the first-class stove is wrong, they will
be waited on promptly and satisfactor-
ily. But if you know you have only 81.-
50
1:50 to spend on a nouveau ant pia for
your chum's belt, do not waste the
clerk's time and yours, looking at ten
or fifteen dollar pins. Be as 111100000 -
like in your shopping as y'on are 171
the performance of your office duties
and you will reap the lee n el of good
and the blessings of the unhappy clerks.
o -+
THE FORGOTTEN GUEST.
Thee teas 0000 a family 10110 had a
guest, staying with them, and when
they found out that he was to have
a birthday during his visit they were
all
delighted with the idea of celebrat-
ing it. Day, before—almost wades be-
fore—they- began to prepare for the
colelrntion. They cooked and stored a
Inrge Tiantity of goad things to eat,
and laid in a stock of good things to
be cooked rand prepared on the happy
day. They planned and arranged the
most beautiful decorations, They even
thought 01er tual made, 00 selected, lit•
tie gifts for 0110 another; and the
whole louse 11'01 in hurry 1101) confusion
for weeks before the birthday crane.
Everything else that was to be done was
postponed until after the birthday, and
indeed many important things were neg.
leeted.
Finally the birthday cane, the rooms
were all decorated, the table Het, al')
the little gifts arranged, and- the guests
from outside of the house had all ar-
rived. Just after' the festivities had
begun a little child said to its Mother,
"lfamma, where is the man whose
birthday it ash
"Hush) hushl" the mother said,
"Don't aek questions." r
But the child persisted, metal finally
the mother 1a1d)v "(('ell, 1 ant sure, I
do not know, my dons-,, but I will eek."
bhe asked her neighbor, and the
neighbor looked surprised, and a little
puzzled
"Why," eke said, "it is a celesbmtion.
(Ve are celebrating his birthday, and he
is a guest in the house,"
Then the mother got interested and
curious herself.
"Isut where le the guest? Where is
the 101111 1011080 birthday it is'!" And
this time she asked one of the faahulry.
He looked startled at first, and then in-
quired of the reat of the family.
"Where is the guest whose birthday
it is?" Alas! nobody knew, There
they were, all excited end trying to en-
joy themselves by celebrating Ills birth-
day, ami 110—come of then did not
even know who he was. Ile was lett
out and forgotten.
When they had wondered for a little
while they immediately forgot again and
went 011 with their celebrations—all ex-
cept the little child. lie slipped out of
the room, and node up his mind to
find the man whose birthday it was, and
finally, after a hard search, he found
him upstairs in the attic, lonely and
sick.
He had been n.sktvl to leave the guest -
room, which he had oeenpled so as to
be out of the way of the preparations
far his birthday, Hee he hail fallen
ill, and no one had had time to think
08 him, excepting one of the humbler
servants and this little child, '11109
had all been so busy preparing, for his
birthday le' llrad that they had forgot-
ten him el:Oka}'.
This is the way it 18 with most of us
at Christnaa tome.—Leslie's Monthly.
THE CHRISTMAS TOAST.
'Awake, awake, the hours draw nigh,
Nor heedless pass the moments by.
Still t)hro' the ages rlug each gladd'utal
word.
Spn1'e onto by angels and by ehepbehdl
beard.
"Penco on Earth;. Goodwill to men,"
Arise, for .7111 the Glory of the dawn
Dreake o'er the 0as1 where No the Mand
ens bdrn.
These wishes bring w0 from three hearts
etneere
000(1 husk, Good Faits, tired Fortune, and
Good Choer,
;;'ere.
The Firdt_of -December,
All this autunni I have said
1 did not the winter dread,—
Th0ughts of spring should mo suffice
Through the time of frost nod ice,
Through the season bleats and bare,
When the snowflake's in the air.
Pardon, Winter, if you heard
This my 10011017 grudging word;
Not thyself, but I alone
Was insensate, cold as stone,
Hither had thy charms forgot,
Or had discerned them. not.
Glorious with contrasts hold
10 this morning white and gold,
INno trees black 'heath voile of snow
!lend and waver to and fro,
Cloudlets pink and rosy woo
All the pale, aw001 seaming blue,
Where (ho 101 twigs twine and trace
Lines of ('7(1111sito dark lace
Welcome, Winter! nevermore
1111000',, loyal sluhll depl010
Thy anpr0nch, nor need to say
"Let 1110 dream of spring to -day C"
—3»770 Ditto Young, In New England llaga-
21nu
The Cynic's Christmas,
Same old Christmas
As of3're,
Santo old nuisance,
Same old bore,
'ame bum Santa,
Sarne,exehnnge,
Cru lstnins :giving's
'IP.q..range,
San1p
SarreI' pmts
yHr•
Cnmr old` e1 pees;,.
Much ton r011111,'''',
Sone cigars
No good at all.
Same old Olney,
Sante old ties,
Nothing novel
Meets my eyes.
Samo old greetings,
Satre old ills,
Sane old sameness
Even bills,
---Harvey Peetke Se the Deeeudaolr I;o-
itoin)nn.
4.♦
Wigg—"Why do you suppose w0•
men read the lost chapter of a book
fort?" \Vtgg—' 0h, I suppose be -
it 0 nat.t:irai f.)f 'a woman to
nnfji .131 e(n0'hlaens.':
A new iron manuf0chrrine ^nmpa}1y
has Twee nrg110)0e1 at 11 mkat0011. Capt -
1, ), $50,000. .