THE SABBATH HOUR

Northern Advocate, 21 December 1929, Page 7

THE SABBATH HOUR

THE HUMAN LITE OF GOD. A CHRISTMAS SERMON. A sermon preached in Holy Trinity Church, Brighton, on Christmas morning, 1927, by the Rev. R. J, Campbell, D.D. They shall call his name Emanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.—(St. Matthew i., 23.) Many years ago I did what up to that time I had never done before — I spent Christmas abroad. Travelling all night, my little daughter and I reached Lucerne between five and six o ’clock on Christmas morning, while it was still quite dark in the streets. We made our way to the cathedral, and to our surprise found it so crowded that we were scarcely able to gain admittance. Standing just inside the west door we gazed upon a strangely impressive scene. Every altar was brilliantly lighted up, and service proceeding thereat almost soundlessly. The silence of a multitude is always spell-binding, and it certainly was so on this occasion. No one was seated; all the worshippers were kneeling or standing, and little could be heard but their whispered prayers with, every now and then, the tinkle of a little bell in the distance or the quiet movement of various groups of persons towards their respective altars to partake of the Holy Communion.

THE (JKiiß. Not far from where w« were placed was the crib—an artistically modelled representation of the cave-stable at Bethlehem, the Virgin Mother and her Child in the midst, Joseph standing by, angelic figures in the background and kneeling shepherds in front. • And I thought to myself: “What wondrous power this ancient story has over the human mind! At home in England the entire nation, both within and without the churches, will be celebrating it ! with no less devotion, though for the most pant in a different fashion from the throngs gathered here; and all over the world, as the ;sun pursues his course, millions' upon millions of human beings, old and young, have risen, arc rising, and will rise with gladness in their hearts to join in the festival of , the birth of Christ. Why is it so—what is the intrinsic reason for the homage thus evoked?’’

Thou wo passed out of .the cathedral and came upon a spectacle equally impressive and far more sublime. Dawn was breaking over Pilatus, the lofty Alpine peak associated with the name of Pontius Pilate, thb Roman governor who crucified Jesus'. The rising sun had just touched the summit, and- the mists and, shadows were rolling down towards the lake and valleys far below. A tide of purple and crimson began to spread over the snow-clad sides of the mountain, to be succeeded within a few > moments by a burst of golden splendour as the sun emerged in glory in the dear blue heaven. It would have been indeed a dull and stolid mind that could contemplate such a panorama unmoved. My young companion caught her breath at the sight, and exclaimed involuntarily: “Oh, how beautiful!”

Beautiful it was, 'but to me more than beautiful. It answered my unspoken question about what we had just been witnessing in the cathedral. The open secret of the hold of the Christmas mystery upon the imagination df mankind is that it is primarily the revelation of the saving presence of God amid the darkness and grossness of our earthly lot. There is was, outspread before us. Nature's magnificent illustration of what is daily taking place in our experience. Darkness, moristrous shapes' on every hand, a chill and dreary world; then, as by the touch of an unseen finger, a thrusting in of light from beyond, and the gradual but sure dispersion of gloom and shadow before its still advance. “We have the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,”

We only half believe it, but the very idea is an inspiring one—Emanuel, God with us—a word of hope and joy-

What, then, iday we reverently conclude to be the outstanding message of my text to us of the modern world; and what is its specific application to our clamorous needs? I believe it is this: That which is fundamental in the nature of God is precisely that which is most, fully ami truly man. It is not God’s omnipotence, nor muniprerence, nor omniscience which constitute Him God to our worshippig souls, but His goodness, compassiondteness, and unchanging love.' These are God, and these ought to-be man. What is chiefly the matter with the world is that as yet they are not man. Christ came that they might become man. Our brute qualities remain in tfoe | (midst- of our culture —nay, intensified 1 and made a thousandfold more potent for evil. We possess no beauty that external Nature cannot rival; and our amazing discover)' and utilisation of material forces in these latter day's is fraught with peril to our very existence. No, we have only seen perfect manhood oriee, and it was by a right instinct that successive generations have pronounced that manhood divine. We need not dispute as to what is man 'and what is God in .Tesus Christ; the two are one.

In conclusion, let me impress two things upon you as counsel for this

‘Christmas Day. First, make resolve to think 'and act today in terms of the faith that the life of God is ever seeking expression in the soul of man. What a difference it would make to che future of the world if all men : oukl be got to realise this. And it Is .mich easier and simpler than we take for granted; wo are commonly kinder iiul net ter in our private relaimnships than in our public attitudes.

FETTERS OF FEAR. Would war be conceivable—either national war or class war—if we could .nit grasp the sublime truth that the divine idea indwells and shines through other men and other races no less than our own 1 ? Passioh, prejudice, and covetousness obscure the vision for us, •but it is there; our blindness to it keeps the world in fetters of fear and pain.

The present Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Churchill, in -his book on “The World Crisis,’ ’ quoted by Mr. Sheppard, thus describes the last war: Ail the horrors of all the ages were brought together, and not only armies, but whole populations were thrust 'into the midst of them. . . . Every outrage against humanity or international law was repaid by reprisals, often on a greater scale and of longer duration. No truce or parley mitigated the strife of the armies. The wounded died between the lines; the dead mouldered into the soil. Merchant ships and neutral ships and hospital ships were sunk on the seas, and all on board left to their fate or killed as they swam. Every effort was made to starve whole populations into submission and without regard to age or sex. Cities and monuments were smashed by artillery; bombs from the air were cast down indiscriminately; poison gas in many forms stifled or scarred the soldiers; liquid fire was projected upon their bodies; men fell from the air in flames or were smothered, often slowly,, in the dark recesses of the sea. ... When all was over torture and cannibalism were the only two expedients that the civilised, scientific' ■Christian States had been able to deny themselves, and they were of

doubtful utility. This is a dreadful hut uncxaggcrated description of what has actually happened in recent years. Did any single human being in any part of the Mbit* able globe actually want it? Not one; no sane creature could. Can wc prevent tho diabolical business frbm ever happening again? \ With all my heart I believe wc can, bht if so wc must ' begin with the foundation fact- that what is most real in . every human breast is ’’good, ■ not evil; love, not hate; God, not beast. If '■iviiisation does, not turn to Christ it will sign its own death warrant in letters of blood and flame. Tho second counsel is Uhls. In your relations With your fellow-men seek to turn all discords into harmonies.

Just as on the larger scale of human society, 'so in that of our private ami individual concerns it is quite marvellous how often the ; malign emotions can be transmuted into their opposites 'by simple faith in the power of the indwelling good in all hearts.

A Russian scientist and musician has lately been demonstrating in this country the qualities of an instrument which produces music .from the an. His apparatus is a box containing valves similar to those of a wireless set, and by approaching his hand to wards the box or withdrawing or raising and lowering it he can evoke sounds at his pleasure. ( Mr. George Bernard Shaw sardonically says that he himself has produced; bettor, noises as a small boy without nay more magical apparatiis than a comb and a piece of tissue paper, but that is not the general verdict on the now invention. An instrument whose effects can charm and delight a critical audience in a vast building like the Albert Hall must evidently be taken seriously as the discovery of a new principle in orchestration.

THE HOWL. Now, what is the secret of this new method of making music? Sir Oliver Lodge has stated it in pithy words. Ho says it is nothikk other than harnessing the howl with which we are all so uncomfortably familiar in the handling of wireless installations.

Who docs not know that awful howl, sometimes rising to an oar-piercing shriek, which greets you at times when you poke your finger near to a wireless dial? \lt is this very howl which •the clever Russian 'manipulator of the invisible has made to yield sweet symphonies. There is a lesson in it. Harness the howl. Take all the antipathies, selfish imaginings, discordant feelings, petty grudges and spites, mean views and ugly suspicions of everyday human intercourse, ahd turn them into soul-en-larging sympathies and joys. It can be done; it is never so difficult ns it seems. The breath of God in the human soul is the real source of power, and the faith that works by love can summon forth the strains of heaven from hearts that might otherwise become the habitation of hell, God with us—-Christ in us. In the realisation of this blessed truth is all that the troubled world needs.