INDEX.

THE

GENERAL BAPTIST MAGAZINE, .

JANUARY, 1872.

CHRISTMAS 1870.*

BY THE LATE REV. T. T. LYNCH.

CHRISTMAS, 1870, is the saddest and carol, and the group assembled round. strangest Christmas Europe has had Now the grate is fireless, the piano for many a year. There are always closed, and there is no mistletoe. many people sad at Christmas Always there are reminiscences at seldom, surely, so many as on this Christmas of other days and departed last one; always some strifes that friends,-touched these with that are not allayed-surely seldom a medicinal sadness which makes the strife so bitter as that strife still heart better. And hearts do not get going on in and around Paris. better unless kinder, more acquiesSometimes Christmas is marked by cent with the Divine Will, more the return of the absent, sometimes hopeful of a good end that will satisfy by the absence of the old familiar all the good wishes of the heart. faces; sometimes by the breaking-up Happy are we if we can begin the of former meetings, and sometimes New Year with a faith in God that by the commencement of new home makes us tranquil, yet not dull; and parties and home circles. Many a the thoughts active, but without heat home circle has been drawn this and hurry; and the life earnest, yet year that will be drawn, we hope, neither alarmed nor boastful. We next year on a larger scale. But need, indeed, such quieting and Christmas-day this year has to many strengthening faith very specially been a day of special sorrow.

Where this year ; for 1870 has been a are the lads who last year were at great disappointment to many, and home? and when will there there be à trouble to those whom it has not again such a home as there once was? so much astonished. Never, never! It is sad to look into It was thought there would be no the room, or even think of it, where more war, or not much, at least not last year the log flamed and the among the civilized. But a civilized bright sparks were ready to fly forth man is one that is more clever with a touch; where the mistletoe without being more good. Great hung, under which, to use Gold- resources may be great temptations. smith's kind words, “if there was If we have big guns, we would like not more wit than at other times, to hear the noise of them and see there was

more laughing, which the effect. If nations live in mutual answered the purpose quite as well;" distrust and jealousy, the outcome where the piano was opened for the will be war. You cannot prevent this by exclamation ; wickedness there for the world, even when penal for must be, or wars there would be none. some city, kingdom, generation. One side wrong, possibly both, or if Adequate force is provided to overnot both at the outset, probably throw those who have sought to before the close both will be so. prevail only by force. The force

Interest will not secure peace ; that serves right is never more than passion makes light of interest; yet servant; and if ever, as in Commonit is true that community of interest wealth days, sword and Bible go -and specially as the affections of together, the sword will gladly be peoples get engaged, and they under- sheathed that the Bible may be stand one another better, and deve- opened - opened more fully and lop more of the life of mind in affairs studied more faithfully. - will tend towards peace.

But Christmas is specially our festival there is no peace to the wicked, of beginning, -the genesis of the men or nations; and wars will not Christian year. But why sing anew cease till the moral life of man gets

of peace -_-"
Peace, peace,

when more intellectual and charitable, and there is no peace."

Is it better as till people really feel the domestic a song than as an exclamation ? At and general interests of their neigh- least, the beginning made at Christ's bours, their own too; not as contri- birth, though it led through disapbutions to their own merely, but as pointment and a depth of stormy being their own.

sorrow, led to glorious issues. Differences should unite rather

It is with seriousness, but not than divide, and ultimately will. with despondency, that we should That the Frenchman is not as the contemplate the beginnings with the German should, and will, make him sequel of Christmas before us. Is the German's friend, and so the the Cross, then, the true Christmas German shall be his friend.

tree? the old Thorn of the world, But it is vain-and this must be with its Christmas blossoming, out repeated—to inveigh against war, of which the Cross will be cut? It as if invective would destroy it as is certain that the blossoming youth cannons would beat down a rampart. of Christ led on to those days of Let men generally know what it sorrow quite inevitably, because it really is, what it does and at what was so good and joyful. Our Lord's cost when it has done good; what young heart must have been full of evil it has done, how sure it is to enthusiasm for his country, must rise under certain conditions, how have overflowed with reverent love terrible even when most needful, and for God; His eyes must have soon what sore memories it leaves behind. dawned with that sunshine that will

It is, as it were, an insult to make the day of life as lovely and Providence, to be unmindful of what pure as it is bright. The new true war has been compelled to do for the heart is always a reformer, it can world; it shows an irreverent super- only rest as it hopes and works. ficial mind if we will not read a And Christmas, with its blessed bedivinely good meaning, an augury, ginnings, does not lead us on to the written in red letters. Surely the failure of a weary old man, whose warning is peremptory and impres- memory we reverence, thinking of sive : Take heed that ye be not Him as a grave elder chiefly. He, consumed one of another.” Surely our Lord, was cut off in the prime the denunciation is imperative : and bloom of His manhood; a great “They that take the sword shall love offering made for mankind at perish by the sword.”

the very age for perfect love. And The judgments of God are in war, He stands before us for ever as the and these are delivering judgments Lamb slain. And of Him in us