THIS BIOKNING OKEGUNIAN, MONDAY, DECE3IBER 24, IIKMj.'
GIVES SPIRITUAL .
: CHRISTMAS TREE
ev. Hiram Vrooman Presents
His Congregation With
intellectual Gifts.
DEAS ARE DISTRIBUTED
Pastor of Swedenborglan Church
Adopts Novel Plaa of Weaving
the Holiday Spirit Into His
Sunday Discourse.
As a feature of his morning: sermon
yesterday. Rev. Hiram Vrooman, of the
swedenborgian Church, presented a spiri
tual Christmas tree to his congregation.
As everyone Is now Intent on the ap
proaching holiday, the method of the
pastor was effective in winning the
thoughts of his listeners from real
Christmas trees to the spiritual Ideas
he distributed.
The service was held In the Knights of
Pythias Hall, at the corner of Eleventh
and Alder streets. Mr. Vrooman said:
I am going to present to view a spiritual
Chrlstmaa tree. It will not be, however, by
the power called occult, employed by the
Yogi of India, who plant a seed in the
ground in the presence of their audience
from which a tree grows to run maturity
before the astonished spectators during the
few minutes they are standing . tnere.
Neither will there be any hypnotism or
magic employed. There will be no so-called
materialization of spirit.
1 The tree that I will presently cause to
appear before your vision is to be a spiritual
tree. And you will see it loaded with valu
able gifts. And the gifts are to be for ou
After you have seen this spiritual tree ana
have accepted its spiritual gifts, I want you
to compare it with -the last Christmas tree
you saw and the presents you received rrom
it. because' by so doing you will learn some
thing of the difference between matter and
spirit.
This tree is one that you will see as easily
with your eyes shut as with them open. I
wonder if there is any one present who
never saw things with his eyes shut? or
heard things with his ears closed? Such a
person would be altogether abnormal and a
freak. An idea came to me once at a
wakeful hour in the night, when my eyes
were closed, which was worth several thou
sand dollars. An idea is a spiritual thing.
This particular idea I prized as a valuable
gift.
Our spiritual Christmas tree will be seen
to be loaded with ideas. And yet they will
be disappointing to some of you because
they are not to be those kind of ideas that
some of you have your heart set upon.
It will be a mistake for you to be "all
eyes" this morning. You are to allow your
Imagination and your mental vision to take
the place of your eyes. Have you not some
times remarked upon hearing a good story
or Joke that you see the point? Did you
see the point with your eyes? I want you
to look now in the direction of this pulpit
with the faculty which sees the point of
things Intellectual.
Did you ever hear of the "tree of life?"
Ever hear of the "true vine" of which we
are branches? This tree of life and this true
Vine are practtically and essentially the same
thing and It is our spiritual Christmas tree.
Our spiritual Christmas tree may be de
scribed therefore, as our Lord and Savior
'Jesus Christ in his figurative aspect of the
true vine of which all men are branches or
of the tree of life. And there is no other
spiritual Christmas tree besides this one...
The tree has some striking peculiarities
to which I would call your attention. The
first one that I would have you observe
is that the number of presents on the tree
are not made less by our taking what we
want of them. After we have all taken our
gifts this morning there will be as many
remaining as before.
And again, If it should happen that all
In this room should spy the same coveted
object At the same time and all should
want It, a miracle would happen as remark
able as that one when the Lord fed the mul
titude with five loaves and two fishes; or
that other miracle in the time of Elijah
when the cruse of oil and the handful of
meal diminished not from using until after
the famine. This tree gives off presents as
radium seems to give off heat and energy
without diminishing its own supply. There
Is a perpetual motion of kindness and be
nevolence and giving in this spiritual tree
as wonderful as the perpetual moton of a
man's physical heart, which continues to
beat throughout the period of three score
years and ten in spite of the bad logic of
some scientists, who claim that perpetual
motion is an impossibility.
Suppose X should dangle a $20 gold coin
in the air in front of this pulpit and then
have all In the audience stand and fall in
line and march toward this coin In single
file; and then suppose, when the first man
had taken the $20 gold coin that another
one dangled in its place for the second
person, and then another for the third
person, and that this would be repeated
until every person had received his S20
coin; and then suppose that a 120 gold coin
would be dangling from the string as at the
beginning, would it not seem miraculous?
This is precisely the kind of thing which
happens in the realm of spirit as a com
mon occurrence. And are you not aware
that in "seeing this point" you have Just
now taken a $20 spiritual coin which I
have been dangling In front of this pulpit?
This 13 one gift you may make note of. For
the benefit of those who may be feeling
around in their spiritual pockets, not qute
certain as yet that tlfey have the coin, I
may help them find It by another Illustra
tion. Tf. T have in my understanding the knowl
edge of some important fact, which concerns
the people within the reach of my voice or
of my pen. it is not within my power to
give the knowledge of that fact to every
one of those people and at the same time
retain the knowledge for myself?. The
knowledge of a fact is a spiritual thing. I
run give out knowledge as Christ gave out
the loaves and fishes, and as the poor widow
In Elijah's time gave out the oli and meal,
and after the giving find that my supply is
greater than it was at first.
In that spiritual world where those
friends of ours are now who are among the
upper branches of the true vine, and where
' we w-ill be some time up there, I say, even
such things as gold and silver, loaves and
fishes, oil and meal and all other external
objects such as water and 0911. houses and
flowers multiply themselves with the same
spontaneity and with the same miraculous
rapidity as Ideas and thoughts and affec
tions multiply themselves with us when one
man gives to his fellows the things that
are In bis thoughts and affections.
Those of you who have received new
ideas today by which you are enabled to
think more accurately about spiritual
things, and to see more clearly- the essen
tial difference between matter and spirit
5 have received spiritual gifts the value of
1 which will Increase with years as by com-
pound Interest.
4 Among the spiritual gifts on the tree of
life there are no paste stones as counter
feits for diamonds, and no plated ware as
(substitutes for gold and sliver. The gifts
tnoi you nave rreiveu, even tnougn they
i-nay seem to be lacking in glitter and show,
'ire nevertheless not subject to rust or de-ay,-
and they possess high intrinsic value,
lear in mind, please, that everything truly
plrltual Is alive, and not only alive but
irowlng. These gifts are all spiritual and
llve and growing.
1EIXS OF CELESTIAL MESSAGE
I
Dr. House Speaks to Large Audience
1 at First Congregational.
rhrlstmas Sunday was observed at
th First Congresratlonal Church with
latge congregations. The music was
of.a hlh order, and the cantata, "The
Hay Infant," given by the choir In
the) evening, delighted the audience.
Mr Monteith ably assisted the choir.
Th pastor. Dr. House, gave a strong
seriion in the morning from the
words, "Ye are beneath: I am from
abore; ye are of this world; I am not
of Dnis world." He sa!d:
"Jhe gospel is not terrestrial; it is
beyind man's invention; It Is larger
than man's conception. .Men glorify
science as oeing liberal and broad
But they are mistaken. Science is an
aristocrat that talks about the survival
of the fittest; she is a patrician that
tramples the weak under foot. . Even
literature, with a few exceptions, has
no room on Its pages but for handsome
men and beautiful women. But Christ's
heroine is a poor widow, casting in
two mites. History has room for an
occasional Napoleon, but shuts out the
millions. But Christ said: 'Whosoever
glveth a cup of cold water in my name
shall not lose his reward. And lo,
everyone has a chance to win member
ship in the legion of honor. The mes
sage of Christ Is not of earth, it is of
heaven. It is a celestial message.
"And Christ Is the celestial mes
senger. All men are the product of
their time, race ' or environment
Luther was the result of his time;
William of Orange was the product of
his race; and Bacon was the outcome
of his environment. But Jesus Christ
was the product of none of these. He
was unique, alone, majestic. A Jew
withput Jewish prejudices; a master
without imperiousness; heir to eccle
slasticism, yet not an ecclesiastic; dig
nified, yet condescending; loving, yet
stern; sympathetic, yet Just; benevo
lent, yet exact. His life is the light;
his words the guide, and his temper
the model of all men. He who denies
him celestial Qualities has bartered his
reason- away.
"Now the gospel can be apprehended
only by celestial faculties. The natural
man perceiveth not the things of the
spirit of God, for they are foolishness
unto him; neither can he know them,
for they are spiritually discerned.
Some things are beyond measurement
and weight. Matter has form, resist
ance weight. Thought has not these
things. No scale can weigh an emo
tion; no yardstick can measure a tear.
Reason, unaided, can never grasp the
gospel. All men look; some men ob
serve. All men have ears; some men
hear. As the Invisible current travers
ing the continent can only be noted,
read, by those trained for the delicate
work, so only a celestial message can
be Interpreted by celestial faculties.
"It follows, then, that the gospel can
be injured only by celestial weapons.
Mortal cannot combat with immortal.
All captious criticism, all ridicule, all
irony, being numan, are Ineffective.
When a man can clear the air with
an ax, imprison the lightning In his
hand, stop the mighty Columbia with
his foot, or Impede the morning sun
with a broom then, and only then, can
he reduce, dismiss or destroy a mes
sage born of the skies. "Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away.' "
TALKS OF CHRISTMAS BURDENS
Sermon by Rev. E. S. Bollinger at
Highland Congregational.
"Getting Rid of Christmas Burdens"
was the subject of the sermon yester
day morning by Rev. E. S. Bollinger,
at ' the Highland Congregational
Church. It was a plea for a sane
Christmas, less surrounded by heavy
financial burdens for the heads of fam
ilies. The text was: "Where is He,
born King of the Jews." Rev. Bollinger
said in part:
'Things were not as wise men expected to
find them when they arrived at Jerusalem.
The weary travelers had to go farther. They
found the object of their search in a sim
ple, ulet lu-me among the poorest of the
poor. Instead of sitting before the altars
of their sacred fires in the Persian Moun
tains to learn of the one who was light and
truth, they found the pearl of happiness la
the humble Bethlehem home. And the mem
ory of this interview became the constant
nre burning within their hearts, the true
and abiding Joy-giver.
It was. never meant that we should go
through life with heads drawn down by
burdened hearts. God meant that we should
have the pearl of happiness in our own
homes. . And we have been making the
Chrlstmastide as burdensome as the wise
men's Journey. The season Is to many a
dread instead of a blessing. Fathers can
not meet the extra demands. King Mammon
on his commercial throne is grinning at the
distresses that parents experience to keep
pace with those who have plenty of money.
In our forgetfulnesa we dropped back into
the deep sea the pearl of great happiness
Just as we were beginning to see the great
value of It. You have lost this pearl If
Chrlstmaa is not becoming a happier season
every year. We have been "swapping"
presents instead of giving them. Somebody
a to blame that people dread Christmas.
And if this pearl is to be restored we must
get rid of our Christmas burdens.
Happiness springs from the common things
of life. God did not wrap up his sparks
of glory in $1000 packages. It takes but a
little thing to make our children happy.
Flaying boat with peanut shells in a basin
tf water was of more Interest to a certain
boy than all the presents a rich father could
buy. Make your homes happy this Chrlst
mastide and you will recover the pearL.-
LESSOXS FROM CHRIST'S BIRTH
Sermon by Rev. J. T. Abbett at Cen
tral Methodist Church.
Rev. J. T. Abbett, pastor of the Central
Methodist Church, Albino, spoke yester
day morning on the topic, "Lessons from
the Birth of Jesus." Rev. Mr. Abbett said
In part:
The time has come aorain for the eelebra-
tlon of the greatest event of all history
the coming Into this world of Jesus Christ,
the promised Messiah. The angels make the
glad announcement of his advent to the
humble shepherds keeping watch o'er their
hocks Dy nignt. notice what these shep
herds saw,, heard and learned.
They saw the glowing heavens made lumi
nous above the cradle of Jesus by a bright
star bursting, upon their view. They saw the
giunes or me spiritual world above the cra
dle of the child-king, for "the angel of the
Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone around about, them." "And
suddenly there was with the angels a multi
tude of the heavenly host, praising God and
saying, glory to God In the highest and on
earth peace, good will toward men."
These shepherds saw a little helpless
babe, the simplest expression of humanity,
and yet It was revealed to them that he
was king of hearts, the prince of peace, and
,the source of all holy Joy and gladness. Let
us with angels and shepherds, rejoice, as
again we gather around the rude cradle of
the Prince of peace.
That manger is forever the greatest
throne, because the holy child Jesus slept
there while the star stood over the place,
and the world's wlndom laid its gifts, and
the world's devotion breathed its prayers
at the feet of the cradled King. All the ten
derest sentiments of the human heart gath
er about the cradle of the Babe of Bethle
hem. SIG SICHEL & CO., 92 THIRD
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TAKES LIVE TOPIC
Rev. L. G. Wilson Discusses
Recent Japanese Agitation."
PORTLAND DELIGHTS HIM
In Sermon Last Night on "The Fu
ture of Liberal Christianity" He
Says Larger Faith Is Needed
In All Religions.
Rev. Lewis G. Wilson, the noted
Billings lecturer for the American
Unitarian Association; occupied the
pulpit of the Unitarian Church last
night and delivered a strong address.
For the past two years Rev. Mr. Wil
son has been on the lecture platform
for this association and has appeared
in nearly all the Important cities of
the United States and Canada. He will
remain in Portland till after Christmas
and will be a guest of Rev. Thomas
L. Eliot. From Portland he will go to
Salem and thence to Salt Lake City.
From Salt Lake he will gradually work
East till he reaches his home in Boston.
Dr. Wilson expressed himself as de-
ARCHBISHOP CHRISTIE ON TRUE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
A T the request of The Oregonlan, His Grace Most Rev. Alexander Chris
tie, Archbishop of Oregon, yesterday Issued the following on the true
significance of Christmas spirit:
The Catholic Church th world over seeks to crystallize the Christ
mas spirit in the worthy reception of the Blessed Sacrament, which has as
an Indispensable preliminary the making of a good confession. With the
church Christmas is something more than an occasion for merry making
it has the sacred character of a religious festival whose Joys can be rel
ished only by those who have made an effort "to prepare the way of the
Lord." When we contrast the preaching of John the Baptist, the fore
runner of the Savior, with the growing tendency of our own day to flblit
erate the consciousness of sin, we must deprecate the saddening fact that
paganizing influences now tend to unfit men for a thoroughgoing realiza
tion af what the anniversary of Christ's birth means to the Individual
Christian and to the world at large.
The Christian Ideal of a merry Christmas Is to be at peace with God"
and man. It Includes a vivid appreciation of Christ's infinite worth as
the Son of God, the Light of the World and the Savior of mankind. It
lnvolv.es' deep sentiments of gratitude and love, for the man of faith Is
wont to look upon Christ as the source of every blessing that cheers,
strengthens and consoles him as he fights Jhe inevitable battle of life.
Such sentiments, born of Christian faith and nurtured by Innocence and
blameless living, are not calculated to engender gloom, even though they
are at variance with the principles and practice of those who measure
their Joy principally by the quantity and quality of what they eat or
drink or wear.
If the essential Joy of Christmas were even remotely connected with
princely affluence or regal splendor. It would be hard to explain the lowli
ness of the crib where the faithful shepherds were privileged to adore the
King of Kings.
The world needs today a diffusion of the Christmas spirit. , We need
more humility, more charity, more sincere piety, more genuine Christmas
faith. Christ's teaching Is not merely to be admired; It Is to be lived so
that in every life there may be a consistent and harmonious blending of
true faith and worthy works. Pretentious flippancy and ostentatious
" show, which would substitute for the gospel of the Savior the shallow
preachments of time-serving innovators, look in vain for results which
correspond to the beguiling promises of their high-sounding manifesto.
With all our vaunted progress and unspeakable attainments, we have found
nothing of human Invention which can make men truly good and happy.'
"Christ yesterday, today and the same forever." Yes. there Is a per
ennial fecundity of Christian faith, upon which we must ever draw for
strength and light to accomplish the one necessary thing the leading of
an upright, virtuous life.
We have every reason to "rejoice and be glad" on Christmas morning
if we are In sympathy with the crib of Bethlehem, and possess those dis
positions of mind and heart which give promise of faithful welldoing. The
Evangelist "St. John tells us "that Christ came unto his own and his own
received Him not; but as many as received Him, He gave them power to
be made the sons of God. to them that' believe In His name." Christ will
come unto his own through the communication of divine grace on the
coming Christmas morning. As in Christ's own day, so now we are free to ac
cept or reject him. But If with open hearts we do receive him. we shall
taste the hidden sweetness of true Christmas Joy, and strengthen he
bonds which bind us to the Eternal Father as ce-helrs wfth his only "be
gotten Son.
lighted with the mild climate of Ore
gon. "What a contrast, ne saia.
"there Is between ine uregon cumum
rfl tho cold, bleak plateaus of Mon
tana and the Dakotas. Friday I visited
Council Crest and was astounded at
the magnificent view presented from
this point. Oregon, with Its snow
on4 mnnnnim its vallevs. rivers
and grand climate, is one of nature's
most favored spots. 1 wouio. uko 10
stand on Council Crest 80 years from
today and gaze on this beautiful and
prosperous land. The stability or
Portlands tnaustnea win iimao n.
greatest city on the Pacific Coast in
.1.. m rnmn With the great
awakening in. the Orient, which is only
beginning, tne facmo uruii
should become one of the greatest
oimmAi-Mnl KArtinna in the world. I
was greatly astonished to see roses
blooming on every nana, ana 1 win
say that Portland is entitled to be
..n. v. a Tne. rMt-v " Tn aneakinflT of
the Japanese situation on the Pacific
Coast Dr. Wilson saia:
Discusses Japanese Trouble.
"I notice by the papers that the
cities on the Pacific slope are very
greatly aroused over the influx of Ori
entals and their prospective settlement
in these parts. But I do not think the
Western people realize how much
greater, up to now at least, has been
the problem of Immigration among the
cities of the Atlantic seaboard. If ap
pearances count for anything, the Chi
nese and Japanese1 one sees on every
hand neat, Industrious and orderly
form a far more desirable class of resi
dents than do the Slavs, low Italians,
Bulgarians, Greeks and others who
have come to the Eastern seaboard
from Central' and Southern Europe.
"I do not pretend to speak with au
thority about the future, but certainly
It seems at present as If the Northwest
would be In a bad way If It were not
for the" sturdy little men who can and
are willing to work now that it Is so
difficult to get labor for the rougher
classes of employment. n
Talks on Christianity.
Rev. Mr. Wilson spoke last night on
the subject: "The Future of Liberal
Christianity," saying In part: "There are
thousands of people today, especially
among the young men, who are not satis
fied with the popular Interpretations of
religion, and many of them are in doubt
as to the validity of religion itself; so
that the first question which the man of
practical capacity asks is: 'Is religion it
self necessary?' Some reasonable answer
to this question must he given before
we can consider any particular Interpre
tation of it."
Mr. Wilson then went on to show that
essential religion is a force In human life
in the- same sense that electricity is a
force in physical life, and that communi
ty that falls to encourage it degenerates:
and Individuals who fail to nurture It
gradually lose their sympathetic Interest
in. anything except their own personal
welfare. The speaker then proceeded to
explain Unitarian interpretations of re
ligion and those that are usually given,
as follows: "As In mathematics we have
certain axiomatlo principles which can
not be denied because they are self-evident
to the human mind; and as in musto
we have certain fundamental laws of
harmony that must be observed in order
to produce good music, so, . In essential
religion, there are certain laws that must
be observed In order to produce the. right
life. f
"These laws are not dependent upon
any ecclesiastical authority; they do not
necessitate the acceptance of any creed
orceremony, or sacrament: for they are
the eternal forces, that always have and
always will operate In human life.
The Laws of Moses.
"Some of these fundamental laws were
announced by Moses, some by Isaiah,
some by MIcah, some by Jesus, some by
Paul and 6thers by other great spiritual
leaders; but none of them were created
by human thought or power. It is upon
these fundamental laws - and their . ob
servance that the Unitarian Church Is
based, rather than upon any of the con
fessiona or creeds or ecclesiastical au
thorities of Christendom."
In conclusion Mr. Wilson sailed atten
tlon to the fact that the modern mind is
dissatisfied with small and petty and
antiquated beliefs about God and the fu
ture of the soul. and said:
"A faith that was sufficient when the
earth was supposed to be flat, and the
sky a solid crystal overhead, is not suffi
cient to satisfy the demand of modern
knowledge, and it Is our great purpose
to propagate a faith which is large ana
inclusive enough to cause human beings
to- feel at home In God's world without
resorting to the Intolerable Ideas of an
evil deity, a hell; and a conception . of
the universe which violates the present
teachings of geology, biology, and astron
omy, to sav nothing of common sense.
"A church "that founds Itself upon these
simple and eternal laws of the right life
cannot ultimately fail, because the trend
of all human thought, and of all future
worship, will be In its direction."
STRIKE FUTILE WEAPON
Socialist . Asserts Labor's Defense
Lies in the Ballot.
Dr. P. L. McKenzie, who was to have
spoken on "The Practicability of Social
ism" at last night's meeting of the Port
land Socialists, failed to appear, and in
his place J. S. Stevens gave a discourse.
In an address that was listened to with
interest by those present, Mr. Stevens
told how fruitless strikes are, and pointed
to the recent streetcar strike as an ex
ample. "I am surprised," said the speaker,
'that the laboring people of this enlight
ened age still believe in strikes as a
method- of correcting wrongs. Strikes
have been failures for the past 3000
years . or more, and will continue
to be. It Is silly and useless for the
laboring people to resort to strikes.
They have one of the greatest
weapons ever given Into human hands,
the ballot, and If they would only make
use of that great power, they would have
the capitalists making overtures to the
laboring class. Millionaires would cringe
and crawl, Just as the wage earners do
today.
"There ia no question but that the
cause that made the streetcar employes
leave their cars was Just. Their demand
for more money and their protest against
being photographed was Just, but they
made a grave mistake when they placed
the property of the streetcar company
where a mob could smash the windows
and destroy the cars. The' destruction of
property and all mob violence always
arousespublic sentiment, and there is no
hope to win any struggle by such meth
ods. By their ballot the laboring classes
can correct all wrongs. This Is the mis
sion of Socialism. We are trying-to teach
and educate the producing classes to this
great truth."
Mission Children Enjoy Treat.
At the Mission Sunday school at East
Water and East Washington Btreets
the children were given a Christmas
treat yesterday afternoon under the
auspices of. Centenary Church. In
charge of Assistant Superintendent
Thomas Leonard, a brief programme
of music and recitations was rendered.
Dr. J. J. Wiggins made a short ad
dress on the significance of Christmas,
taking for his subject, "News." The
news he brought was the "old story
of the risen Christ," which he told in
simple language. Then came the dis
tribution of presents, that had been
provided by the Centenary Sunday
school. No child was overlooked.
This mission was established last Sep
tember and Sunday school is held
every Sunday afternoon. The children
come from the surrounding district
and along the waterfront. To many
of them the only Christmas they will
have comes through this mission.
SERMON IS TIMELY
Dr. Clarence
Speaks on
True v Wilson
Jesus' Birth.
'THE CHRIST IN PROPHECY'
Speaker Recounts Circumstances
Attending First Christmas and
Bays These Events Had
Been Foretold.
"The Christ in Prophecy" was the sub
ject of "Dr. Clarence True Wilson's ad
dress at Grace M. El Church yesterday
morning. He took up the 108 prophecies
concerning Christ in the Old Testament
and showed that they were all fulfilled in
the Bethlehem manger cradle. The church
was filled. The musical "programme was
one of the features of the services, and
th solo of Miss Ethel Lytle called forth
much favorable comment. The new ar
rangement for taking care of babies is a
great accommodation to parents who
would otherwise be unable to attend the
meetings. Dr. Wilson said In part: .
"The Joyous time of Christmas has
come again. The pace of business has
been quickened and the life of childhood
cheered; the schools are taking vaca
tion, and the church is holding Jubilee;
friendly greetings are being exchanged
and the gifts of remembrance are crowd
ing mail bags and express wagons, steam
boats and railway trains; and while
angels rejoice, man Is grateful, heaven ts
vocal with praise and the world goes off
on a holiday. .
May Be Error In Date.
"It is of little concern whether the day
we celebrate as Christmas is really the
anniversary of the Saviour's birth, or
whether we should begin to date letters
six years earlier, or whether the Saviour
was born on the first day, of August or
the last of December. We know there was
a. night when shepherds watched, and a
morning when angels sang, an evening
when magicians searched the sky, an
hour when the star of Bethlehem shone,
and a moment when the Christ of prom
ise long foretold and oft predicted, the
Shlloh of Jacob's prophecy and the ati
nointed of, David's psalms, made his
glorious advent. We rejoice that the,
world has set apart a day to commem
orate the event, which Is the central fact
of all the laboring ages. Everything
antecedent was preparatory to it; and
everything subsequent has been Influ
enced by It.
"It was an hour of peace throughout
the world, for the nations had been
united under the broad wings of imperial
Rome, and amid the decay 6f old Idola
tries men were looking with yearning
hearts and anxious mlndis for some new
revelation from God. WhlLe the world
was thus waiting, the eager eyes of
angels were, watching the carpenter and
his bride in their labored Journey from
Nazareth to Bethlehem, the ancestral
home of David's line, where they were to
be enrolled on the census of the Roman
Empire. The khan was crowded befor
their arrival with other guests and the
mother of the world's Redeemer could
find no room except in one of the stalls
of the pen for beasts.
Announced by Angels.
"In such lowly surroundings the child
of hope was born, wrapped by his mother
in swaddling clothes, and cradled In a
manger. The first publication of this
event was made by an angel of the Lord,
not to kings or priesthood, not to rabbis
or ecribes, but to a company of shep
herds, who, on the pasture plains a mile
distant, were -keeping night watches over
their flocks. When this angel ceased
his sermon the air was thrilled by the
music of a multitude of the heavenly
host, who followed the angel of the Lord
from the glory-world on his happy mis
sion. Then, as the music died away and
the vision of the angels receded, the be
lieving shepherds hastened to the manger
cradle at Bethlehem to feast their eyes
upon the vision of their Saviour and king.
The news they bear away Is .heard with
wonder if not with faith, while the
maiden mother with thoughts too deep
for words presses her babe to her bosom
and ponders the wondrous events that
attended his nativity. While the keepers
leave their sheep the light of a super
natural star Illuminated the fields, but
more. It arrests the thought of Eastern
maji, who, following Its rays, essay the
long Journey to reach the Christ of God.
Foretold by Prophets.
"The precis time of the advent had
been foretold by Daniel and the maji
has his prophecy, MIcah had designated
the exact place of the birth, and Isaiah
and other prophets had marked out' the
one family through which he was to come
in David's line. It Is now generally
supposed that through the error of the
good monk Dionyslus Exlgus, who studied
in the dark ages and calculated the date
of Christ's birth before the returns were
all In, that we fix the beginning of our
era. Anno Domini, six years too late. So
that instead of Its being the 1906th an
niversary of the first Christmas gift. It
Is the 1912th. It was at the conclusion of
the 4000th year of the human family and
six years before our present era that
God sent us a Saviour who was Christ
the Lord, and we know that about that
date Caesar Augustus sent out a decree
for a universal census of his dominion.
His was a long and splendid reign of
44 years. Rome, the seven-hilled city, was
resting on her sword. The navy .of the
empire was anchored In the Black Sea
and in the British Channel. All the
world was laid under tribute. The nation
had not broken away from Virgil's lyre.
or Seneca's philosophy, or Cicero's elo
quence. It was a propitious time for a
supernatural conqueror to come to the
palace of the Caesars and say; "I take
Rapid changes of temperature are hard
on the toughest constitution.
The conductor passing from the heated
inside of a trolley car to the icy temperature
of the platform the canvasser spending an
hour or so m a heated building and then
walking against a biting wind know the
difficulty of avoiding cold.
Scoff's Emulsion strengthens the
body so that it can better withstand the
danger of cold from changes of temperature.
It will help you to avoid taking cold.
ALL DRUGGISTS; BOc. AND SI.OO.
3
A SUPEEB GIFT
"We have for sale a magnificent Bear
skin Rug. The ' bear was a Rocky
Mountain Grizzly, and the fur is one of
the largest and finest ever exhibited
here. The head is finely mounted, and
the whole Rug is in 'perfect condition.
For Hall, Library or Living-Room a
Fur Rug is especially effective, and this
particular Rug, with its splendid size
and coloring, is certain to lend tone to
the finest apartment.
The Rug is on exhibition in our
window.
J. G. Mack & Co.
Exclusive
Carpet
House
86-88 THIRD STREET
l' 1UX, 1LKT3CHAX. president and Managua,
Seventh and Washington
European Flan
the scepter," and to the army and navy,
and say, "I take possession."
"Not so, however, came Christ the
Lord. The era of peace was selected for
the advent of the prince of peace. Tell
It to Caesar that a mighty conqueror is
here. Tell the 40,000,000 of slaves ln this
empire that the precious liberator has
come. Let philosophers know that a
greater than Seneca or Socrates Is born,
and let all see how his dove of peace can
outfly Rome's eagle of war. The world
needed a Saviour. Sin had cursed the
race and filled the world with shame,
fear, wretchedness and despair until In
the fullness of the times the Saviour ap
peared to purge the evil leaven and pour
into the veins of the race a new lite,
rich in power, health and blessing. Christ
alone gives peace, purity and hope. Many
instruct, amuse and govern us, but only
one can save us. Neither is there salva
tion in any other, for there Is none other
that is given under heaven among men,
whereby we must be saved."
OPPORTUNITY IS GREAT GIFT
Rev. Montgomery Speaks to T. M. O.
A! on Its Value.
Rev. A. J. Montgomery, pastor of the
Third Presbyterian Church, delivered
the sermon at the afternoon services
of the Y. M. C. A. yesterday. The sub
ject of his sermon was "'The Ideal
Gift."
"I have often wondered what is the
greatest gift that God has given us
today," said Rev. Montgomery, "and I
think that it is opportunity. Look at
India, where the caste system binds
the people, where the poor" boy has
no chance under heaven to rise or im
prove hfmself. Here in a Christian
country we have all chanees to become
rich, famous or Godlike. In Jesus
Christ we have a greater opportunity
than the Jews did under the Old Testa
ment.
"In the feudal times the saints had
the habit of saying, 'all work is wor
ship." This Is all very true, but it Is
not only work that comprises worship.
The bending of the knee and the move
ment of the lips in prayer is not wor
ship. With lt must be the uplifting
of the heart to God. Worship Is valu
able because it enables us to throw
off the Incubus of agnosticism and
egotism. Some people glorify ag
nosticism and characterize it as a
heroic virtue. Agnosticism Is a sin
when it will not permit us to believe
until we see. When we have worship
reduced to a mathematical formula,
when a man will not believe until he
can see, then disbelief Is a sin. On
the shield of the King of England is
the motto, 'I serve.' Christ has given
us the opportunity: let us adopt this
motto and serve him."
Fill Barrels With Presents.
The Centenary Sunday school yester
day reversed the usual way of enjoy
ing the Christmas season, and Instead
of receiving presents the entire body
put forth Its energies in filling bar
rels with presents tor children who
have no homes. In the vestibule of
the"church were placed several barrels.
All were soon filled. For the Boys'
and Girls' Aid Society a present was
put In the barrel for every boy and
girl. Another barrel was filled to be
disposed of through the Volunteers of
America, an organization that knows
o
3
O
Exclusive
Carpet
House
Streets. Portland. Oregon.
- - fl.OO. $1.50, $2.00 per Day.
where the contents will be welcome.
Besides these more than 25 presents
were put up for the East Water-street
Mission, and ' some money was col
lected. It was quite an undertaking
to examine all the articles that were
received, then make them up into
packages. A full list of names of all
children In the Receiving Home of the
faoys and Girls' Aid Society had been
supplied, and from this the names
were taken and written on the pack
ages. BAGS ANDJUIT CASES.
The largest variety of fitted bags and
Buit cases at Harris Trunk Company,
Sixth street opposite Oregonlan.
DAILY METEOROLOGICAL REPORT.
PORTLAND. Dec. 23. Maximum temper,
ature. 49 dep.; minimum, 45. River read
ing at 8 A. M 10.9 feet: change In last 24
hour, fall 1 toot. Total precipitation. 5 P.
M. to 0 P. M., 0.69-lnch: total since Septem
ber 1, 1906. 20.2S Inches; normal, 17.'84
lnqhes; excess, 2.89 inches. Total sunshine,
December 22, 1906, none; possible, 8 hours
and 88 minutes. Barometer (reduced to
sea-level) at B.P. M., 30.21 Inches.
PACIFIC COAST WEATHER.
Jwtnd. ,5
5 E2- 2
STATIONS. S 2
3 m; 3" 3
1 ? a 2. r
I ; : :
Baker City...,
Bismarck .....
Boise ,
Helena
North Head . .
Pocatello .....
Portland
Red Bluff
Rosebur? .....
Sacramento ...
Salt Lake City.
San Francisco.
Spokane ......
Seattle
Tatoosh Island
Walla' Walla. .
T. Trace.
4410.02
4ISW
8iSEl
4;sw
4isw
4:SB
4;N
4'N
4iNW
4INW
6'NW
4 W
4 SB
4 8
4 sa
4'W
4NW
Pt. cl'dr
24.0.00
Clear
Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy
60' T.
86(0.00
6010.00
4210.01
49)0.42
ft. crar
66 T
Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy
6210.18
66 O.OOi
460.001
640.00
44 1 0.02
4H 0 01
4'0.08
Clear
48 1 T.
Cloudy
WEATHER CONDITIONS.
The pressure has risen over the entire
forecast district during the last 12 hours,
the Canadian disturbance having; passed to
the eastward. As a consequence the weather
Is becoming more settled. Light rains ara
reported from all parts of th district ex
cept In Southwestern Oregon, where clear
weather prevailed. Temperatures were de
cidedly higher over Eastern Washington,
but elsewhere were practically stationary.
The Indications point to rain over Western
Washington Monday, but throughout the re
mainder of the district fair weather will
probably prevail.
WEATHER FORECASTS
Forecasts made at Portland for the 28
hours ending midnight, December 24:
Portland and vicinity Probably fair;
light, variable winds.
Western Oregon Probably fair; light,
variable winds.
Western Washington Rain; light, variable
winds.
Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington and
Idaho Probably fair.
T.. I.ODHOLZ. Acting Local Forecaster.
CLASSIFIED AD. RATES
"Rooms," "Rooms and Board," "House
keeping Booms. "Situations Wanted," 15
words or less, 15 cents: 16 to to words. SO
cents; 1 to 5 words. 5 cents, etc No dis
count for additional insertions.
UNDER ALL OTHER HEADS, except
5few Today," 30 cents for 15 words or Iee
10 to 0 words, 40 centsi 1 to ft words. 50
cents, etc. first Insertion. Each additional
Insertion, one-half no further discount na
der one month.
"NEW TODAY" feature measure agate),
15 cents per line, Or.t Insertion; 10 cents
per lino for each additional Insertion.
ANSWERS TO ADVERTISEMENTS, ad
dressed care The Oregonlan. and left at this
office, should always be Inclosed In sealed
envelopes. No stamp Is required 00 such
letters.
The Oregonlan will not be reoponstbU foe
errors In advertisements taken through the
telephone.
AUCTION SALES TODAY.
By J. T. Wilson at salesroom, 208 First
street, at 10 A. M. J. T. Wilson, Auction
eer. At Baker's Auction House, corner Alder
and Park sts.; furniture, carpets, etc. Sale
at 10 o'clock. Baker & Son, Auctioneers.
DIED.
CLEMENTS In this eltv. December 23,
1906. James Clements, aged 27 years.
F1TZPATRICK December 22, 1906, Mrs.
Asa Fltzpatrlck, aged 28 years, of Rose
burg. Or.
MILLOW In this city. December 28, 1906,
William Millow, aged 47 years and 23
days. Funeral announcement later.
-4