I.

Christmas.

THE SHEPHERDS AT BETHLEHEM.

"And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the LORD hath made known unto us."-ST. LUKE ii. 15.

THERE have always been, in different parts of Christendom, many good old Christmas customs. In many a place the old habit is still observed of a night watch on Christmas Eve, telling of the "people who sat in darkness" till GOD "sent His Son into the world, that the world, through Him, might be saved." To the present day the peasant of Burgundy keeps a lamp burning in his

cottage through his vigil, till the Christmas bells ring out from the parish church tower the peal of joy over a returning anniversary of the LORD'S birth. And you English boys and girls keep up a good old Christmas custom. This morning, as you saw your friends, you said, "A good and happy Christmas to you!" a pious and a true wish. that those to whom we wish it may find this Christmas-tide a good one to themselves and to all.

Yes, it is GOD grant

A good and happy Christmas! I want you to think what that means.

It does not mean merry laughter and times of play. That is, it does not mean these alone. GOD gives you these. He wishes your life to be what everybody would call a happy one. "The righteous" shall be "merry and joyful" even in every-day life, in its duties and recreations, its work and its

play. GOD means you to be merry, for He means you to be happy. But

He wishes that you should be good as well as happy. Every friend, and every one who loves you still more deeply, when they wish you a good and happy Christmas, wishes you to be as GOD loves to see you. And so they bid you remember this Christmas-tide, with the expectation that, if you are good little Christians, the memories of Christmas must speak to you of GOD'S love and purpose in your lives. When I say that I hope GOD will grant this Christmas to be a good and a happy one to you all, that is what I mean by it.

But whether it is to be so or not must remain with yourselves. So it is with all God's best gifts. We are free to reject them; but, if we do not destroy them, He gives us always His grace to enable us to use them for the best.

Do you ask me how you can use this Christmas well, and according to the will of GOD? I will tell you. You should do as did the shepherds who had been watching in the fields by night over their flocks. They went to Bethlehem to see the Infant JESUS. You must follow their example.

You

must think of what they did, and why they did it, and what came of their journey. You must wish that the Revelation GOD thus gave of the LORD Jesus coming in the Flesh may guide you where He is, because you love to be close to Him, and that it may have power over you to keep you close to Him.

Just think of how those shepherds minded God's sign to them.

They had been, night after night, staying with their flocks on the hill sides of Judæa. I dare say you have often seen pictures of those shepherds

lying on the grass on that eventful eve, their sheep asleep around them. Thus they had often been-night after night. And then one night a great light shone round about them and frightened them. Soon an angel spoke and brought them tidings of the newborn Saviour. And then a great host of angelic beings filled the heavens and sang GOD's praises.

Did you ever think of what an evidence of God's goodness was given in this vision? The world was expecting its Saviour. The Jewish nation was expecting the LORD's Anointed. These good labouring men-for GOD would surely have chosen pious hearts for this great revelation-must have known of this. They must have been taught about it. But I suppose they would not have had very clear ideas of how GOD would fulfil His promises, and make His purposes plain. Well then, suppose