The Ohio Independent Baptist, December 1954

Pag<' Fo\11· TI IE OIIIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIS1' D0ccmber 1954 ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~- NO ROOM IN THE INN l.~'Il{t l)l "l( 1 'l'l( ~- tl () R ll ~ ·11rist t)t11· Sn, t()r ,vas l)t)r11 i11 t l1e 1,1 "') n11P~t ()t' eirt•11111stcl11c0s. l)tl1 tl10 ll r,llt)l11.i<1l1R c)f tl1t) Il ccl\"0111>· II osts {i11Pd tl1r ,1ir al1t)\'l'. \\Tl1e11 :\l,1r,~ • l)l'vt1g·l1t fo1·t l1 l1t)r {irRt l)or11 8011. ~11e ,,·1·,1111)etl lli111 i11 s,,·adclli11g· e 1 t l1t)s a11d laitl 11 i111 i11 a 111a11g·e1·. 'l l1t1s I Ii:· 1 <lgi11g: ,,·c:1 ~ ,1 eattle l) 11, l)llt a star i11 tl1e l1ea,re11 1,otifie(l tl1e ,,·1101 ,, ..orl(l tl1at a cli8ti11g·11i. 11 ed \ Ti "' ito1· l1a l 0111e f1'0111 afa1·. The it11atio11 of thi . tra11ge bi1·th 1·p111i11cl. 11 agai11 of that co111n1011 ph1·a i11g o ofte11 hea1"cl at hri tn1a ti1ne ( 1\ 7 o roo111, -iri tl, c i1111. ·\\.,.l1at a con1mo11place IJl1ra e it een1. a " re r epeat it. Tholl a11cl 11pon tho11 and of t1·a,rele1-. · ha, 1 e 1net it ,vl1e11 tl1ey ,,,.ere eel{i11 o· 110 pitalit)'" 01-- a ... 1,la e of 1·e iclen e for t l1e 11igh t . }Io,,· ofte11 ha. lt1g·g·ag:e bee11 :11r- 1endered ,,,.ith a . igh of relief 0111),. to be halted ,,·he11 the i11di- , ·ic{t1al wot1ld be regi ter·i11g halted by the ,,,.orc1. Tl1ere · 110 1--00111 he1·e. Bt1t the svl1ole tl1j11g· i lifted e11ti1·el)" 011t of tl1e ·0111- 111011place ,,·he11 ,,Te have aclclec1 to the ,,,.ord , ' ' no 1·00111, that little phra e, for· then1. Thi. i111ple . taten1e11t eot1lcl lJe 111acle of anv"o11e el. e a11cl . till ren1ai11 ~ comparati,·ely 01111nonplace. 1311t to l)e aid of them, it lJeco111e a tl1ing to be 1--epeatecl " 1 itl1 a,,·ecl ,·oice a11d ole1n11 ,vonde1·. The ~ c1·ipt111--e ay There wa. 110 room for the111. L et 11 · loolc ca1·eft1lly at that phra e. ' No room fo1· tl1en1 ' i a :i1nple ·tate– It1ent. It i a i1nple . tate111e11t t}1at i. ,,·011derf11l: t11at i · te1·1·il)le ~ that i . ea1--chi11g. I) RT I 111 the fir t place it i · ,,·onder– ±u] in the humilit,.. it re, 1 eal. . Let ., lls go ba,.l{ to the Betl1leh n1 cene. There ,,·ere th1--ee per. 1 011. · the1"e : a man hi e. po11~ ec1 ,vife and the Babe. "\\Then the),. n1acle rE:c1 t1e\ t for a roo1J1 at the i1111, t}1ey ,,ere politeljr told tl1at there "\\Ta. 110 1·00111 for tl1e111. A11cl their atte11tio11 ,,·a. cli1· ctecl to tl1 . table behi11cl the i1111. Jo eph ,, a a pri11ce. I-Ie ,,Ta le ~e11cled fron1 the g·1'eat Ki11g Da,·ic1 througl1 the line of Holo111011. 'fh blood of I. ·rae 1 . l(i11g·. co111' eel tb1~ol1gh hi. ,rei11. , l)Ut l)eing a little late aucl becat1 ·e of tl1e c·rc),rcle 1 ec)11cl11 io11s i11 l~ Ptl1 lel1r111 1 }, c ,,·c1~ r ef118ecl ,l 11lc1c•t) i11 tl1r i1111. ~itt111·all)· tl1r)T clicl11 t 1<11<)\\' \Yl1<> i1c ,,·,1s <>r tl1r g·rc'ctl e1,·p11t tl1,1t ,,a8 tt> tal<<' J)l,1er tl1,1t 11igl1t. 1 11 or, 11 ,1 l tl1r)"' l,110,,·11 , so111r 11rc)– , ·i:io11 ,,·o,1lcl 11,1,' e \1ee11 111,1clr for tl1 e l1e8t 1·00111 for tl1e111 i11 tl1e i1111. 1111t tl1e1·r ,,·a8 110 roo111 ./'01· lzinl. ~ o 1~00111 for tT o.. e1)h the 111·i11ce ,,·110 ,,·itl1 l\Iai·)r 11a(l 110 othr1· place to t11r11. Thi11l< '\\'Oll1c::111 l'l'i11 ·e · . . ee11da11t fo1· a :\ f a1·,.. . .. .. he of tl1e 1110111 e11t of tl1 " 1 11 e ,,. a. a too ,,ra a 1e- ({ocl-chose11 l{i11g 8------------------------~ I • The Children's Christmas Story ' • : • A Baby waked.. He did not cry, l But lay there 1n the straw, t And watched with trustful baby eyes The oxen in their stall. I think He watched the stars that night, t And reached His tiny hand To touch the large one, hovering low O'er all the moon-white land. I think that Mother Mary woke; She closer to Him prest, And gently held the downy head Against her loving breast. For in the night He came to earth With tremor nor with start, And laid His head in purest love Against the whole world's heart. • I 1 >a,Tid, l)elo11gi11g· to the li11e of 11i, ~ ..01111ge1· .' 011, ~ T at]1a11. Hh lta l }1c=icl ('0ll\'C'l'8C' '\\ritll Hll cl11g·el. rrhc Se1·i11t11re tell .· 11. · tl1,1t . 110 \\'a8 fa"\"Ql'e(l R}l}Ql}[!_' \\rQllle]}. \\Te ctl. () le ar11 tl1at 8llr l1,1cl l)ee11 ,ri. ·it– ec l b,.. t l1e Ilol , , (111ost. Yet :11 e • • \\ as tt11·11ec1 011t, ha,,. i11g a1·1·i,.. ec1 too late clt t110 i1111 to fi11 l loclg·i11g. 1'here ,,·a8 110 1·00111 for ,Jo 'eJ)l1, 110 1·uo111 f 01· ~Iar,... :via 1--:y·. ,,ay i tl1 l1e1· • • l}ocl,, ,,~ea1·iecl a11cl taxe l to tl1e • lin1it, '\\,'a: £01· ·e 1 to 111al~e l1 e1· l1ed i11 a ·ta l)lC', t l1 e1·e to gi,rc bi1'th to l1e1-- fi1,.·t ·hilcl. 1Ie ,,·a lJor11 of thi bea ll tif11l , ri1·gi11 ,,.,110111 roc.1 l1acl . electec1 of c1ll \\To111e11 c,f a 11 ti111 to l>ri11g· i11to tll e ,,ror"lcl I lis 011lJr bep:otte11 8011. lit1t the \\"011cle1·f11l l1l1111ilit,.. • 1·e, 1 eale 1 i11 tl1e 1)l11·a.· r 1 '110 1·00111 fo1" the111 ' is 11ot £01111(1 i11 tl1at cl 1>ri11ee ,,,a.· ref11:e(l a loclg·i11g, 01· i11 t 11 at tl1e })1·i11 ce.., · ,,·a.- t1 l1·nrc1 a,y·a)". l)erha1Js the 1)ro1)1·ietor of the i1111 col1lcl 11ot a,·oicl · ll 11 t- • ti11g,' the111 Ollt <>f }1i.· l'O(>llli11g l1(1l1:e. Ye:, thr:t" ,vere foreecl tc> • 1-t_). t i 11 tl1e stab lr. Tl1e,.r ,,·e rP i11 • tl1r grip of a eirelllllf.itclll(>() ,,rhieh t lie,,. cot1l c1 11 ot eo11t1·ol. :i\Iar,r • • ar, cl fJ o epl1 li,,i11g i11 I-> a1 e:ti11e, ,,-l1ic h ,va. t11e11 1·111 c1 b,T a11otl1er ' 11atio11 l1acl to l)a}T tril)11te e,,.e11 tho11g·l1 the3r ·\",er·e a p1"i11ce a11cl a 1,1·j11ce. ·. .._ o it i · 11ot to l)e "\r(\11 le1--ec.l at that tl1e ta,·e1 ..11 l{eep– (' l' l1ac1 to t11r11 the1n 011t. II11n– cl1 ·e 1· of others of 1 ..0,..al title hacl ~ l1ren co111pellecl to c1o tl1e a111e. 'l"'he ,,,. 011c1e1--f11l h11111ilit,... of " \\"l1ic: 11 I "pealt i. tl1at fol111cl i11 tl1e Bal)e bor11 tl1at 11ight. ( 1 h1--i. t J ~. 11. , tl1e T_;o1· l. Ile ,,Ta tl1e c1 l·r· 011e of the three ,,.,.110 ,,·a 11ot ~ it1,~ol1111ta1·il}" l1e1ple:. i11 the face <.,f tl1e cir ·11111 ta11ce. tl1e1· were tl1 ere l)e ·a t1 e tl1e}~ hacl to l)e. Ile ,, a: tl1e1·e for Ile ·ho. e to l)e. Ile \ Ya: there beeal1:e '· Ile, bei11g i11 tl1e fo1 ..111 of :}od tho.t1ght it 11ot to l,c 1'oblJer}.,. to 1)e ec111al "Tith ( ~ocl. l)t1t 111acle IIin1:elf of 110 re1111tatio11 a11 l tool~ 1111011 Ili111 tl1e ±01·111 of a ·e1,,,·a11 t c111 l ,,,. ,1 111ac1e j11 tl1e lilce11e. · of 111e11 (Phili1)- 11ia11 · 2 :G 7 ) . I Ir i. tl1e ( 11e of \\...h 0111 tl1e Pl"Ol)het.· 'a11g, aJri11g· ·'Bel1olcl a vi1·gi11 . l1all concei, 1 e ,111cl l1ear a ~; 011 a11c1 ~ l1all call lli: 11a111e I111111an11 l.' Ile i· tl1P ( 11e of \\.,.110111 the Ilolj"" 1 pi1--it i1 L .'J)eal,i11g to 8i111eo11 l1acl re– e01·clecl that · Ile \,·a: a liQ.·l1t to 1igl1te11 tl1e < :e11tile:. a11cl tl1e g·lor~T Or rrl1}"" l)eOI)le . ( L11l{e 2 ::3 2) . 11 <-1 i: tl1e ()11e of "'\\Tl10111 tl1e p1·01)l1- rt .·c1icl · Ili. 11a111e .·l1all be tall eel \\.,.011clerft1l, 1 01111.·ello1 .. , tl1e 2' 11g11 tJ· ( i ocl. t lie E,·e1·la. ti11g },' cl tl1er th P1·i11ee of 1-> ec1 ce · ( J ~a ia11 9 :6 ) . I I e is t 11e ( 11e o £ ,\ ...110111 J 01111 ,,rrote . a~Ti11g· ' 111 1 lle l)eg:i1111i11g ,,·c1 · t11e ,,,..orcl, a11c1 t l1e \'\ 1 orcl ,,Ta. \"rith (iOCl, a11 l tl1e \\-Ol"Cl ,v·a ' Goel·' ( ~J 01111 1 :1) . YE .· f rir11 1, Ile, ( "1111·i:t ~J e. 11 P,.. e11 ,,~11 ilt> IIr ,,Ta: ,,,rt a 13a l)e ~ \\' cl,' tl1e 111ig}1t)r }o l, tl1f 011e \\Tllo e1·patr l tl1e lJea'it!-, a111011g ,,·l1icl1 l l e la,... • '1 1 11ere 11e ·t l cl 011 t lie l>o ·0111 of tl1e ,,i1·g·i11, I-l e ,,·a: tl1e l 11e \\Tl10 '"a · olcl l)efo1--e ti111e bega11, c111cl