Christ has been speaking thac word ever since. He came to speak it. He came to deliver man from those fears. He smiles upon our fears to-day. He almost laughs them away in the sunshine of His power and confidence. The Incarnation is God's answer to human gloom, despondency, and pessimism. What are
ST. LUKE II. lo, II
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you afraid of ? it says. Am I not with you always to the end ? And all power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth. You are afraid of your sins ? Fear not ! I am able to save to the utter- most. You are afraid of the world, the flesh, and the devil? Fear not ! I have overcome the world, and cast out the prince of the world. You are afraid of your own w^eakness ? Fear not ! All things are possible to him that believeth. You are afraid of life's changes and uncertainties ? Fear not ! The Father hath given all things into My hands. You are afraid of death and bereavement ? Fear not ! I have conquered and abolished death. You are afraid of all the ominous signs of the times, the perils of religion and the shakings of the Church ? Fear not ! I am the first, the last, the Almighty, and the rock against which the gates of hell shall not prevail.^
^ Thought could not go on much longer with its over-emphasis of the Atonement and its under-emphasis of the Incarnation without losing its relation to human society. The Atonement, as something done for and upon man, leaving him not an actor but a receiver, threw him out of gear with the modern idea of personality. This idea was rather to be found in the Incarnation, the inmost meaning of which is Divine Fatherhood and obedient Son- ship. It means Christ, not dying for man to fill out some demand of government, but living in man in order to develop his Divine- ness, or, as Bushnell phrased it, that he might become " Christed." It was getting to be seen that whatever Christianity is to do for man must be done through the Incarnation ; that is, through the oneness of God and humanity, the perfect realization of which is to be found in the Christ.^
2. Universal joy.
The angel's message matches with the Jewish minds he addresses. The great joy he proclaims is to be, not for all people, but for all the people — that is, Israel ; the Saviour who has been born in David's city is the Messianic King for whom Israel was waiting. This was not all the truth, but it was as much as the shepherds could take in.
If The Jews said. There is a Gospel — to the Jews. And when the Gospel went out beyond the Jews the Koman Catholic Church said, There is a Gospel — to the baptized. And they collected them together by the thousand in India, and sprinkled water on them, so as to give them a chance to be saved. Calvin,
^ J. G. Green hough, Christian Festivals and Anniversaries, 207, 2 T. T. Hunger, Horace Bushnell, 399,
32 GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY
who has been condemned for his doctrine of election, by it broadened out the Church idea of salvation. When men said, Only Jews can be saved, when men said, Only the baptized can be saved, Calvin said, Anyone can be saved. It is for those who have been baptized, and for those who have not been baptized ; it is for those who are Jews, and for those who are Gentiles ; it is for those who are old enough to accept the Gospel, and it is for the little children not old enough to accept the Gospel. God can save anyone He will. That is the doctrine of election. And now we are growing to a broader view than this. It is not for the Jew only, but for the Gentile ; not for the baptized only, but also for the unbaptized ; not for the elect only, but for the non-elect, if there could be any non-elect ; not only for those who have heard it, but for those who have not heard it. This is the message of glad tidings and joy which shall be for all people. It is salvation for " all
^ How could I tell my joy to my brother if it were not a universal joy ? I can tell my grief to the glad, but not my glad- ness to the grieving. I dare not spread my banquet at the open window, where the hungry are passing by. Therefore, oh ! my Father, I rejoice that Thou hast sent into my heart a ray of glory which is not alone for me. I rejoice that Thou hast given me a treasure which I need not hide from my brother. I rejoice that the light which sparkles in my pool is not from the candle, but from the moon. The candle is for me, but the moon is for all. Put out my candle, oh ! my Father. Extinguish the joy that is proud of being unshared. Lower the lamp which shines only on my own mirror. Let down the lights that make a wall between myself and the weary. And over the darkness let there rise the star — Bethlehem's star, humanity's star, the star that shines for one because it shines for all.^