THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1908.

WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO THE SAINTS.

THIS issue of the MILLENNIAL STAR shines forth at an important period. It comes between two of the most notable anniversaries in the history of the world. To-morrow we commemorate the birthday of the greatest Being who ever graced this lower sphere. Yesterday was the birthday of one of His illustrious servants. On December 25th all Christendom celebrates the entrance upon the earth of Jesus of Nazareth, who was and is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Upon this event and the life of this greatest of all earth's sons depend the future welfare of the whole human family. The full significance of this momentous matter had been lost to mankind for many centuries until the coming of the great Prophet of the nineteenth century, who was raised up by the Almighty to be the Restorer of the glad tidings proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds in Palestine when they sang the natal anthem of the world's Redeemer. This is, therefore, a time for great rejoicing among the Latter-day Saints, who have faith in the Divine personality and mission of Jesus, the Christ, and who believe also in the prophetic calling and ministry of the Seer and Revelator, Joseph Smith.

Although we regard the date, settled upon in Christendom as the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth, as a mistake in chronology, we unite with all sects and parties therein on the inestimable value to the entire race of Adam of the advent of the grandest figure in the panorama of this world's history. The event is more important than the date. It means to this globe and its inhabitants rescue from the grasp of death and of him who hath the power of death, even the devil. In the light of modern revelation, which unfolds the full meaning of former revelation on this subject, we discern, through the mists of past centuries created by the creeds of men, the glory surrounding the wonderful work of the Son of God for the redemption of the world.

Through the transgression of Adam, generally known as "The Fall," death came by natural process upon all his posterity. This effect would have been perpetual, remaining through all eternity, but for the ransom provided by Eternal Wisdom to be brought about through the vicarious offering, sacrifice and atonement of

the sinless Son of God. He who kept every law and commandment and precept of the Eternal Father, and upon whom therefore death had no valid claim, voluntarily gave Himself up to the death of the cross to satisfy justice and thereby become the Savior of Adam's race.

He laid down His life and took it up again. Thus He became "the Resurrection and the Life" to all His brethren and sisters.

If He had not performed this work, the gloom of death would have remained upon this globe permanently. The dissolution resulting from violated laws would have continued without change. The spirits of men would have been separated from their bodies eternally, and thus one essential constituent to everlasting progress and a fulness of joy and power and glory would have been absent. Also that spiritual death which is banishment from the presence of God, would have remained, and so death in its full signification would have to be endured without redemption. But Christ came and made the needful atonement, and so the glorious tidings of salvation, spiritual and temporal, can be proclaimed throughout the earth. This is lucidly and specifically pointed out and made plain in the Book of Mormon, II. Nephi 9: 6-13, as follows:

For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord;

Wherefore it must needs be an infinite atonement; save it should be an infinite atonement, this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man, must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no

more.

O the wisdom of God! his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more, our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.

And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents; who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of murder, and all manner of secret works of darkness.

O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.

And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy one of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.

And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.

O how great the plan of our God! For on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become

incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh; save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect."

These words from the Book of Mormon show, to some extent, the magnitude and splendor of the work that was to be and afterwards was performed by the Son of God, whose coming into the world we celebrate. They explain, too, the necessity for His advent, and bring to our attention the great blessing to all humanity involved in that birth at Bethlehem. It is, therefore, proper that all who believe in Jesus Christ as the Savior of mankind should unite in suitable commemoration of that momentous event, and that this should be done with rejoicing and praise. Festivities are proper on such occasions, providing, of course, that they are conducted in moderation. Excesses of any kind are displeasing to the Lord and injurious to those who indulge in them.

Mirth, music, recreation, amusement are all germane to the occasion, but it should never be forgotten, in the midst of it all, that our gladness is over the coming down into this lower world of Him who was with the Father in its creation. It is a fitting time for family reunions, for the settlement of all offenses, the stamping out of all feuds, the exercise of real charity, the practice of true benevolence, the endeavor to make all people happy. It is especially the children's holiday. He who loved the little ones and welcomed and blessed them delights in the innocence and welfare of the children. He deeply sympathized with the poor and made their relief part of His essential doctrine. They should also be made partakers of the Christmas cheer and warmed and fed and clothed as circumstances require. There is plenty in the land for everyone, and none should lack while this abundance is enjoyed. Christmas should mean universal joy and general satisfaction.

Believers in the latter-day dispensation, as we have intimated, have a double cause for rejoicing at this festive season. On the 23rd day of December, 1805, a child was born at Windsor, Vermont, in the United States of America, who was destined to become one of the most prominent representatives and ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ who at any time breathed the breath of mortal life. He was chosen from the foundation of the world to come forth at the appointed time, to usher in the grandest of all God's dispensations unto man-the dispensation of the fulness of times. When scarcely fifteen years of age, the Father and the Son appeared to him in glorious vision and instructed him not to follow after the religions of the world, but to wait for the revelation of the fulness of the everlasting gospel.

While still a youth, he was visited by a holy angel and called to the performance of "a marvelous work and a wonder," in the bringing forth and translation into English of the writings of ancient prophets on the American Continent. This he accomplished to the approval of the Almighty, as declared by His own voice out of heaven. Under the hands of John the Baptist and subsequently

of Peter, James and John, he received the keys of Divine authority to organize the Church of Christ on earth, in every particular as it was set up by the Savior and His apostles at the first. From time to time, he received Divine revelations unfolding the purposes of God in the formation of this earth; its peopling with the sons and daughters of the Most High; the object and work of redemption accomplished through the Savior; the destiny of the human race; the varied positions which mankind will occupy in worlds to come, and the principles, ordinances and requirements appointed by which mankind may receive power to attain to exaltation and eternal glory in the Divine Presence.

He unfolded the glories of the celestial kingdom; he expounded hidden mysteries; he revealed grand scientific truths; he solved long disputed religious problems; he explained principles of social and political economy; he joined the theoretical and the practical; he opened the way for the redemption of the poor from penury and want; he directed mankind to the highest pinnacle of immortal existence; he completed the work assigned to him, and like the prophets of old and the Savior of mankind he sealed his testimony with his blood. In all this he was aided, supported and encouraged by his noble brother Hyrum, who was with him in death as in life, and entered Paradise in his company.

The saints, therefore, should rejoice above all other people at this time of gladness and recreation. We can praise God with all our souls, intelligently, whole-heartedly, supremely. We have learned of His wondrous plan of human redemption; we thank Him for the gift of His Only Begotten Son; for the salvation wrought out by the Redeemer; for the restoration of the gospel in its fulness in these latter days; for the voice of prophets and apostles and other inspired ministers to guide us in the narrow way; for the means of redemption for the living and the dead; for holy temples in which can be administered the sacred ordinances that reach within the veil and bring together the past, the present, and the future, and prepare us for the splendor and happiness that are impending in the second coming of our Lord, attended by the prophets and martyrs of former and of latter days. So, let the bells ring, and the music sound, and voices unite in loud acclaim, while joy thrills each heart and all unite to magnify and praise the Lord. Hail, happy Christmas, and may it bring nearer and nearer the joyful time of peace on earth, good will to man!

C. W. P.

KIND words produce their own image on men's souls; and a beautiful image it is. They smooth, and quiet, and comfort the hearer. They shame him out of his sour, and morose, and unkind feelings. We have not yet begun to use kind words in such abundance as they ought to be used.-PASCHAL.

"MORMONISM"

IN THE EMERALD ISLE.

UNDER the able presidency of Elder T. J. Bennett, the gospel as taught in the publications of the Church is being published very extensively among the people of Ireland. The number of tracts and books that have been circulated by President Bennett and his associates is truly remarkable, and all the more so considering the difficulties under which the brethren have labored. The following extract, taken from a letter written by President Bennett on the 18th inst., will give our readers an idea of the conditions under which proselyting is carried on by our missionaries in the Emerald Isle:

"Dear President Penrose,-Six weeks ago I sent two elders to the city of Dundalk, a strong Catholic town of about thirteen thousand inhabitants-eleven thousand Catholics and two thousand Protestants. I advised the elders to tract the country first, and then start in the town. Everything went along all right for some time. They got into several homes, among them those of two Catholic families, who became interested in our doctrines. On seeing the progress the elders were making, the cry went up that the 'Mormons' were in town and must be looked after. One day one of the elders was standing at a door giving a lady a tract, when a well-dressed man jumped on to him, and tried to push him into the house. The other elder seeing them scuffle, went across the street and called a policeman. The man made the charge to the officer that the elder had insulted the lady. The policeman asked the lady if the charge were true, and she said it was not. In a few moments several other men came up and with them a body of eight police officers. The elders were escorted back to their lodge by the police, the crowd following. The chief of police came down and had a talk with the brethren and advised them to leave the town as soon as possible. They showed him their passports and claimed protection from him. They told him they had broken no law and were going to stay there until they were ordered to leave by their president. He left eight policemen to guard them, and went to the barracks and ordered every officer on the force to read the books we were selling, that he might know what we are teaching. So each set of eight, when placed on duty, went to the elders' lodge for books and tracts. They were given ‘Rays of Living Light.' In the police force there are thirty-four menthirty-two Catholics and two Protestants. The elders were guarded two days and nights. Meanwhile the Hibernian Society met and decided to carry out its threat to drive the missionaries out of town. On Saturday a piece came out in the paper, and the people got worked up to a high pitch. The society saw it had made a mistake in agitating the people, and the members were told by the police they would be held responsible if there was any damage done. So on Monday morning the society took the place of the