Tidings of glory! all the sky aflame, all Heaven hymning one imperial Name! Radiant glimpses of a Throne, a Crown, all splendor focused on one little town! Tidings of joy, good tidings of great joy! Supernal ecstasy without alloy! The death of sorrow and the end of pain, the bliss, bliss, bliss eternally to reign! News of Salvation! Jesus, Savior, Christ, bearer of mercy ample, and unpriced herald of freedom from the chains of sin, come to our hearts, Lord Jesus, enter in! Tidings to all the people, yea, to all! To kings and shepherds, to the great and small, to rich and poor, to ignorant and wise, to each his blessing from the liberal skies! Oh, for the ready eye and quickened ear, the Advent light to see, and song to hear! To every man and woman, girl and boy, in all the world, good tidings of great joy! AMOS R. WELLS

He gave us the best that He had! To Bethlehem they went to be enrolled; And there, in Caesar’s census book of old, His name was written ’mong the sons of men As Caesar’s subject: “Jesus”—followed then By “Son of Mary, born in David’s Town, Of David’s line”—the record thus set down. In a world’s book of life, a place they gave To “Jesus” who was born a world to save. They numbered Him with sinful men and poor, Though He was Son of God, Divine and pure. A heavenly census book His name alone Bears, on the title page; for ’tis His own, That Book of Life; and there, writ clear and plain Are names of those born in that King’s domain; All who alive for evermore shall be Are there enrolled for all eternity. Since He was numbered once with sinful men, We may be numbered as God’s own again. Though Caesar’s book has long since passed away, The Lamb’s blest Book of Life shall stand for aye. “THE CENSUS BOOKS” BY KAY MCCULLOUGH

Was it merely the son of Joseph and Mary who crossed the world’s horizon nineteen hundred years ago? Your own heart must answer— “My Lord and my God!”

There’s a song in the air! There’s a star in the sky! There’s a mother’s deep prayer, And a baby’s low cry! And the star rains its fire While the beautiful sing, For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King.

A number of years ago a remarkable Christmas card was published by the title “If Christ Had Not Come.” It was based on our Savior’s own words, “If I had not come,” in John 15:22. The card pictured a minister falling asleep in his study on Christmas morning and then dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream, he saw himself walking through his house, but as he looked, he saw no stockings hung on the chimney, no Christmas tree, no wreaths of holly, and no Christ to comfort and gladden hearts or to save us.

He then walked onto the street outside, but there was no church with its spire pointing toward heaven. And when he came back and sat down in his library, he realized that every book about our Savior had disappeared.

The minister dreamed that the doorbell rang and that a messenger asked him to visit a friend’s poor dying mother. He reached her home, and as his friend sat and wept, he said, “I have something here that will comfort you.”

He opened his Bible to look for a familiar promise, but it ended with Malachi. There was no gospel and no promise of hope and salvation, and all he could do was bow his head and weep with his friend and his mother in bitter despair.

Two days later he stood beside her coffin and conducted her funeral service, but there was no message of comfort, no words of a glorious resurrection, and no thought of a mansion awaiting her in heaven. There was only “dust to dust, and ashes to ashes,” and one long, eternal farewell.

Finally he realized that Christ had not come, and burst into tears, weeping bitterly in his sorrowful dream.

Then suddenly he awoke with a start, and a great shout of joy and praise burst from his lips as he heard his choir singing these words in his church nearby:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem! Come and behold Him, born the King of angels, O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Let us be glad and rejoice today, because He has come. And let us remember the proclamation of the angel: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11).

He comes to make His blessing flow, Far as the curse does go.

May our hearts go out to the unconverted people of foreign lands who have no blessed Christmas day. “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and SEND SOME TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOTHING PREPARED. This day is holy to our Lord” (Nehemiah 8:10).