of the Lord shone round about them: and
they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for,
behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all
people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall
find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men."[221]

Tidings of such import had never before been delivered by angel or
received by man--good tidings of great joy, given to but few and those
among the humblest of earth, but destined to spread to all people. There
is sublime grandeur in the scene, as there is divine authorship in the
message, and the climax is such as the mind of man could never have
conceived--the sudden appearance of a multitude of the heavenly host,
singing audibly to human ears the briefest, most consistent and most
truly complete of all the songs of peace ever attuned by mortal or
spirit choir. What a consummation to be wished--Peace on earth! But how
can such come except through the maintenance of good will toward men?
And through what means could glory to God in the highest be more
effectively rendered?

The trustful and unsophisticated keepers of sheep had not asked for sign
or confirmation; their faith was in unison with the heavenly
communication; nevertheless the angel had given them what he called a
sign, to guide them in their search. They waited not, but went in haste,
for in their hearts they believed, yea, more than believed, they knew,
and this was the tenor of their resolve: "Let us now go even unto
Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath
made known unto us."[222] They found the Babe in the manger, with the
mother and Joseph near by; and, having seen, they went out and testified
to the truth concerning the Child. They returned to their flocks,
glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.

There is meaning as deep as the pathos that all must feel in the
seemingly parenthetical remark by Luke. "But Mary kept all these things,
and pondered them in her heart."[223] It is apparent that the great
truth as to the personality and mission of her divine Son had not yet
unfolded itself in its fulness to her mind. The whole course of events,
from the sal