ot due to any lack of
hospitality; much less did it express hostility to Jesus; it was due
simply to the crowded condition of the town. However, it is suggestive of
the obscurity and discomfort and poverty of Joseph and Mary.

In view of his evident appreciation of the supreme importance of the birth
of Jesus, the account of Luke is almost startling in its brevity and
simplicity. However, with consummate art, after his own short statement of
fact, he allows divine messengers to give the interpretation and to
express the significance of the event. These messengers were angels. They
appeared to a group of shepherds who were "abiding in the field, and
keeping watch by night over their flock." Out of a blaze of heavenly glory
came the tidings of great joy to Israel, "There is born to you this day in
the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord." The angel did not
then disclose the larger truth, that this Christ was to be the redeemer of
all men or that he was a divine Lord. However, a sign was given whereby
the shepherds might be able to distinguish the child and to be assured
that he was the Christ: "Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, and lying in a manger." A strange sign it was; yet for us it has
become a symbol full of meaning; a Redeemer who was cradled in a manger
has known what it is to endure poverty and suffering and neglect, and now
he can sympathize with the lowly and distressed even as he is abundantly
able to save.

When the good news had been given, there suddenly swelled forth an angel
chorus, singing that great hymn of the nativity which, as subsequently
expanded by Christian worshipers, is named from its Latin version, the
Gloria in Excelsis. As sung by the angels it is composed of two verses,
each containing three corresponding notes, "glory" and "peace," "in the
highest" (heaven) and "on earth," "God," and "men." This is a hymn of
praise to God who in the gift of a Saviour manifests in heaven his
excellence and on earth reveals his grace to men, the recipients of his
favor. The result of this, however, is declared to be "peace;" in Christ
alone can peace be secured--peace with God, peace for the human heart,
peace between men, peace for the world.

The astonished shepherds hastened to verify the good news and they became
in a real sense the first witnesses for Christ as "they made known
concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child." It is
not strange that all wh