ebuke is this to our ecclesiastical pretension and pride! God
can easily dispense with us, and may pass us by to speak to some humbler
soul. The great people up in the Temple have no monopoly of his grace,
and it may break out in some wholly unexpected place. The gospel is no
respecter of places and persons. It may be preached in a costly church
or stately cathedral, but it is equally at home in a country school
house, or in a wooden tabernacle, or in a sheep pasture. In simplicity
and catholicity it is adapted to all classes and conditions of life. It
has the same message for priest and people, prince and peasant, scholar
and shepherd, and all receive from it an equal welcome and blessing.

XII. The Concert in a Sheep Pasture

In the night of the Nativity the shepherds were in the field keeping
watch over their flocks, for those faithfully engaged in the lowliest
duties may receive a splendid visitation from heaven. The night did not
seem different from other nights. The skies were as serene and the stars
burned as calm as in all the past. The shepherds were as unconscious of
any coming wonder as the sleeping sheep that lay like drifted snow on
the ridges. Yet the heavens were strained tense with expectation and
were on the point of being shattered into song. Flocks of angels were
flying downward from the stars, and as their white wings struck earth's
atmosphere they kindled it into radiance with heavenly glory, and from
the gallery of the skies they chanted their song, accompanied with all
the golden harps and deep-toned organ pipes of the celestial choir.
Never before or since was such a concert heard in this world, and yet
only shepherds and sheep were present to hear it. The encircling hills
were the grand amphitheater in which it was rendered, the grassy slopes
were the only seats, and there were no tickets of admission, but, like
the gospel itself, it was given without money and without price. Musical
artists are often sensitive and critical and exclusive people, chary of
a free exercise of their gifts and particular as to their audience, but
angels will sing for anybody.

The simple-minded shepherds were sore afraid at this outburst of
heavenly music, as wiser people would have been. An angel voice sang the
solo:

Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy
which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day
in the city of David a Saviour, which is Chr