shepherds went straight away to Bethlehem . Simple minds sometimes find a glorified Christ where learned heads , much puzzled with their lore , miss him . A good doctor used to say , “ Lo , these simpletons have entered into the kingdom , while we learned men have been fumbling for the latch .” It is often so ; and so , you , simple minds , be comforted and glad .
The way in which these shepherds honored God is worth noticing . They did it by praising him . Let us think more of sacred song than we sometimes do . When the song is bursting in full chorus from the thousands in this house , it is but a noise in the ear of some men ; but inasmuch as many true hearts , touched with the love of Jesus , are keeping pace with their tongues , it is not a mere noise in God ’ s esteem , there is a sweet music in it that makes glad his ear .
What is the great goal of all Christian effort ? When I stood here the other morning preaching the gospel , my mind was fully
exercised with the winning of souls , but I seemed while preaching to get beyond that . I thought , Well , that is not the chief end after all — the chief end is to glorify God , and even the saving of sinners is sought by the rightminded as the means to that end . Then it struck me all of a sudden , If in psalm singing and hymn singing we do really glorify God , we are doing more than in the preaching ; because we are not then in the means , we are close upon the great end itself . If we praise God with heart and tongue we glorify him in the surest possible manner , we are really glorifying him then .
“ The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me ,” says the Lord ( Psalm 50:23 ). Sing then , my brothers and sisters ! Sing not only when you are together but sing alone . Cheer your labor with psalms , and hymns , and spiritual songs . Make glad the family with sacred music . We sing too little , I am sure , yet the revival of religion has always been attended with the revival
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