" The Man
Christ Jesus, at whose birth the angels sang: "Glory to God in the
Highest, and on earth peace, good-will toward men."
Now to Him who on this day was born of the blessed virgin, man of the
substance of His mother, yet God the Son of God, be ascribed, with
the Father and the Spirit, all power, glory, majesty, and dominion,
both now and for ever. Amen.
XXXV--NEW YEAR'S DAY
(1853.)
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and He that
formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have
called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through
the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall
not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt
not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the
Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for
thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in
my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee:
therefore will I give men for thee, and peoples for thy life.--ISAIAH
xliii. 1-4.
The New Year has now begun; and I am bound to wish you all a happy
New Year. But I am sent here to do more than that; to teach you how
you may make your own New Year a happy one; or, if not altogether a
happy one--for sorrows may and must come in their turn--yet still
something better than a happy year, namely, a blessed year; a year on
which you will be able to look back this day twelvemonths, and thank
God for it; thank God for the tears which you have shed in it, as
well as for the joy which you have felt; thank God for the dark days
as well as for the light; thank God for what you have lost, as well
as what you have found; and be able to say, "Well, this last year, if
it has not been a happy year for me, at least it has been a blessed
one for me.
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