Article December 19, 1925 Issue

The Angel's Song

MADELEINE BURCH

AS the beautiful record given by Luke tells us, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, "there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field." To these the angel of the Lord gave the greatest, most far-reaching message ever received by mankind, the infiuence of which was to be felt in the life and activity of all men, throughout all time. We read: "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." Of all the people in that country, just why, it might be asked, should the angel chorus, that wondrous song of peace and good will, have been heard only by the shepherds—shepherds, whose work required not so much learning, as much watching? What had these men done that they should have been the first to hear strains of song of such great import? At the time of the angel's appearing it was night, and the shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks. After the angel had gone, they said, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." The following verse tells that "they came with haste." Nor were they too absorbed in their new-found joy to remember it had been said that this joy would be to all people. We read that, eager to share their blessed experience and quick to obey, "when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerming this child." Not, however, until they had seen the babe for themselves did they tell abroad the saying which they had heard.

Apparently, then, faithfulness and obedience, rather than position, worldly wisdom, or wealth, were the qualities which rendered these men worthy to hear the message, behold the Christ-child, and share the blessed experience with others. How easily they might have fallen into sleep, watching through the night! But the angel found them awake in the still darkness, with seemingly nothing more important to do than see to the safety of the sheep intrusted to their care— but faithful to that. They were awake, and ready to hear the song. In the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (Pref., p. vii), Mrs. Eddy has written of such as these: "The wakeful shepherd beholds the first faint morning beams, ere cometh the full radiance of a risen day." The first faint beams of the truth came to the shepherds through the words of the angel; its fuller radiance came when they journeyed to Bethlehem and beheld the Saviour, who was to show mankind how to overcome every form of discord. The shepherds must have deeply appreciated the significance of what they heard, because they started immediately to find the child who had just been born. There was no suggestion that they wait until morning, on the pretext that it would be easier to find the place by daylight. No false sense of responsibilitv tempted them to make the sheep an excuse for delay. The same loving Father who had told them about the Christ, and who was guiding them now, would also protect their flock. They even made haste. No loitering along the way, but swift obedience!

The world to-day, with its ills and misfortunes, longs to hear just such a comforting song through dull nights of hard living, useless living. But how? it is asking, as the days and months slip by without the needed help. If such acquirable qualities as faithfulness and obedience made the shepherds mentally receptive, there is assurance that no one ever need be deprived of this same God-sent message of peace, healing, and happiness.

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