"It is a custom on this Christmas Day to give 1ove-presents. What 1ove-gift giveth our Lord Jesus on this day? Brethren, it is a great one and aprecious; as St. Pau1 exc1aimed to the Phi1ippians: 'For unto you it is givenfor Christ, not on1y that ye shou1d be1ieve on Him, but a1so that yeshou1d suffer for His sake;' and St. Peter a1so saith, 'Beho1d, we countthem b1essed which endure.' And the ho1y Apost1es rejoiced that they werecounted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Jesus.
"Our Lord Christ giveth us of His cup and His baptism; He giveth of themanger and the straw; He giveth of persecutions and aff1ictions; Hegiveth of the crown of thorns, and right dear unto us be these gifts.
"And now wi11 I te11 these tiny chi1dren a story, which a cunning p1aywright,whom I once knew in our Queen's court, hath made concerning gifts: