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| "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels with- out knowing it." Hebrews 13:2 |
Away back in the olden days before they had cheap shows and theaters with their bright lights and doubtful pictures, where for a penny or two an hour's ofttimes questionable entertainment may be had, the plain people who loved to see shows and act plays and at the same time arrange for entertainments that would help boys and girls and men and women to be better than they were, used to make up what they called miracle plays and mystery plays. The difference between a miracle play and a mystery play was this, that a miracle play always had to do with some saint whom the people liked to remember, while the mystery play was always about the Lord Jesus Himself. One of the greatest of the mystery plays is what is called the Passion Play, pictures of which doubtless you have all seen.
One of these mystery plays was about Eager-Heart, and it is about Eager-Heart that I want to tell you. Don't you think that is a pretty name? Do you think it was the name of a man or a woman, or a boy or a girl, or a horse or a dog or - well, what? Shall I tell you? Eager-Heart was the name of a beautiful woman. She had a little home far away in Germany. Just a little cottage home in a little village, but a sweet and happy home nevertheless. Well, it happened that the people of that village all expected the Great King to pass through their town on a certain night and every one was on the lookout for Him. When the wonderful night came Eager-Heart had her little home ready as if expecting the King for her guest. The lamp was lighted and the food was ready, and the bed was all prepared with beautiful, white, clean linen. While she was waiting some one came to the door and her heart beat fast, for she thought that perhaps the King had arrived and that He had come to her humble home. She opened the door quickly, but was so disappointed, for there at the door stood a poor, tired, cold woodman with his wife and his little shivering boy. They asked to be taken in and kept over the night. But Eager-Heart said, "Oh, not to-night, not to-night. I am expecting a friend, a dear friend, to-night ; come to-morrow night and next night, and next night too, but not to-night." Then the woodman, with a look of disappointment, said, " That is what they all say. No one will let us stay to-night. Every one is expecting a guest to-night, and there is no place for us." Eager-Heart was about to turn away, when she saw the face of the little child lifted to hers. It was the most beautiful face she had ever seen, and the next moment the three weary travelers were in her quiet, warm home and the little child was lying in the bed that had been made for the King. Then Eager-Heart, having made them comfortable, went out into the streets. She was so disappointed. She had had a dream that the King might perhaps be her guest that night, and now it could never, never be. But if she could not have the King in her own home she would go out to meet Him, and so, with her lamp in her hand, she went out into the streets and there she met the shepherds and the wise men searching for the King, and the Christmas star was leading them through the streets and a crowd of people were anxiously following. So Eager-Heart followed with the gathering crowd, and the star led them from street to street and from house to house until at last it led them back to the door of Eager-Heart's own home. "Not here, not here," said Eager-Heart; "it cannot be here; this is my own little humble home." But the wise men and the shepherds said that it must be that the King was in that home for the star stood low above the cottage, and so Eager-Heart opened the door and what a sight that was which she saw! The little home was all ablaze with light, for there in her own home was the Holy Family and on the snow-white bed was the infant King. She fell at His feet and worshiped and wondered. How surprised she was, and how glad she was, that she had opened her home to the poor, tired, weary travelers. I feel quite sure that you all understand the story and know what it means. I am half afraid to try to tell you what it means. But I will say this : Jesus often comes to us without telling us who He is. He wants to know if we are kind and sweet and loving to others, to the poor and to the old and to little children, and He tells us that when we are kind to others it is just the same as if we were kind to Him. Sometimes, too, when we have beautiful thoughts and see beautiful sights and hear beautiful things so that they make us wish to be beautiful in our own lives, I think it is Jesus who has come into our hearts. What a mistake it would be for us not to know Him and not let Him in. Let us all be like Eager-Heart and let Him in. Hugh Kerr
The foxes found rest
And the birds their nest,
In the shade of the forest tree
But Thy couch was the sod,
O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee;
O come to ray heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.
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