There was no room for them in the Inn. Doubtless Joseph had traveled until his feet were sore looking for some place to accommodate Jesus and Mary, but every place he inquired there was no room, so at last he went to what we call a tavern, or a house to keep lodgers, but there was no room, every place was crowded.  So he took Mary to a stable and their bed was a manager, hence we get the subject, " Christ Crowded Out".

Doubtless the people were living in those days as we are living now, having parties, socials and balls, clubs, theaters and all sorts of amusements and no one cared to be bothered orhave anyone in the house to mar their pleasure.  Others had their daily vocations and did not care to entertain guests, hence Christ was crowded out.  Imagine, Mary was waiting at the gate weary of her journey longing for rest, only to be told by Joseph that there was no room for them in the Inn.  How our hearts go out in sympathy for Mary and Joseph and " The Christ", but how many of us that are crowding him out just now, this very minute, there is no room for him in our hearts.

Unfit to enjoy the blessings of freedom

This is the article that appeared in the Marysville on January 1, 1863 about the Emancipation Proclamation.  Found in the Yuba County Library in the California room.  The article says this:  At the risk of being denounced as a "secessionist" by the long-eared abolitionists in our midst, we did not hesitate to characterize the emancipation proclamation as in the last degree mischievous.  Greeley's " nine hundred thousand men" we knew would come up missing, and the effect of proclaiming a crusade against slavery would only be to dampen the ardor and impair the confidence of the great mass of the Union men of the country - those who have no higher ambition than to preserve the " Constitution as it is." and restore the Union as it was."  Paper proclamations will neither extinguish slavery nor put an end to the rebellion, and of this fact it would be well for the fanatics to make a note.  The president's message, however, effectually disposes of the immediate emancipation theory, and leaves it hung up so cold that it will scarce be heard of again in the present century.  Possibly this experience with a few thousand " contrabands" in Washington has led to this sudden change of opinion.  Emancipation on a small scale has proved a failure, and the President shrinks back from a measure that would cast upon a country four millions of bondmen, the greater portion of them brutalized by years of servitude, and totally unfit to enjoy the blessings of freedom.  - Dallies ( Oregon) Mountaineer.