ourth
Gospel, when he says that he must _decrease_, and Jesus _increase_.

Among the ancient Teutonic nations, fires were lighted, on the tops of
hills, on the 24th of June, in honor of the WENDING SUN. This custom is
still kept up in Southern Germany and the Scotch highlands, and it is
the day selected by the Roman Catholic church to celebrate the nativity
of John the Baptist.[499:1]

Mosheim, the ecclesiastical historian, speaking of the uncertainty of
the time when _Christ_ Jesus was born, says: "The uncertainty of this
point is of no great consequence. We know that the _Sun of
Righteousness_ has shone upon the world; and although we cannot fix the
precise period in which he arose, this will not preclude us from
enjoying the direction and influence of his vital and salutary beams."

These sacred legends abound with such expressions as can have no
possible or conceivable application to any other than to the "God of
day." He is "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory (or
brightness) of his people."[499:2] He is come "a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth in him should not abide in darkness."[499:3] He
is "the light of the world."[499:4] He "is light, and in him no darkness
is."[499:5]

"Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, Adonai, and by thy
great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this
night."--_Collect, in Evening Service._

God of God, light of light, very God of very God."--_Nicene
Creed._

"Merciful Adonai, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of
light upon thy Church."--_Collect of St. John._

"To thee all angels cry aloud, the heavens, and all the powers
therein."

"Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory" (or
brightness).

"The glorious company of the (_twelve months_, or) apostles
praise thee."

"Thou art the King of Glory, O Christ!"

"When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man, thou passest
through the constellation, or zodiacal sign--the Virgin."

"When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of winter, thou didst
open the kingdom of heaven (_i. e._, bring on the reign of the
summer months) to all believers."

"All are agreed," says Cicero, "that Apollo is none other than the SUN,
because the attributes which are commonly ascribed to Apollo do so
wonderfully agree thereto."

Just so surely as Apollo is the Sun, so is the Lord _Christ_ Jesus the