HOLD UP THE LIGHT

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 29, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 50.

HOLD UP THE LIGHT.

THE famous Eddystone light-house, off the coast of Cornwall, England, was first built in a fanciful way by the learned and eccentric Winstanley. On its sides he put various boastful inscriptions. He was very proud of his structure, and from his lofty balcony used boldly to defy the storm, crying, "Blow, O winds! Rise, O ocean! Break forth, ye elements, and try my work!" But one fearful night the sea swallowed up the tower and its builder.

The light-house was built a second time of wood and stone by Rudyerd. The form was good, but the wood gave hold for the elements, and the builder and his structure perished in the flames.

Next the great Smeaton was called. He raised a cone from the solid rock upon which it was built, and riveted it to rocks, as the oak is fastened to the earth by its roots. From the rock of the foundation he took the rock of the superstructure. He carved upon it no boastful inscriptions like those of Winstanley, but on its lowest course he put: "Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it;" and on its key-stone, above the lantern, the simple tribute, "Laus Deo!" and the structure stood firmly, holding its beacon-light to storm-tossed mariners.

Fellow-workers for the salvation of men, Christ, the Light, must be held up before men or they will perish. Let us, then, place him on no superstructure of our own device. Let us rear no tower of wood, or wood and stone. But taking the word of God for our foundation, let us build our structure upon its massive, solid truth, and on every course put Smeaton's humble inscription, and then we may be sure that the light-house will stand.

"When thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." Ps. 27:8. "My heart said;" that is the sort of reply God wants. He looks at and listens to the heart. For me to acquiesce with my lips is nothing if the heart is not in the words. Lip-service is no better than the eye-service we are warned against in Eph. 6:6. In the parable of the man who told both his sons to go and work, that son is commended who, although he said he would not go, afterwards repented, and went, but the son whose words consented, while his heart refused, came into condemnation. I may say I believe God, or I may say that I am fully consecrated, but if my acts and my life subsequently do not agree with my profession, what does it profit? God tries the heart, and nothing escapes his all-seeing eye. To the Christian this knowledge is very sweet, he is glad that God should know all his heart; far from shrinking back, his prayer is, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts." Let me see that in my converse with God my heart says all there is to say. When the heart is right there is no fear about the life being wrong; but let me beware of mere empty words. God does not hear us for our much speaking. How many go to church, and repeat prayers, and sing hymns that come from no deeper source than the lips! There is no heart in their service, and God says of such, "With their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness."—Selected.