YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
By A. S. Hutchins
This declaration was made by Christ in his sermon on the mount. When multitudes were gathering around him, he withdrew from them to a mountain where he preached to his disciples the most instructive sermon ever listened to by man. Every sentence of this sermon is weighty and full of meaning. We should do well to read it often, to study it closely, and to be sure that its sanctifying, saving truths have a large place in all our hearts, and that we are influenced in our daily walk and conversation thereby. In concluding this memorable sermon, Jesus teaches the necessity of heeding his sayings. "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand: and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." Matt. vii, 24-27. The day is near, "and hasteth greatly," when every hope based upon anything but the word of God will perish. The high expectations of many will be brought low like the house built upon the sand: "and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place." The seven last plagues will then fall heavily upon the wicked; but the hope of God's people will stand unshaken. Said the Saviour, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." This is as true of the church of God to-day, as it was eighteen hundred years ago. How divinely eminent then is the position of the true church. Like the firm and towering light-house, erected to guide the weary and storm-tossed mariner safely through the perils of some rock-bound coast, to his destined port; the church should ever stand where their light will so shine before men that perishing sinners may be guided in safety through the perils of "time's tempestuous ocean," to the haven of endless bliss. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." "Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation." 1 Pet. ii. 12. "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Phil. ii. 15. We ask, where are those that shine as lights in the world? Where is the light of the world? Where shall we look for the preaching of Bible doctrine, of Bible faith? and for the preaching of that holiness of heart and the entire consecration to God, that his word requires of the Christian? Shall we look into the proud and world-loving church for the light? or go to their teachers for the gospel in its purity as it fell from the lips of Him who taught as never did man; or watch these churches from day to day to learn of them the holiness of heart, and consecration to God, we must possess to enter the kingdom? If so, we look, we watch and wait in vain to learn the way to eternal life from them, as bodies; for they have passed the day of their glory, they have lost their communion with the great Head of the church, and are sinking into darkness and death. We have reached the perils of the last days: the covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, are before us. "From such," says the Apostle, "turn away." 2 Tim. iii. Those who walk in the light as it shines from the pages of inspiration, will heed this injunction. The word of God, (not creeds, nor traditions of men,) will be a lamp to their feet, and a light to their path. "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Until the work and sufferings of the church of God are completed, until their last testimony is borne in the world, the light will shine more and more. Notwithstanding the fallen and corrupt state of the sectarian churches of the present day, notwithstanding the darkness which envelopes them, the hand of the Lord will gather his faithful, truth-loving followers together upon his word. Praise his holy name. For this purpose the first and second messages of Rev. xiv. have been proclaimed; the light shines brilliantly upon the truths contained therein; and we are now listening to the sound of the Third Message, to complete the work. The Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus will test the depth of love of the professed followers of Christ, for God and for his word, and for heaven. The honesty of such as say Lord, Lord, will be known by all. And sinners that will bow to the word of God, and do his will, will be gathered with the ransomed of the Lord. The Saviour embraced an early opportunity in his preaching to teach the perpetuity of the Law of his Father; to shew that the law of commandments, the moral law was and would be binding "Till heaven and earth pass." "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. v. 17, 18. Says Justin Edwards, in commenting on verse 17, "Christ came not to make void the moral law as a rule of action, but to establish it, and give it practical efficacy over the hearts and lives of men, by leading them to love and obey it." "It is worthy of observation," says Clarke, speaking on the same point, "that the word gamar among the Rabbins, signifies not only to fulfill, but also to teach." Both Christ and the apostles taught and pressed the claims of the law of God upon their hearers. May the Lord help us to do likewise, to let our light shine upon the whole law, the Bible Sabbath not excepted. The law of God is nothing that we have forced into the sermon on the mount, it is there. And as we would heed all the sayings of Christ, we will endeavor to keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. O, ye followers of Jesus, ye are the light of the world. Set not your light under a bushel, but let it shine on every point of Bible truth. Hold it up. Hold it high. Patiently and perseveringly press forward, and your reward will quickly be given. McDonough Co., Ills., Sept. 1857.