The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1876-05-17
THE HEADLIGHT OF THE Loco
li MOTIVE. ~
THE puLplr-MApE POWER.

4 3
n can imagine the service 10 be over. The
little country church has been emptied u
its worshipers. Farmer Gray lingsrs a
the door q moment. His eye sweeps and
gathers In the beauties ofthe autumn land
scape ere he descensls the steps to his ear
riage. Perhaps the sermon has been upon
autumn leaves, q favorite October topicli
the puipits. Excellent sermons we have,
Isays FarmerGray Strange we dol,'tsee
lgfeater results Why. there IL n serg'ol'
stamped ON tie very leaves 10 llelf tbe
ttrutif along. Bot I don't see results. Tbe
pulpit don't have power. Where is the
trouble?'
A good many people that are not farmers
ask tnequestioh. Why is not the truth
that is sent out from tile pulpit more eflica-
cious? Why does 1t not go out every
where lighting heaven and hell; compel
ling men by the yiyitlliess Of It's testimony
to shun the wrong, aud attracting them
to the light? Why Is not the pulpit &C.
companied by such Influences of power
What is the reason? Many thinking peo-
pleask the question. Now, il there are
willing men and women, as well as
thinking men and women, the thing de-
sired can lie reached.
A little suggestion came to me as was
looking at the headlight ofa locomotive.
What great, flaming, fiery thing j. a To-
coni0tive headlight. Just see 1t com
ing round the curve at night 1t flashes
and grows, Till II sends q magnificent
beam aloi,g the track, lighting up all the
way. It's an immense eye OF fire looking
into the night; and what an eye 10 gives 10
the engineer? Il would seem as II he
could see a spider crawling on the rails.
But What gives the headlight its inten-
sity ? Watching the locomotive, ] saw
how Il was. The lamp itself was not large.
A child could handle II, and carry II about
at night. Il had, though, All immense
reflector. There was q rejecting surface
ON this side, on that sisie. above il, below
II, and from these reflecling surfaces there
shot out huge ball Of flame. twas u
little lamp, bu: IL Ind an immense retlec-
tor. Dear brother, sister, you can be reilec-
tor OF the truth. The sermon ON Sunday
may he Just an ordinary fundamentally,
but II there are christian disciples On this
idle, on that side, ON every side, to reflect
the teachings Of the pulpitin their own
faithful lives, the work desired IL done.
The sermon holds, up honesty; be honest.
Il holds up purity: be pure. IL holds up
the heralding ofthe Gospel: be herald
Of the Gospel. Be~ide every light held ~
set many reheclos' What power the
pulpit will become! What u blaze Of
light will 20 all through your community
Revivals come IA this way A pastor,
for three months after his settlement,
ipreaclled on specific Christian duties
Thrn he told his deacon revival was
coming. A revival coming? Certaily
Tie people had gone out, and M theiI
better lives had given the truth arefiector,
10 light had gone out. aud a revival Wa
insyitabIe. Tina; is all We can do, TO get
the light TO men. The Spirit Of God,
without whom wecan accomplish nothing,
will do all the rest.
tits great help 10 minister, when he
holds up the light Of Gods truth In the
pulpit, 10 look down aud see rows Of re-
Electors In the faithful souls before hinl'
waiting 10 set forth the truth in their
better lives. and to scatter the light every
where. Who l. willing tosay, Though
| can't be the light In the pulpit, l will
be rvdector?' Is Farmer Gray willing
To be reflector ?--Dr. Rand. .