Daily globe., 1882-04-30
THE LIGHT OF LIFE.

In him was life; and the life was the light
Of men.-St. John I:Iv.
In the year 500 B. c., Socrates. the
greatest philosopher, and the purest man
OF his time, taught his followers that the
only thing he was sure of was that he
knew nothing, but that he was convinced
that he had an inward voice telling him
the way in which he should walk, and,
that as he listened more and more to this
voice and obeyed its promptings, it spoke
more clearly and he understood the
truth better. Death was to him great
mystery, "Det knowing whether it was
for mans happiness or not" but believ-
ing that the virtuous could not fare i'll in
the hereafter.
Such was the best wisdom and the
purest light that the most civilized peo-
pie of Europe enjoyed before the coming
of Christ. At Rome, after years of wars
and bloodshed, peace reigned and the
Temple of Janus was closed. The good
emperor Caesar Augustus, and the best
men of his empire. believed that virtue
was above all things whether it was re-
warded or not, but they had little hope
for this life, and beyond 1t nothing. They
had no faith in their own gods, and for
the most part had adopted either the Stole
or the epicurian philosophy of Greece.
Upon this time of doubt and gloom rose
the Star of Bethlehem the sign of the
birth of Him who came 'tO bring life and
Immortality to light" Adam by his
transgression had incurred the penalty Of
death, and the way to the tree of life was
forever barred to him and his descendants.
But with Christ deliyerer had come TO
restorv the forfeited life and iliumine the
path beyond the grave. ''In him
vas life, and the life was
the light Of men, What this
life was that existed in him st. John ex-
plains by quoting the Savior's words 81
give unto them eternal life, and they
shall never perish" And again, "As thou
hast given him power over all flesh, that
he should give eternal life to as many as
thou hast given him" The obvious
meaning Of these words, "In him was
llfe," seems to be that by coming to die
for men, by thus making Precipitation for
their sins, he made it possible for them
to inherit life or Immortality. He had
the power, not to restore Eden, but to
overcome sin and death, to give eternal
life to all who should believe on him
and by his death and resurrection give
absolute proof that the ''dead in Christ"
should also be raised. In him was i'm
mortality and, this eternal life being thus
brought to light, makes plain the truths
Of revelation, banishes the fear of death,
and inspires the Christian with the hope
of Immortality.
The best Grecian philosopher in his
searchings after God, almost believed
that the vlrtuous must fare well in
another world. But st. Paul, the Chris
tian, exclaimed, "I know whom 1 have
believed, and am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which have committed
unto him against that day" He saw things
in the light which was in Jesus, and he
understood how God had made it pos
sible to be just and yet save mankind.
Christ had tasted death for every man,
and had risen in immortal vigor to con-
tinue his care Of his disciples, "to watch
lest any hurt them, and to prepare q
place for them that they might be with
him." when like their Redeemer they
should attain unto the resurrection from
The dead. "The life was the light of
men" It is light for this life; it shines
straight down from Jesus to the heart of
the lowlY, earnest disciple, making
rough places smooth, aud dis
pelling all doubts. 1t makes
his Affections seem light when
compared to this ''eternal weight of
glory" The Christian has no cause for
anxiety or doubt. If he only walks in the
light, it VIII lead HIM safely over life's
troubles, through the gloom and dark
ness of the grave, to his God, his Savior
and Immortality. The tree of lie, from
which man was shut out for his sin by
cherubims and flaming swords, "lest he
should eat and live forever" is now
accessible to all mankind. s'To him that
overcometh will l give to eat of the treo
of life which is in the midst of the para
disc of God," was the promise made to St.
John; and st. Paul affirms that "the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ"
4 SUSPICIOUS PEA.