The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-07-07
Sermon.
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
BY REV. 1. D. WILLIAMSON, d. D.

II am the light of the world. He that fol-
loweth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life. John viii. 12l
The Scriptures uniformly represent
man naturally, as being in darkness,
and having need to have his mind illum-
mated by the light of divine truth. We
may, by the efforts of our reason, arrive
at good degree of knowledge of the
material things around us, and ascer-
tain our relation to the earth and the
laws of the physical universe. But,
spiritual things, and our relations to
God, and the things that are not seen
by the eye, or heard by the ear, are not
thus open to our view or easy of access.
Of these things we are and must be
by nature profoundly ignorant, because
the infexible law of our being is, that
we cannot by ourselves rise above our
selves, and comprehend that which is
above us. The inferior cannot grasp
and appreciate the superior. AS the
light of the sun does not reveal things
that are spiritual, 80 that the eye can
see them, so, neither, does the light of
reason reveal to the soul it's relation to
the divinity and the beings that are
above us. 1t is true, then, that man is
naturally and by the very laws of his
being in darkness as regards things
spiritual and divine and whatever Of
light we have on those subjects must
come by revelation from above. The
river of truth must flow downward, as,
indeed, do all rivers, and that, too, for
the same reason, namely, the fountain
is above us. The knowledge Of the
divine is with the divine, and, if it
comes to man at all, it must come
down to him. Man cannot bring it up
from below because it is not there. He
cannot grasp it on the same plain
where he stands because it is not there.
He cannot reach up and take it from
above because he cannot stretch him.
self beyond the measure of his own
stature. The result is, that he must of
necessity be in darkness until the light
comes down from above. 1t is precise
ly as it is in the natural world. In the
dark night man cannot illuminate the
heavens and make IL day. He cannot
bring up the day from below, nor pluck
it from above. He may light his dim
taper and partially illuminate his own
house, but if he attempts to go abroad
he stumbles in the dark. Not until
the sun rises, and the glorious light
comes streaming from above, can he
look upon the beauties of the earth and
know what is around him.
So man spiritually sits in darkness
until the sun of righteousness arises
and scatters darkness away. Jesus
claims to be that sun, and as such, the
light of the world, sent Of God to reveal
divine truth to the world. Hence at
his birth it was said that, "upon them
that sat in darkness great light had
shined." he came ito show light to
them that sat in darkness and in the
valley of the shadow of death, and to
guide their feet in the way of peace"
He was sent "a light to tighten the
Gentiles," and was at the same time,
"the glory of Israel" These, it must
be allowed, are somewhat high claims
to be set up by man born in an OBJ
scure province of the Roman Empire,
in small village of that province and
in a Manager at that-a man whose
father was carpenter, and he himself
untaught in the learning of the schools
having neither wealth nor influence,
and so poor that he had not where to
lay his headl
That such man was, or was to be, the
light of the world, was an idea which,
viewed from the mere human side Of it,
was of all others most preposterous.
And then, his method and mode Of
procedure were such as apparently to
forbid the idea that he would ever
do much for the enlightenment Of the
world. He did not go among the Swans
of the age, or into the schools of the
wise men, or the fountains of science
or philosophy, and seek through them
to send out his doctrines to the world.
He did not even seem to be exerting
himself or tasking his powers as a
teacher at all. He gathered around
him twelve humble and illiterate men,
and quietly went about doing good,
healing the sick, cleansing the lepers,
and giving ears to the deaf, and sight
to the blind, and even in these works
he seemed to avoid notoriety in so
much that he frequently charged those
whom he had healed not to tell any
man by whom it had been done. But
as he journeyed he talked to his dis
ciples by the wayne retired to the
calm and placid waters of Galilee, or
to the fresh air of Olivet and sat him
down quietly to converse with his dis
ciples. There was no attempt to play
the orator, or to give effect, but he
"shed great thoughts as easily as an
oakslooseneth its leaves, and scattereth
them upon the place beneath, }" without
apparently being aware of the mighty