The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-18
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
A SERMON ON THE LIGHT OF THE
WORLD AND MAN IN GENERAL.
BY the Rev. william c. Sheppard,
Rector Church OF the Ascension,
Episcopal, Cleveland, o.

Venerable pagan INSTRUMENTATION Bud
dhistic. Egyptian-gives US many legends
concerning the creation of light, but how
childish and insipid they seem beside this
one skort, artless sentence from the Chris
tian Bible: "And God said Let there be
light and there was light"
1t is not, however. of creations story and
this original command that 1 would speak
just now, but rather of some other in
stances. where we find God saying Let
there be light" and there is light.
/. A score of centuries ago there bIazed
over a little insignificant village of the
Orient the light of a brilliant star. But
there in the village itself was a yet more
glorious Light. "In thy dark streets shin
eth" sings the poet-preacher in his hymn
addressed to the little town of Bethlehem"
I'm thy dark streets shineth the Everlasting
Light"
That Light was the Christ-chid, the son
of Him who, ages before, had said, Let
there be light" For says st. John, lin Him
was life, and the life was the light of men,
that was the true light which lighteth
every man that coneth into the world"
And said He himself, when He had grown
to manhood, and was opening blinded eyes
and flooding darkened minds with celestial
wisdom and freeing fettered souls, II am
the light of the world
And so when Jesus Christ appeared upon
the earth. lying as an infant in his manger-
cradle. God had spoken; the light of the
world had dawned. God had said. Let
there be light" and lo the word had been
made flesh.
And in connection with Christ there are
the church and the Bible, for both are
bound up in Him.
Tof bo 1fonf G0d nd fho
pentecostal tongues OF fire sat on the dis
ciples' heads-the church was born; born
TO shed its blessed light, reflection of the
Christ light throughout the world and in
many human heart. As thus rejecting
Him Christ has said to us. Eye are the light
of the world
Let there be light" said God, and the
Bible sprang into existence-the Bible,
Whose leaves" like the leaves of the tree
of life, 'are for the healing of the nations
1.-The Bible, which has been in the case of
millions a lamp unto the feet and a light
unto the path-the Bible, whose light, like
that of the church. is a reflection Of the
Christ light, Gods written word being but
an echo of the word incarnate.
Most truly is Jesus Christ the light of the
world; and so the statement of the Old
Testament, God said, Let there be light
and there was light" finds it's parallel in
the New Testament statement, 1.-The word
was made flesh
THE LIGHT OF GENIUS.
2. But now let us turn from the light of
the world to the world at large-from the
Son of Man to man in general
AS we look along the ages and across the
fields of history we find certain men who In
varied ways have been men of light. But
their light came originally from God. 1t
was God who placed them here, and kindled
their blazing torches, just as it was He who
hung the sun in the heavens, and made it
the fountain of light. And of every man
of light who has appeared in the ranks of
humanity we might declare: he came, he
shone because God said LET there be
light"
LET there be light" says God, and Ra-
phaeI plies his brush.
Again He says it, and Shakespeare Yields
his pen.
Again the words. and Webster thrills
senate.
Again, and Edwin Booth plays Hamlet"
In these and in countless similar instances
God has said Let there be light" and the
light Of genius has issued forth.
Let us. my friends. trace all good things
back to God. Every good gift and every
down from the Father of Lights" The
: light which issues from the sun is glorious.
but there was no light until God made light
be- The light which Milton, Michael An
CELLO, Homer shed is most divinely fair
bur 1t owes its existence to the God who
is the Father of us ALL and who makes a
few Of His children to shine like the stars
of heaven. We have Him to thank for the
poem which inspires or soothes us, for the
picture which delights or the eloquence
which charms US.
Just so of men of light in realms religious,
or men of light in relation to great inven-
tions and discoveries which have benefited
humanity, or men Of light in relation to
great movements which have resulted in the
advancement of mankind, or such men of
light as the great teachers, philanthropists
and reformers. LET there be light" says
God. These men rise up and do their work.
Mature and natures laws lay hid in night;
God said, Let Newton be-, and all was
light"
3. There is third point Of view from
which 70 consider our text.
Here is a man forgetful of God; walking
not in the footsteps of his Son, who said Il
the Galilean fishermen. and who says to
men to-day, Follow me-" despising, per-
haps, the Bible and the church. But one
the reasonableness and the richness of the
Christian life and we find him a glad
obedient disciple of Jesus Christ.
Behold victim of appetite and passion,
a curse TO himself and a curse to others,
bound down in heavy chains and
binding heavy chains about Gods
children. AT last, however, he sees the
folly, the brutality, the devilishness Of 1t ALL
He reforms, rises up from the dust of the
ground in when he has been groveling. anc
becomes living soul, pacing the paths of
decency and honor. God has said, lie;
there be light" and reformation has ensued
A CHEERING RAY.
Some poor man. honest, sober, indus
trious. sits, in these "hard times" in idle
ness, having sought for work and found it
net, he and his family starving. But kind
hands minister to him and his. and he is
given work TO do. God has said, LET there
be light and light has darted in upon the
darkened home
Bereavement lays its heavy hand upon
US. Loved ones are taken from us. The
bearded grain is reaped, or the tender flow
er transplanted. Eyes are moist and heart
strings CULVER. Yet many. at such an hour,
ind peace and consolation. God says. LET
there be light" and the light of comfort
shines.
In conclusions: God Is God of light.
UCnd &c iivht xurtfaa CT Tohn vphfia tho