The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
A BRIGHT SUNRISE FOLLOWED BY
THE VANISHING OF EVIL.
Sermon by Rev. John p. Gerrie, b. A.,
gationaI Church, Toronto, Ont.

But unto you that fear my name shall the
sun of righteousness arise with healing in
his wings; and We shall go forth and gambol
as calves of the stall. And We shall tread
down the wicked; for they shall be ashes
under the soles of your feet in the day
that do make, saith the Lord of hosts.
Malachi iv, 2, 8.
A great deal is written in story and
song about the sunrise. We have noticed
this in our general reading, while the grand
reality itself has been before US from va
ried points of view.
We have seen the great orb come up
over lake and sea, when the whole water
surface seemed covered with molten gold.
That sunrise will never be forgotten.
Like Longfellow, we have stood upon the
hills and watched the morning rays gliding
over mountain and hill, covering both with
brightness and glory. and then stealing over
field and plain, breathing everywhere on
their onward march sweetness and love-
No wonder that Wordsworth cried out:
Hail, oriental conqueror of gloomy night!'
But glorious as is the natural sunrise
it is but a shadow of the unriraled splendor
of the sunrise to which we row direct our
thought.
We note those upon whom it shines. "But
unto you that fear my name shall the sun
of righteousness arise" begins the text
1t is clearly evident that this bright sun
rise is not enjoyed by all. A like statement
can be made of the natural sunrise. Here
lies heavy sleeper at the break of day.
The morning sun is rising with unexcelled
glory. Rays peep in at the windows, play
with the curtains. fit about the furniture
steal over the counterpart and battle the
face of the sleeper, but he needs them not
He is not ready for the sunrse-is wholly
unaware of its arrival.
Here is another man in a darkened room.
The shutters are closed and the blinds
drawn. The morning sun is trying the win
dows and looking in vain for an entrance
The man within is wide awake and knows it
all. but refuses to throw open his room to
the sunshine or step out himself to it's
brightness.
Just so there are multitudes who do not
enjoy the matchless sunrise of the text
Here is the heavy sleeper wrapped in the
slumber of vice. He is not ready for the
sunrise. nor has he heard of its coming. o
that he might be reused from his lethargy
by some trumpet tone proclaiming in his
ear: Awake, thou that sleepest! The sun
of righteousness has arisen The morning
light has GOMEZ" And here is the man in
the darkened room of indifference and self
ishness He knows of the light but the
bright rays Of the morning sun are not
touching his heart and life o that he would
throw open the windows of his soul to the
influence OF this brought sunrise.
BENEFITS IT BRINGS.
We note again with what benefit this
sunrise comes. with healing in his wings"
continues the text. How true this is of
the natural sunrisel The noxious damps of
night are dispelled. No tongue can tell what
poisonous fevers are scattered at its com
ing. Who has not felt in his own body and
spirits the healing influence of the morning
sun? After good nights rest-yes, after a
poor nights rest-as if my magic new life
has seemed to course the veins.
We have felt the healing touch too. in
the sick room. l sat one long, weary nieht
with sick one. We were waiting for death.
The doctors had said there was no hone of
recovery, and the nurses were of like opin-
Ion. One of them was seated with me and
again and again 1 saw her feel the feet
to see If death were coming. The hours
dragged slowly by. AT last the first faint
CLEANS of the breaking day were dimlv
SEEN And then, just as the morning sun
was rising in its splendor, the sick one
turned with smile. and whispered a re-
mark which l shall never forget. From that
moment recovery began.
They said and who can doubt it, that
there was healing in those morning rays!
Furthermore. the bright sunrise of the text
was in that sunrise of nature, and who can
doubt that each played its part in effecting
that change for the better? AS, long ago.
the sick and the afflicted saw the sun APP
pear and welcomed 1t to their hearts, while
they received the healing at the hands of
the Great Physician-so to those who re-
gero His name He brings healing. now;
healing in giving that grand restora-
tive or q calm and undisturbed ana hopeful