Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-09-14
The Children of Light.

SHeeTIulneSS Is neVer-Iall1ng char-
acteristic Of those who are truly chill
dren of light. For is not light at once
the most joyous of all things, and the
enlivener and gladdener of all nature,
animate and inanimate, the dispeller
of sickly cares, the calmer of restless
disquietudes? Is it not as a bridegroom
that the sun comes forth from his
chamber ?-and does he not rejoice as
giant to run his course? Does not
all nature grow bright the moment he
looks upon her, and welcome him with
smiles? Do not all the 5irds greet him
with their merriest notes? Do not even
the sad fearful clouds deck themselves
out in the glowing hues of the rain
bow, when he vouchsafes to shine upon
them? And shall not man smile with
rapture beneath the light of the Sun of
righteousness? Shall he not hail His
rising with hymns Of praise and
psalms of thanksgiving? Shall he not
be cheered amid his deepest affection,
when the rays of that Sun fall upon
him, and paint the arch of promise on
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while we are hemmed in with darkness
are we harassed by terlors and mis-
givings. When we see clearly on every
side, we feel bold and assured: moth
ing can then daunt, nothing can dis
may us. Even that sorrow which with
all others is the most utterly without
hope, the sorrow for sin, is to the chill
dren of light the pledge of their future
bliss. For with them it is the sorrow
that worketh repentance unto saliva
ton; and having the Son Of God for
their Savior, what can they fear? Or,
rather, when they know and feel in
their hearts that God has given His
only begotten Son to suffer death for
their sakes, how shall Ghey not trust
that He, who has given chem Hi; Son,
will also give then whatsoever is for
their real, everlasting good?
Finally. the children of light will
also be children o, love. Indeai, it is
only another name for the same thing.
For light is the uost immediate out
ward agents and ministe of Godef love,
the most powerful and rapid d ffuser
of His blessings through he who:s uni
verse of his creation. It blessss the
earth, and makes her bripg forth herbs
and plants. 1t blssses The herbs and
plants, and makes them bring !orth
their grain and their fruit. 1t b. asses
every living creature, AMI enables all
to support and eAioy THAR existence.
Above all, it blesses man, in his gttngs
out and his comingJ in, in his body End
in his soul, in his senses and IN his
imagination, and in his affections in
his social intercourse with his hrot Ter,
and in his solitay3 communion with ais
Maker. Merely blot out liglt from lhe
earth, and joy wiz pass avn ny from it;
and health will pa: S away tom it; ind
life will pass away from it; ard it i'll
sink back into q confused, turmoil ng
chaos. In no way can the children of
light so we'll PROVE that this is ind. ed
their parentage, rs by becoming the
instrument of CID in shedding lsis
blessings around them. Ligt<s illumiAe s
everything, the lowly valley us well as
the lofty mountain; it fruct. fies eve.y-
thing, the humbiest herb as veil as he
lordliest tree; and there is l.othing lid
from it's heat Nor does Christ he
Original, of whom light is the image,
make any distinction between the sh
and the low, between the humble and
the lordly He comes to all, Unless II ay
drive him from their door. He calls to
all, unless they oDstinately close their
ears against Him. He bles. sas all. TN
less they cast away His BILE sing. Nay,
although they cast it AVA, He sill
perseveres in bles sing them, even IL Ito
seven times, even INTO serenity tilses
seven. Ye, then. who desire to be
children of light. We who would gl..ly
enjoy the full glory and blasaednesx OF
that heavenly name. take heed to " .lr-
selves, that We walk as children of
light in this respect more especia4y.
No part Of your duty is easier; LOU
may find daily aud hourly emporium ty
of practicing it. No part OF your city
is more delightful; the JOY you kin..le
in the heart of another cannot fail of
shedding back its brightness on ytur
own. No part of your duty is n.3re
godlike. They who attempted to Le-
come like God III knowledge fell in -ae
Garden of Eden They who stroye TO
become like Gcd in power we're en-
founded on tina plain Of Shinac. TX ~
who endeavorai to become like God n
love, will feel Ills approving smile s.,d
His helping arm; every effort tl.4y
make will bring them nearer to 4 is
presence; and they will find His re-
newed image grow more and mere
vivid within them, until the tiIae
comes, when they, too, shall shiae
forth as the sun in the kingdom Of
their Father.-From a sermon 1y
Archdeacon Hare.