The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-27
Or. HUNTERS DISCOURSE.
Preached from the Text ~ Are h
Light of the World"

Rev. r. V. Hunter. pastor of the Seventh
Presbyterian Church. preached to a large
congregation yesterday morning from the
text: Eye are the light of the world"
Matthew V. II. Referring to the text he
said: 1.-The son of God addressed these
words to His disciples. There is a personal
element in the pronoun we that becomes
alarming almost, when we stop to analyze
its connection. Light has a revealing
power. By means of it we distinguish OBJ
jects. Light is said to be vibrations or un-
dulations carried through space by means
of a medium called ether. These vibra-
tons come in contact with the retina and
produce that condition which enables us
70 distinguish objects. The source of light
must have great potency along the lines
OF it's mission. This is illustrated by the
sun. which possesses incomprehensible
heat-a necessary condition of light. Even
so the disciple of Jesus Christ must possess
a sDirual potency in order to reveal the
objects of faith and love to men and wom-
en- blinded by sin.
again, light has much TO do with life
continued the pastor. Pope recognized
| this when ne exclaimed: % spring to
light. Auspicious babe, be born The
power of light upon life is illustrated by
the vigor of the plant which has succeeded
in reaching the cellar window. where it
fairly revels in the sunlight. The boy or
girl just returning from the golf links,
tennis courts, lakes or other outing, gives
evidence Of the power of light-together
with pure air-by the bronzed cheek.
bright eye and elastic step. The light of
which Jesus spoke gives spiritual life.
which is proven by the stronger faith, the
purer life, nobler purpose and a more
rational explanation of existing conditions.
The life takes on a different hue when the
principles declared by the Galilean peas
ant are seen and appropriated by an i'm
mortal soul. Light is sometimes used. in
a figurative sense, for mental and spiritual
illumination. The Masters injunction was
not devoid of this sense: 'Ye are the light
the civilizing. the educating and liberat-
ing forces-'of the world. Read history
and be satisfied that Jesus was right.
| Compare religions and their fruits, If you
| question the soundness Of the heaven-born
philosopher.
.I an not certain but that our Chris
tian civilization here in the West comes
under this Injunction at this moment
Have we any right to allow the Slav, the
Russian, to veneer the heathenism of
China with her despotism and cruel civil
ization? If we owed something to Cuba
thing to the millions of China, as against
Russia? We trust that the threatening at
titude of Russia will not materialize.
I'VE learn from the text and context that
the disciple OF CnFlSL Is 10 De IN evidence
with his light wherever there is darkness.
and darkness stands, in this connection,
for ignorance and sin. Jonah refused to
let his light shine on one occasion and was
swallowed by a sea monster for his dis
obedience as a means of Divine displeasure.
Lot failed to light his Christian lamp down
I'm old Sodom and came near wrecking him.
self, as well as his family. The fish or
Mammoth cave have no eyes. Why? Be
| cause they did not use them. When we
fail TO let our light shine we soon loose
the ability to emit any light. The disciple
will let his light shine for the purpose OF
| revealing the truth and showing to be-
nighted sinners the path that leads to the
kingdom of heaven. The disciple of Christ
throws out light through the medium of a
Christian character. The prophet Elijah.
with his rugged and austere obedience and
zeal for Jehovah; Joseph, with his purity
and fidelity when tempted in the kings
house; Daniel, when he refused the en-
| peror's wine and viands; ~Savanarola, when
he refused to retract, though to refuse
cost him his life; these men let their lights
| shine through unimpeachable character and
splendid courage.
1.-The true disciple will maintain an I'M
equovical position in times OF reform and
| when tried by waves of worldliness. as the
church is being tried to-day. Nehemiah,
Luther and Beecher never capped their
lights during a crisis. The Christian Sab
bath is being assaulted to-day in America
as never before; sobriety is threatened by
a liquor power, plethoric with wealth, con-
scienceless and damning; avarice is con-
Stunning the sweetness and beauty OF the
human heart. The present is a crisis when
the true disciples will let their Tights
shine Noble character will work out in
noble action.
Light is a r~evealer, an illumination. The
light of our text will enlarge the horizon
of all who come under its rays. Light
means truth. The brighter the light the
more of truth is revealed. AS light on the
facts of astronomy gives a larger astro-
nomical life. and as light in the vegetable
and animal kingdom gives a larger biologi-
cal life, even so light reflected from the
Christ through the medium of a disciple
will give a larger spiritual life-yea, eternal
life"