The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-15
THE WORSHIPPERS FLIGHT
Text Of Sermon by the Rev.
Frank VI. Bristol.
The Flaming sword Mt Eden's Gate
aSymboI of Gods Sovereign Power
The GIisteninS Hand an Emblem
of Benefcence. Truth, and Love.

A large congregation assembled at the
Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church.
corner of Tour-and-a half and c Streets
northwest. at II O'Clock yesterday morn
ing to listen to the sermon by the Rev.
/ Frank NJ. Bristol. DR. Bristol selected for
his text portion of the fourth verse of
the third chapter. Habakkuk. He had
rays coming forth from his hand, and
there was the hiding of his power
He said. in part: The most rational and
! natural of all the uninspired religious of
the world was that of the worshippers of
light-the sun worshippers They re-
garded the light as the source of all life
giving and DEMONSTRATING power, hence
divine.
1T is not a little remarkable that when
the time for revelations came. the power
of God should have manifested itself in
the form of light. But. again. it does
not seem so remarkable when we con-
slider that the light is the greatest and
most benefcent physical force in nature.
Many times in sacred history. in the I'M
folding of Gods plans and purposes this
divine spiritual power has come clothed
in the physical garb of light In the fam
ing sword at Edens gate was the hiding
of Gods sovereign power and justice. In
the lamp of fire. moving through the
smoke of the furnace. was the hiding of
Gods history-making power, representing
to Abram the enlightening power OF Gods
wisdom.
In the burning bush at Horeb in the
pillar of fire of the wilderness, in the
lightning of Sinai, in the cloud of light
that rested down upon the mercy seat
of the temple; in the glory that shone
I.,,, 4a,n Ok, Ill
at the birth of Jesus. in the tongues of
fire that rested on the heads of the dis
ciples at Pentacost. in the stars that
shone in the right hand of the Son of
Man as John saw him in the Patnos
vision; in all these forms of light was the
hiding of Gods power. What an unfold
ing OF redemDtive purpose we find from
Eden to the kingdom of heaven, from
where the hand that held the flaming
sword of retribution holds the heavenly
stars of hope and promise.
THE hand is the emblem of power
The prophet saw the hand of God and
it shot forth bright rays of light. The
hand glistenng with light is an emblem
of power clothed with benefcence. au-
thority arrayed in truth, sovereignty
ROBBED in love.
THE prophet behoIds that hand revo-
lutionizlng the world, driving the pa
lipuS anu the ever
lasting mountains of long established in
situations of wrong and of superstition.
But all this change or revolution is
wrought for the good of humanity. AS
the prophet declares: Thou wentest forth
for the salvation of thy people How
that hand of God has been stretched
forth for the redemption of the world
God stretched his hand of power over a
world of chaos. saying: Let there be
light. and there was light He stretched
his hand of power over the manager of
Bethlehem and said: Let there be light
lie stretched his hand OF power over Cali
vary, and said: Let there be light He
his hand of power over the
tomb of his Son, Jesus Christ and said:
Let there be light. And today the world |
re joces in the light of a Gospel. which 1
$ the power of God unto salvation.