The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-15
THE WORSHIPPBRS OF Light
Text Of a Sermon by the Rev.
Frank Vi. Bristol.

/ The Flaming sword at Eden's Gate
u symbol OF Gods Sovereign Power
-The GIistening Hand an Emblem
of Beneffcence Truth, and Love.
/ 4 large congregation assembled at the
Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church,
corner of Four-and-a- half and c Streets
mort Invest. at II O'Clock yesterday morn
ing. to listen to the sermon by the Rev.
/ Frank NJ Bristol. DR.. Bristol selected for
/ his text a 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 religions 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 beneficent 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 Eden's 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 enhghtening power of God s
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
round about the shepherds of Bethlehem
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 Patrnos
vision; in all these forms of light was the
hiding of Gods power. What an unfold
ing OF redemptive 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 glistening with light is an emblem
Of power clothed with benefcence, au-
thority srrayed in truth, sovereignty
ROBBED in love.
The prophet beholds that hand revo-
lutionizing the world driving the pa
lions asunder' and scattering the ever
lasting mountains Of long established in
stitutions 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
he stretched his hand OF power over Cal
vary. and said: Let there be light He
stretched his hand of power over the
tomb OF his Son, Jesus Christ. and said:
I ct there be light And today the world
rejoices in the light of a Gospel. which
is the power Of God unto salvation