The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1902-01-20

en- twelve In the life and miracles or
Jesus, and especially In the holy Mount
of TRANSPORTATION, so that St. John
writes: 1--WE beheld His glory, the glory
as of the Only Begotten of the Father,
full Of grace and truth"
The text calls us to have our Epiph-
any; to let our light so shine before men
that they may see our good works, and
glorify. not u.s. but our Father which is
in heaven For just as the glory which
shone forth from the Human Tabernacle
of the Lord-made flesh was the glory OF
God, and the alteration paid by the shep-
herds and the wise men to the Infant
Jesus, was the worship done to the
Eternal Godhead; so If His disciples are,
us they ought to be, the light of the
world, the light thai they shed around
them rebounds not to their own glory,
but to the glory of God, through whose
Only Degotten Son they have received
their illumination.
The yearly round of the church sea-
sons has this twofold value: First, they
are the annual commentators Of the
leading events connected with our re-
demption: the birth, the Epiphany, the
sufferings, the death, resurrection and
ascension of our Lord. But then, next,
they severaly bring with them their
corresponding lesson of Christian life.
1t would be to little value that we cele-
brate the Savlour's birth, or Epiphany,
or death. IL the several commentators
have no reflex influence on our lives, If
they stir no responsive chord in our
hearts
which follows the order of the life of
Christ, you may learn by what stages
the Christian character is to be develop
ed, until after the first aspirations after
holiness one Is transformed into the
likeness of Christ. Thus at Christmas,
the thought of our own new birth by
water and the Spirit is the foundation
of our prayer that as we have been thus
regenerated we may be daily renewed
by the Holy Spirit, without whose aid
there could be no development Of the
Christian character, no growth in holi"
ness. Then Epiphany follows, and we
are taught how the divine life of Jesus
was continually manifested by His sim
lessness no less than by His miracles;
by His wonderful humility in being sub
;ect to His mother and supposed father
for 80 years, no less than when He turn
ed the water into wine at Cana, or walk
ed on the sea, or Gained the angry
waves at a word. To apply the lessons
of Epiphany to ourselves, our lives must
show that we belong to Christ are men,
bers of His Body. Let todays epistle
tell you how the light within you, If 1t
be there, will manifest itself: "Abhor
that which is evil cleave to that which
is good. Be kindly affectioned one to
another, with brotherly love, in honor
preferring one another; not slothful In
business; fervent in spirit; serving the
Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient In
tribuation; continuing instant in prayer;
distributing to the necessity of saints;
given to hospitality"
Here you have a picture of what we
ought to be through the grace of God
that we have received. But it only needs
the recital of this and kindred passages
in the New Testament to bring home to
every heart how far short we fall of the
Christian character-how faint and UNI
certain is the light that we send out
how hard to find is any manifestation
for which men should glorlfy our Father
which is in heaven.
If 1t were possible for us, through the
grace that is given us, to be so trans.
formed by the renewing of our minds,
as to be able always to walk in the steps
Of our Lord, and have His likeness
stamped upon our souls, then the year
might be one continued Epiphany as we
let our light shine brighter and brighter
before men.
But in spite of the grace we have re-
ceived, our best efforts are marked by
failure; and so Epiphany is followed by
Lent, and Passion-tide in which to be-
wall our shortcomings, and have impress
sed upon our souls that our hope OF
eternal life does not rest in ourselves.
but solely and wholly in the merits OF
the death and passion of the Only Be-
gotten Son, in whom alone the Father is
well pleased.
But whilst reflection on the light that
shines forth from us either as church
or as individuals, must needs be humili
ating when we'compare 1t with what the
text demands, let us venture to hope
that the event of this day does bear wit
ness to our Epiphany, for which glory
may be given to our Father in heaven.
1t is no light matter for any branch
of the church to be asked to change its
service book, to which its members have
been accustomed from childhood. Even
slight alteration Of phrase or a word