The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-14
IS WITNESS F0R CHRIST"
(Selected for The Times.)

(Selected for The Times.)
He was not that Light.4bUt came that
h, might bear witness Of tina Light. That
was the true Light which lighteth every
man. which ccmeth into the world :" III
John. i: s.
OF whom does the writer speak? OF
John the Baptist. the immediate fore
runner of the Messiah. Fe was the first
to recognize and proclaim the advent OF
the long expected King.
He was one of those men who give an
impetus for new thought to their genera
ton, an6 help men to see clearly THAT
they might otherwise only !dimly under
stand.
He was able in a measure TO know our
Lord well. He was His cousin. and had
heard. perhaps known Him from His
childhood. John was also in a position
to know what it involved to be the Mes
siah
BY the very circumstance that ne had
himself been mistaken for the Messiah,
he was driven TO define in his own mind
the true unmstakable characteristic
marks of the Messiah. Nothing could SO
clearly lead him to apprehend the differ
ence between himself and the Christ.
A star may seem close to the top of
the mountains, when seen from the low
land moor; but seen from the mountain
top it IS recognized as infinitely above
one. John was, on the mountain top.
J,
graphv begins at another point. But in
this case parentage, home training, are
omitted altogether and the very beauty
Of Cod and His message lights up the
whole man.
Men have different ways OF looking at
themselves In some cases they look
downward to the miro and the clay" J.
others they claim the dignity and privi-
,eees of the sons of God The influence Of
this view upon the use Of strength and
life must be intense and salutary. We
degrade life when we omit God from its
plan.
What is our view OF life? Have we but
a mere physical existence or We
messengers of the Most High:
God reveals Himself to us, little by
little. as we are able to bear the light
Joan came that he might bear witness
to that Ligh:." There had been a long an,
wonderful procession Of witnesses TO that
Light. There had been a long and won
derful procession of witnesses to that
Light from Moses even until John, who
was the last Of the illustrous line.
John as a professed Saviour would
have been weak. and even contcmptible
but rs 3, witness he was burning and
shining light. lie was as the morning star
heralding the glorious dawn
God is pleased to speak to us by man
ike ourselves. John was :; great man,
!,ut he was only Il man. He was sent from
Gcd bearing His message to the expect
ant world around him. God gave him
both his mission. his message. his instri:c-
ion and his credentials. He was nor tina!
Light" His was but a temporary ray
The brightest light which the hand Of man
car enkindle is palcd instantly when the
SUI shineth in his strength. Beautiful.
indeed, is that monday light when shin
ing alone, and not beautiful only. but
precious exceedingly to men, who with
out it would be in darkness. Yet could il:
sneak it would say: II am but the spark
of another fire; your adrnirations OF my
splenlor will cease when you see the
Sun.'
Such is the speech Of the most luminous
Of men. Our light is lunar. an,
according to the measure Of our capacity
lie sheds His glory through our life
THAT was the true light Which lishteth
ere,y man that cometh into the world. .
As the sun shines for every man. so Jesus
Christ lives for every man. The lamp in
the house belongs to the householder: the
lamp in the street is a loca, convenience.
but the sun pours it's morning and its
roontide rays into every valley and into
the humblest home. That's the true light,