Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-03-23


of above: well for us only. it, after
beholdlny this our natural face in a
glass. we desire not straightway 20
| forget what manner OF men we be"
So surely does the face bear the marks
OF the life. We cannot escape it, We
may attempt to mask the real self he
hind pleasant exterior. but the real
SELF hashes out unawares and betrays
the actor. | have studied faces which
were handsome and which lit up with
an attractive light But as the first inn
! preSsions faded away the real self
began to stand out upon the face and /
could trace here and there lines which
/ knew meant there was something in
that life and heart which was dishon-
oring TO God and harmful to- the lie.
A little child not having learned to
mask the face and hide behind IL the
evil in the heart and life can be clearly
read.
HE face then more or less surely
witnesses as to the life and char
acter of the person behind the face
And the Christians face above all 9th
ers should be in harmony with the pro-
fession A face lighted up with tho
radiance of the indwelling Christ is a
recommendation, an Endorsement. OF
the Gospel which is well-nigh irresis-
! uuiS. Saul was among those who be-
held the face OF Stephen as IL had beer
the face OF an angel. How much do
you suppose his conversion was due to
the light which he saw radiating from
the face of that brave disciple that
day? Much, I believe. | do not be-
lieve he ever forgot that face | do no.
believe, sleeping or waking he could
shake off the consciousness that be-
mind that man Stephen was the shin
ing presence OF the One he preached as
the Christ. the Saviour of men Tha.
wonderful face and that startling cli-
max which came when the eyes OF
stephen penetrated to the very heart
OF Heaven and he declaI ed that he saw
the Son of Man standing on the right
hand OF Cod Saul saw the shining
race. and could not help connecting IT
with the vision which Stephen had.
Christ in Heaven the source of the
light which shone from his upliftei
race. Day and night. | believe. Saul
pondered over these two things.-the
! face and the vision-until at last on
that eventful day near Damascus the
full light of Christ's presence of which
on Stephens face he had seen a refiec-
ton. burst in upon his soul and over
whelmed him. 1t takes the shining face
TO indorse the testimony for Christ.
no YOU know | somehow feel that
- Jesus command. Let your light
shine before men, that they may see
your good works and glorfy your
Father who is in Heaven" has a deep
er significance and meaning than We
give 1t. We put all the stress upon
the works, upon the actions and deeds
of the body and the words OF the lips.
and forget all about letting the face
shine for Jesus in full and blessed and
reinforcing harmony with the works.
1 have seen Christians performing
! kindly works OF ministry in the name
| OF the MASTER have done IL myself
again and again. God forgive mel
! whose faces had the seven shades Of
| gloom stamped upon them. Some people
think TO be religious and perform re-
ligious duties one must assume a sad
and sanctimonious expression which
would almost chill a corpse. Letting
our light shine means more than do
ing and speaking, it means an IL
Eliminated face--a countenance whose
! light and expression tell Of the Chris.
for whose sake and in whose name the
! deed is wrought or the testimony Is
given. Arise, shine; for thy light is
come, and the glory of Jehovah Is
risen upon thee" Arise! Let no longer
the darkening self shade the face. but
arise and shine for thy light is come!
The witness of the face of the Chris
tan should always be of that light
which has shined into his heart.
Shine. because Jesus is in the heart,
Shine because Il is your privilege
and your duty to do SO
Shine, because the world is watch
ing you. Shine with beaming face.
that the world may be attracted to the
/ One who can transform the life and
put song in the mouth and a new
| light in the face. And remember.
| Christian, that perhaps the reason
/ your face is not lit up with Heavenly
| light is because the JOY Of the fullness
OF the presence Of the Christ Is not felt
within. Go back a few verses in the
/ story OF Stephen and you will learn
the secret Of his shining face lie was
full of faith and the Holy Ghost, and
grace and power, and he wrought
nightly for his Lord. And II You
would have your face shine you must
have the same presence within. That
which is within man is what shines
out Of man. You may be able to per
form Christian duty without faith and
the Holy Ghost You may be able TO
! speak the Gospel message without
faith or the Spirits prompting. but
| you cannot illuminate your face with
the radiance OF the Christ unless He is
within and faith is claiming all tina
richness of His fellowship. That lamp