The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1911-06-17
Christians as Shin
ing Lights

rExr-Y. are the Hight of the world
Matthew .. lG
One Of the greatest utterances o.
any age II the sermon on the mount
Il was spoken TO the disciples. There
IL nothing in II directly addressed to
the unsaved. Christ IL the light OF
the world. We understand that. ye'
He says. Eye are the light OF the
world" There II really no discrep
ancy here for We say the lamp lights
the room yet in reality It 10 the oil IN
the lamp that gives tho light There
Il In w no light BY reason Of our be
Ing, but still we are the light OF the
world. Christ II the light and we re
feet His light. We shine insofar al
we act 10 He can shine through us
There are degrees in Christianity. Ono
light shines more brightly than an
other, according to the amount Of oil
and general condition Of the lamp. One
Christian shines more brightly thar
another. according to the place he 70
serves for Christ In his life and the
character Of life he lives.
We have the positive Injunction thai
Christians are to do everything IN
their power to secure that their ngh'
shine as brightly az possible.
We are to do this by the position
We take up. A lamp on the floor viii
not give a. much light az when sus
pended from the ceiling. The Chris
tian position is the most exalted one
IN the world. All civilization Il
caused by Christianity.
All learning that has ever beneftet
the race has been fostered by Chris
tianity.
Tho fact that we are Christian
should give US more pleasure thar
anything. We are not only individual
Christians. but we. are members O
society. and what affects society af
fects US and vice versa.
We shine by the character we form
Character Is the most important thini
In the world. We may have grea
wealth, but II we have not q wealth
Of character we are poor indeed. w,
may have all the polish society car
give w. but II we have not brillian
character We shine very poorly. Tn,
world IL demanding character as nevel
before. To say nothing OF religion
the world at large demands that ,
man be possessed Of a good characte,
II he should hold a position In thei
affections. II II 80 In business, ant
becoming more and more 30 in pol
ftics. EloQuence has charmed its mil
lions. but there is no eloquence quite
80 powerful az good mans life. Som,
men are remembered because Of theil
eloQuence. but II there is also strong
manhood they are all the more i'm
mortal.
We increase the brilliance of oul
lives by the effort we put forth for tn,
conversion Of others. IT'S here tina
many Christians exhibit practical self
ishness or else they do not value thei
religion very highly. II It is what W,
claim for II then We should desire 4
for all people.
There II negative side to this cues
ton. We should remove everythin,
that tends either to obscure or hid,
our light, or which 30 affects It as Il
mako It suggestive Of ourselves rather
than of God. It ID usually the small
things that hide most effectively. A
lighthouse keeper once lighted bill
well-trimmed lamps. A few hour,
later he was notified that his ligh
was out. On examination It was fount
that thousands Of tiny insects ha,
covered the lamp. Surrounding som,
Of US there il such cloud of sin I'll
the light II there be any cannot shin,
through.
We should keep ourselves clean O
all practical Inconsistencies. moon
sistency Is impenetrable. We shoult
avoid all self display. Many peopl,
who profess to be Christians seem I,
think It is there first business to tel
people Of 1t. II you are a Christia,
no one knows It better than your near
est neighbor. II Is not your preroga
two to glorify yourself. but God. Tn,
most attractive style in writing is tina
simple style which leads one to thinl
Of the subject matter rather than tn,
style Of the author.
80 the most beautiful and most eli
fective Christian life Is that one which
leads people to think not so much O
the person, but Of the Christ that Il
being lived.