February 9

Lights in the world. — PHIL. ii. 15.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. — MATT. v. 14-16.

WE do not need to adopt any philosophical theory of light to perceive the beauty and pertinence of the figure by which our Lord represents his friends as the light of the world. The world is dark because sin dominates it. Sin darkens the mind so that God, truth, duty, the way of salvation by Christ, are obscured. Therefore it needs light, penetrating, revealing, awakening. Watch the earth when the light of morning breaks over it! So the moral world needs the spiritual light, — the light of Christian example, instruction, influence.

This light is not our light. It is given from above. CHRIST is the light of the world, and the light that is in us is from him, as the reflected light of stars is from the central sun. It is not given to be hidden, but to shine forth. The old Roman law maintained the right of citizens to unobstructed light. Light is for the world. If we have it we must let it shine. The light of the individual Christian should make an illuminated home. The light of the united Church should be like a lighted city at night, standing on a hill.

Burdett Hart.

Oh, let our love and faith abound;

Oh, let our lives to all around

With purest lustre shine, —

That all around our works may see,

And give the glory, Lord, to thee,

The heavenly light divine.

C. WESLEY.