, Jesus
Christ, the Light of men, waits with yearning desire, and, as each
successive generation passes across the stage of human life, He is
prepared to illumine the spirits which are intended to be the candles
of the Lord. In these ages He illumines us with the Gospel; but I
believe that all moral intuitions, all instincts of immortality, all
cravings after God, all gropings in the dark for the true Light, all
helpful moral revolutions which have swept over mankind, have been the
result of his influence, who, as the true Light, lighteth every man
coming into the world. Whenever and wherever a man has flamed up with
unusual fervour and spiritual power, with a desire to help his fellows,
and has shone like a torch, we must believe that he was illumined by
the Son of God, the Wisdom of the Book of Proverbs, whom he may not
have known, but whom he would recognise as soon as he crossed the
portal of the New Jerusalem. He lighteth every man; He is willing to
illumine every man that comes into the world.

This conception casts a considerable light on some of the enigmas of
human experience. We have known illiterate, uncultured men, without
many gifts of style or grace of speech, yet they have shone to such an
extent that every one in their neighbourhood has been lit by the
radiance that has streamed from them. On the other hand, we have met
men who have passed through a college course and been carefully trained
for their life-work; important pulpits and opportunities of great
usefulness have been opened to them; but their lives have been a
disappointment. Why? Ah, the answer is easy. The former class were
as candles, made of ordinary wax, and placed in inconspicuous
candle-sticks, which had been ignited by the fire of God through the
Holy Spirit; and the latter were like exquisitely prepared
candlesticks, the candles in which had never been kindled by the fire
of God. There are hundreds of professing Christians, and some may read
these pages, who have never really been kindled; who have never been
touched by the Son of God; who do not know what it is to shine with his
light and to burn with his fire.

What is the process of lighting? The wick of the candle is simply
brought into contact with the flame, and the flame leaps to it, kindles
on it, without parting with any of its vigour or heat, and continues to
burn, drawing to itself the nourishment which the candle supplies. So
let Jesus Christ touch you. Believe