Chapter 64—“The Darkness Comprehended It Not”
[
This article appeared in
The Review and Herald, June 3, 1890
.]
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All
things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made
that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And
the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same
came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through
him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness
of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world” (
John 1:1-9
).
The question has been asked me, “Do you think that the Lord has
any more light for us as a people?” I answer that He has light that is
new to us, and yet it is precious old light that is to shine forth from
the Word of truth. We have only the glimmerings of the rays of the
light that is yet to come to us. We are not making the most of the light
which the Lord has already given us, and thus we fail to receive the
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increased light; we do not walk in light already shed upon us.
We call ourselves commandment-keeping people, but we do not
comprehend the exceeding breadth of the far-reaching principles of
the law of God; we do not understand its sacred character. Many who
claim to be teachers of the truth, have no real conception of what they
are doing in teaching the law of God, because they do not have a living
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we read of Luther, Knox, and other noted Reformers, we admire
the strength, fortitude, and courage possessed by these faithful servants
of God, and we would catch the spirit that animated them. We desire
to know from what source they were out of weakness made strong.
Although these great men were used as instruments for God, they
were not faultless. They were erring men, and made great mistakes.
We should seek to imitate their virtues, but we should not make them
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